Which place is cheaper, Dubai or Doha?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Doha or Dubai?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Doha and Dubai can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Doha or Dubai?
Doha
Doha is the capital city of Qatar, modern and rapidly developing with much construction underway. It is home to Doha International Airport, the main point of entry for Qatar, as well as many of the country's best museums and examples of cultural heritage.
Dubai
Ever wonder what it would be like to see the lifestyles of the rich and famous up close. There's no more upscale destination than Dubai. It's by far and away the spot for shopping, partying, sunbathing, fine dining and the most luxurious of luxury. As the most modern and progressive of the seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates, this area has experienced an unbelievable economic boom and tourism spike. It's a desert city with an amazing infrastructure.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 3-Day Tours from Dubai, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in United Arab Emirates.
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Doha Prices
Qatar PricesDubai Prices
UAE Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDoha $245Dubai $289
The average daily cost (per person) in Doha is $245, while the average daily cost in Dubai is $289. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Doha and Dubai in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDoha $119Dubai $170
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDoha $238Dubai $340
Compare Hotels in Doha and Dubai
Looking for a hotel in Doha or Dubai? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Doha Hotel Prices and Dubai Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Doha $23Dubai $13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Doha
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Doha:
- CO2-Offset | RoundTrip Transfer from DOH Airport to Doha/West Bay: $194
- Entry to Angry Birds World with Transfer to Park and Top Up- Private Tour: $174
- Desert Horse Riding Tour With Transfers From Doha: $160
- Doha Horseback Riding Adventure in Desert with Transfers: $139
- Doha Arabian Horse Riding Adventure in the Desert with Transfer: $135
- Doha Arabian Horseback Riding Adventure in Desert with Transfers: $120
- Combo City Tour and Desert Safari with Private Transfers: $99
- Doha Private Airport Transfer: $99
- Hamad Airport Transfer Service – 24/7 Door-to-Door Transport: $98
- Private Transfer from Doha Cruise Port to Doha Hamad Airport(DOH): $96
- Private Transfer from Doha Hamad Airport(DOH) to Doha Cruise Port: $96
- Private Transfer from Doha Cruise Port to Doha hotels: $96
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Dubai
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Dubai:
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Taxi Ride$12
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Airport Taxi$12
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Sea Taxi$0.54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dubai
Also for Dubai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- "Airport Transfers to or from Dubai with SUV Car": $95
- 1 Hour Marina Yacht Tour with Optional Transfer: $45
- 4 Hour Dubai Layover Tour with Private Airport Transfers On Time: $124
- AYA Universe Dubai Entry with Optional Round Trip Hotel Transfers: $55
- AYA Universe Dubai Ticket With Transfer Option: $39
- AYA Universe Experience with Private Transfers: $73
- AYA Universe and Dubai Miracle Garden Private Tour With Transfer: $195
- Abu Dhabi City Tour + Ferrari world with Private Transfers: $245
- Abu Dhabi City Tour transfer from Dubai Shared Bus: $52
- Abu Dhabi City Tour with Louvre Museum With Free shuttle Transfer: $55
- Abu Dhabi City tour on sharing transfers basis: $36
- Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Tour with Hotel Transfer: $50
Is it cheaper to fly into Doha or Dubai?
Prices for flights to both Dubai and Doha change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayDoha $106Dubai $96
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Doha
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Doha.
