QR 100 of Qatar household spending costs QR 31 in India, QR 48 in the Philippines, 2024

In 2024, household spending that costs QR 100 in Qatar costs less in 8 of the 10 countries compared. The figures below are at market exchange rates, cheapest first. The multiple is Qatar's price level divided by that country's.

• Egypt: QR 20 (Qatar's price level is 4.9 times Egypt's)
• Pakistan: QR 31 (3.3 times)
• India: QR 31 (3.2 times)
• Nepal: QR 35 (2.9 times)
• Bangladesh: QR 38 (2.7 times)
• Sri Lanka: QR 38 (2.6 times)
• Kenya: QR 43 (2.3 times)
• Philippines: QR 48 (2.1 times)
• UK: QR 115 (0.9 times)
• US: QR 132 (0.8 times)

The UK and the US are dearer than Qatar overall. On a scale where the US is 100, Qatar's price level of household spending is 75.7, the UK's is 87.3 and the US's is 100.0. For comparison, India's is 23.8, Pakistan's is 23.3 and the Philippines' is 36.2.

These are countries, not nationalities. Many people in Qatar come from them or send money to them, but no nationality data is used here. India and Pakistan both come out at QR 31, which should be read as similar.

The World Bank compares categories only for 2021, so the figures in this section are from 2021 and are not current. Qatar's price level for housing and utilities was 154.7 that year, on a scale where the world is 100.

Housing and utilities that cost QR 100 in Qatar in 2021 cost:

• India: QR 19
• Pakistan: QR 22
• Philippines: QR 37
• Nepal: QR 20
• Bangladesh: QR 20
• Sri Lanka: QR 14
• Egypt: QR 14
• Kenya: QR 26
• UK: QR 156
• US: QR 139

Among the eight lower-cost countries, the figures run from QR 14 in Sri Lanka and Egypt to QR 37 in the Philippines. The UK and the US are dearer than Qatar in this category, at QR 156 and QR 139.

The housing category is the World Bank's "actual" measure, which includes services that government provides to households. These are national averages of a broad basket. They are not rents in any one city and not any household's bills.

The table gives all eight categories for 2021, the latest year the World Bank compares them. Each figure is what spending that costs QR 100 in Qatar cost in that country that year.

Some 2021 figures from the table:

• Food and soft drinks: India QR 46, Pakistan QR 47, Philippines QR 73, Kenya QR 73, UK QR 87, US QR 92.
• Clothing and footwear: India QR 30, Philippines QR 61, UK QR 94, US QR 100.
• Communication: India QR 13, Philippines QR 50, UK QR 60, US QR 105.
• Transport: from QR 61 in Egypt to QR 106 in Nepal. India is QR 77, the UK QR 199 and the US QR 144.
• Health: India QR 26, Philippines QR 56, UK QR 183, US QR 235.
• Education: India QR 21, Philippines QR 26, UK QR 103, US QR 154.
• Restaurants and hotels: India QR 37, Philippines QR 45, UK QR 124, US QR 134.

The UK and the US were above QR 100 in housing and utilities, restaurants and hotels, health, education and transport. The US was also above it in communication, at QR 105, and exactly at QR 100 in clothing and footwear. The UK was below QR 100 in food, communication and clothing.

Price levels compare the cost of a broadly similar basket of goods and services across countries at market exchange rates. They are national averages. They do not describe any one household's bills, rent in a particular city or school fees.

The overall 2024 figures divide the World Bank's purchasing power parity conversion factor for household final consumption by the official exchange rate for the same country and year. That ratio is the price level, with the US at 100. The cost of QR 100 of Qatar spending in another country is that country's price level divided by Qatar's, times 100. 2024 is the latest year the World Bank gives for Qatar.

The World Bank's International Comparison Program measured prices in 2021. World Development Indicators extrapolate the 2021 figures to later years. The 2024 figures are therefore World Bank estimates, not new price surveys.

The category figures come from the 2021 program results, with Qatar set to 100. Health, education and housing include services that government provides to households.

The World Bank says these conversion factors are not a precise measure for strict rankings of countries, so small gaps should be read as similar. No nationality data is used.