Job Discussion Forums

[meorbust]

Can someone please tell me what is the average monthly rental charge for a decent 2 to 3 bedroom apartment in Doha? Now when I say decent, I mean nothing extravagant and of course not a hole in the wall. Just something nice! Average. Not low, not high, but medium range. Thank you for your responses. Feel free to PM.

[toughcookie]

Few of us posting here have to pay rent, so I guess that's why you don't get replies to your OP. You could check out the classifieds online. Try the Peninsula - English language newspaper.
Hope this helps.
TC[/url]

[millie18]

Just a brief look through the classifieds shows an unofficial average for 2 bedroom 1.5 bath apartment fully furnished can run you between QAR8000 to QAR1200 monthly in a newish building with split AC and your electric/water included. You can find others at a higher or lower price of course, it depends on what you find acceptable. This building is clean, includes appliances and security (also a few roaches, but this is Qatar, you'll probably find them anywhere you go). The maintenance standard is OK, they usually come when you have a problem and fix it within a few days (there are exceptions but you'd run into this anywhere in the world).

[lall]

[millie18]

OOPS

QAR8000 to QAR12,000 (yes it is thousands - thanks lall)

[QatarChic]

Yes that figure sounds about right. Also check if such prices refer to furnished/unfurnished apartments.....as most tend to be unfurnished.

[thursday12]

rents here way too much - way too high.

I don't pay rent but some of my friends live in a 2 bedroom rathole for 10,000 per month. Villas go for 14,000 and up. If ya don't have a housin allowance of at least 12,000 thou - I'd say don't come. Rentals are killin people.

Try checkin the ads in the qatar newspapers, google Gulf Times and check out the ads.

Only good deal is a deal with housin included - and sometimes even that's not so great - when I look around and see what some people gotta live in, I gotta be satisfied. No more complaints 'bout my housin now that I've seen some of the dumps people gotta live in.

[wilberforce]

Some relief in sight.

Rent respite

Web posted at: 2/17/2009


Source ::: THE PENINSULA / THE PENINSULA

DOHA: Around 9,000 new apartments, most of them in the upcoming towers in and around West Bay, are likely to be available in Qatar by next year considerably easing supplies and house rentals, say property market sources.

They estimate that around 100 tower projects are either already under way or planned to be launched over the next few years despite the slowdown in the construction sector triggered by the global economic gloom.

Private and state-backed developers are busy building enough housing stock. �So, we expect supplies and rentals to ease between 20 and 25 percent after six months and beyond,� said Mohamed Sabih Bukhari, who is from the country�s building industry. The rents are already down by an average five to 10 percent, he added.

Although the demand for housing has been easing, all the new apartments which are likely to be available are expected to be occupied by next year, said P N Baburaj, who runs a real estate agency.

The slowdown in the rental market has, though, not positively impacted limited-income residents because the rents are still high, hovering at around QR7,000-QR8,000 levels. �These are the 2006 levels,� he said.

Increasing government spending on infrastructure projects and the ever-vibrant oil and gas sector, which is a major employer, will ensure that the demand for higher-end housing is stable, Baburaj hinted.

Construction activity is still going on in areas like Najma, Mansoura and Mamoura in the city, for instance, but new housing projects are not seen coming up, he said. �This means that it might not be as easy for someone looking for a new apartment next year to get one.�

The demand for housing has indeed slowed down as supplies have eased a bit but there are still enquiries. �Although, the situation is not like before when our office used to get a lot of phone calls enquiring if houses were available,� he said.

�Now, only serious tenants�those who are in immediate need of housing�are coming to us,� said Babura
[/quote]

[wilberforce]

Unbelievable - there have actually been ads for rentals of 5000 riyals - something unheard of in the past 5 years! Let's hope this keeps up. Too many empty apartment buildings in town. There is no housing shortage of upper end accomodation - but the lower end - far too few. Property developers should cater to the real needs of the expat population and build more affordable housing units. It's too bad that so many Asians have been forced to repatriate their families because of the exhorbitant rents. They are a valuable asset to this country but time and time again they are the main victims of crazy policies and inflation.