- Starlight Dhow Cruise Dinner Experience on Doha Waterfront: $27
- Moonlight Dinner Dhow Cruise Tour with Transfers: $32
- Traditional Dhow Cruise Dinner with BBQ Buffet & Transfers: $35
- Moonlight on Marina Traditional Dhow Cruise With Optional Dinner: $42
- Traditional Dhow Cruise Tour with Dinner on board: $43
- Traditional Sunset Dhow Cruise Tour with BBQ Buffet Dinner: $45
- Sunset Dinner Cruise in Doha Bay A Traditional Dhow Experience: $47
- Evening Dhow Cruise with Optional BBQ Dinner: $49
- Qatar: Desert Dune Bashing with lunch/dinner in Desert Beach Camp: $55
- Sunset Desert Safari, Dune Bashing & BBQ Camp Dinner: $110
- Qatar Desert Safari Tour with Bedouin Camp Lunch or Dinner: $130
- Overnight Private Desert Safari with Buffet Dinner and Camel Ride: $149
Typical Food Prices in Dubai
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Dubai:
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French bread$0.95
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Sumo salad in Dubai Mall + Juice$10
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Lemon Mint Tea$4.36
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Coffee & Cake$6.54
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Smoothie$5.45
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Shawarma$1.91
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dubai
For Dubai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Dubai Desert Safari with Dune Bashing, Camel Ride and BBQ Dinner: $9.45
- Dubai Desert Safari with home or hotel pickup/drop & bbq dinner: $12
- Dubai Self Drive Desert Safari Fun with BBQ dinner: $13
- VIP Red Dune Safari Dubai, Pick/Drop Camel Ride Quad & BBQ Dinner: $13
- VIP Red Dune Safari Dubai,Pick/Drop,Camel Ride, Quad & BBQ Dinner: $14
- 6-Hour Dubai Desert Dinner Safari with Dune Bashing & Camel Ride": $14
- Dubai desert safari with BBQ dinner, camel ride & dune Bashing: $14
- VIP Red Dune Safari with Pick/Drop BBQ/Dinner Camelride Sandbord: $15
- VIP Desert Safari Dubai with Quad Bike, Camel & BBQ Buffet Dinner: $15
- Vip Red Dune Desert Safari Dubai, Camel Ride, BBQ Dinner, Shows: $15
- Dubai Premium Desert Safari – Red Dunes, Camel Ride & BBQ Dinner: $15
- VIP Desert Safari with 30 Minutes Quad Bike Dinner, Shows Dinner: $15
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Doha $18Dubai $19
Tours and Activities in Doha
Here are a few actual costs in Doha for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 3-2-1 Olympic and Sports Museum ticket | Qatar: $23
- 4 Hours Kayaking Adventure in Qatar Purple Island Mangroves: $125
- 4 Hrs Private Doha Tour: Discover the City’s Premier Attractions!: $115
- 4 hours Desert Safari Experience in Doha up to Group of 5: $260
- 4-Hour Private Group City Tour in Doha, Qatar: $45
- 4-Hours Guided City Tour in Doha (Souq, Katara, Pearl, Lusail): $60
- 6 Hours Private Full Day Tour in Doha: $130
- 8-hour Doha tour: Cultural site, Heritage market, Modern Landmark: $149
- Attractions of Doha City Exploration ( 4-Hours Doha City Tour): $60
- Brouq Reserve and East to West 4WD Private Tour: $140
- City Tour Qatar Doha: $120
- City Tour and Desert Safari with Camel Ride and Sand Boarding: $130
Typical Entertainment Prices in Dubai
For Dubai, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Visit to the Dubai Museum$0.82
Tours and Activities in Dubai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dubai.
- A Self-Guided Tour of Dubai’s Origins in Deira: $5.99
- Dubai Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.00
- The Palm Monorail Ticket Dubai: $9.21
- Miracle Garden and Global Village Entrance Ticket: $9.77
- Dubai Butterfly Garden Tickets: $9.77
- Maze Mirror Inside Creek Park Entry Ticket: $9.77
- Old Dubai Walking Tour with Local/souks, boat, and local tasting.: $11
- Al Shindagha Museum Ticket: $13
- Entry Ticket to Sharjah Al Noor Island: $13
- Premium Dubai Property Investment Tour in Half-Day: $14
- Noble Adventure Safari Quad Biking, Camel Ride & Camp Activities: $14
- Dubai Global Village Tickets: $15
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDoha $15Dubai $23
Typical Alcohol Prices in Dubai
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Dubai:
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A Couple Drinks$25
Sample the Local Flavors in Dubai
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Dubai:
- Pub Crawl Private Events & Birthdays: $126
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Doha and Dubai, we can see that Dubai is more expensive. And not only is Doha much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Doha would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Doha and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Dubai would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dubai than you might in Doha.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Doha Expensive? and Is Dubai Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Doha or Dubai?
Dubai has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Doha. When comparing the sizes of Doha and Dubai, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.