Money & Costs

Currency: Qatari riyal (QR)

Meals

• Budget: US$3-5
• Mid-range: US$5-15
• Top-end: US$15 and upwards
  
  Lodging
  
• Budget: US$25-50
• Mid-range: US$50-80
• Top-end: US$80 and upwards

On an absolutely rock-bottom budget, you might be able to travel in Qatar for about US$30 a day. This assumes you can get a tourist visa through a Qatari embassy. Otherwise, the least expensive hotel that sponsors visas charges about US$90 a night. Figure on about US$60-75 a day for a mid-range budget. For a top-end place to stay and top-end meals, be prepared to spend at least US$100 a day.

Moneychangers provide slightly better exchange rates than banks, though changing travellers' cheques at a moneychanger can be a trying experience - each one seems to accept a different brand of cheques than the others. Credit cards are widely accepted and ATMs easy to find.

A service charge is usually added to restaurant bills in Qatar but this rarely goes to the waiter. Local custom doesn't require that you leave an additional tip after a meal, though it's appreciated if you do. The traditional shops where serious bargaining used to take place are becoming rare in Qatar, though you can almost always negotiate a small discount on the price of electronic goods, rental cars and hotel rooms.

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