DXBtoDOH

Hi friendly forum,

I am in the final stages of a recruitment process for a role in Doha, Qatar. There's been every indication from the company that an offer will be forthcoming by the end of this week.

From a professional perspective the job offer will be a terrific one and the team I'd be working for is a fantastic one. The company is a Western A/E/C firm, so not a locally owned operation.

I did live in Dubai for several years a few years back so I'm no stranger to the Gulf. In those days I did hear less than flattering opinions stated about Doha. I have poked around the internet and on various forums about life in Doha but there's not much information. I know it will be a dusty, construction mad city with fairly limited amenities and I am fully aware it will not be Dubai. There will be no Oman mountains to escape to. It's much smaller. Everything, from housing to shopping, will be worse. The Qataris are worse than the Emiratis.

But what's lacking in my research is information comparing the day to day life between Dubai and Doha. In Dubai I didn't go to many brunches, my weekends were mostly spent at beaches or camping or sports. I did enjoy the nightlife but it was merely socialisation and fun, not to impress. Will I be able to have a similar type of life in Doha, or is it indeed far quieter? I like to cook and I know Doha has a Carrefour, but is there anything comparable to Spinneys for better quality meat and the occasional gourmet item?

In short, what are the options for expats in Doha, outside work? How does it really compare to life in the UAE? If you've lived in both cities, what are the small little things that separate Doha from Dubai that really stands out and affects the quality of life?

Any insight is greatly appreciated. Oh, and the possible impact on the decline of oil prices on construction trends in the Gulf? The latter does have me worried somewhat

co durham boy

Mate to be honest if you compare the two you're going to be very very disappointed . You're no stranger the Gulf so you know the score when it comes to Middle East living and how the land lies . Comparing the two is a complete waste of time as Dubai trumps Doha in every single way of life for me and ive lived and worked in most Gulf cities over the years.

The best thing to do when taking a position in Qatar is to look at what you can get out of it and try and treat it as a different entity , that's hard because everyone compares like for like . Doha is not Dubai and it's not Riyadh either . It's getting better but progression is slow , the mindset and drive of the UAE is missing from the Qatari's .

People who have been around a bit can adapt easily , it's not a difficult place to live , it's a bit dull at times and the Qatari attitude is rude , aggressive and ignorant but you just get on with it and earn your money .

Remember ,it's what you leave with at the end of your time which really counts , you actually might be one the chosen few that actually like it

johnarsu

I worked in Dubai 2013 and came to Doha in 2014 and I'm still here. Doha is a bit more conservative than Dubai, but everything that is on offer in Dubai is on offer here its just not as in your face and you need to know where to find it. There is a large UK comumity in the West Bay and Pearl areas. Its a bit like the UK before the swinging 60's things do go on and happen in certains places you just have to know where.

It can take a few months to ajust if you are going to compare it Dubai, but in the UK Southend does not compare to London if you get my meaning.

Avoid the Ezdan if single, if married remember your wedding certificate or your wife will not be allowed in, however it is a cheap place to stay in a good are until you find somewhere, it rents on a weekly, monthly yearly basis so no tie down while you search. The appartments themselves are a bit tired but bearable in the short term.

Brunches here at the weekend are plenty, some nice bars to socialise in(they open from 5pm onwards). There is camping sports and beaches (not many though). Spinneys (Tescos) is in the Pearl. There are 3 good medium sized shopping malls, City Centre, Villagio and LandMark.

The Qataris, same as any other race some nice, some arrogant.

The oil price will come back eventualy, more is being made of this making it seem a bigger issue than it is, truth is contractor rates have increased at an obsence amout in the last few years. It will be that rates that get cut or these people who see job cuts. These are people who have even in the UK been earning £500 - £2000 per day.

As for construction some in Doha is getting cut back, this is a result of too much being planned, they wont be able to complete it before the target of 2022 so they are cutting back to realistic target, the cut backs are small however.

Rent is expensive here, much higher than in Dubai

DXBtoDOH

Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated.

So Doha isn't quite as bad as some people may make it out to be, as long as I don't expect the glitz and glamour of Dubai. Dubai, for all its shortcomings, does have some of that global city buzz of HK or London or NYC, and Doha will be a sleepy provincial city by comparison.

I'll remember to never get into debt and to always have a multi-exit visa.

DXBtoDOH

A quick update for those who were helpful enough to pass along the cheerful and realistic advice.

I was all set to move to Doha but the new company has suddenly reassigned me to their AD office due to some internal restructuring. It does feel like I've dodged a bullet there.

co durham boy

You dodged a 7.62mm Hollowpoint !