Qatar

Arabian Peninsula

Middle East

A low-tax Middle Eastern country with widely spoken English, strong universities and residence by investment, but a very long 25-year citizenship wait and no dual citizenship.

Overall score

Limited · Penalty applied · 94% data coverage

Language

Arabic

Currency

QAR

Citizenship

25 years

Personal tax

No tax on employment income

Cost of living

$2,100 / mo (single)

Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.

Score breakdown

Access

17%

93Residence12%

18Citizenship and passport5%

Earning power

25%

95Salary and work12%

79Buying power13%

Business and wealth

20%

94Taxes7%

75Business8%

59Investment5%

Daily life

25%

81Quality of life18%

62Education7%

Rights and institutions

13%

25Freedom6%

75Rule of law7%

Severe environmental risk (0) cut the overall score from 76 to 34.

Pros

Widely spoken English
Strong universities
Residence by investment

Cons

A very long 25-year citizenship wait
No dual citizenship

Best for

Low-tax relocatorsInvestorsEnglish speakers

Score profile

Access

Residence

Citizenship

Passport

Earning power

Salary & work

Buying power

Cost of living

Economy

Business and wealth

Taxes

Personal tax

100

Corporate tax

Business

Investment

Wealth building

Daily life

Safety

Healthcare

Environment

Infrastructure

Education

HDI

Rights and institutions

Freedom

Rule of law

How the scores are calculated

Access

Residence

Openness to residents

Excellent

Migrant stock76.7% of population (2024)

Regulatory quality0.97 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways

EmploymentStudyFamily reunificationBusiness or investment where eligible

Student	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Work	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Self-employed	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Permanent	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

Citizenship

Citizenship accessibility

Low

Years required	25 years
Dual allowed	No
Language	Check the current naturalisation rules for the selected route
Residence	Typical headline route: 25 years; qualifying residence and absence rules apply
Notes	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

Passport

Passport power

Good

137 / 198

Mobility

#38

Global rank

Yes

Biometric

Visa-free100
On arrival33
eTA4
Visa required61

Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work

Labour-market strength

Excellent

Output per worker$149,895 PPP (2024)

Unemployment0.1% (2025)

Participation87.0% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tech salary (estimate)	Varies substantially by city, seniority, and employer
Freelance	Market access depends on language, sector, and work authorisation
Job market	Use current local vacancy and salary data for role-specific decisions.

Buying power

Purchasing power score

Good

GNI / person$126,290 PPP (2025)

Consumption / person$19,881 PPP (2022)

Price level76 (US = 100) (2024)

Income inequality35.1 Gini (2017)

Inflation1.3% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living

Affordability

Moderate

Price level76 (US = 100) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Rent	Varies substantially by city and neighbourhood
Monthly	$2,100 / mo (single)
Cities	Doha, Al Rayyan, Lusail

Economy

Economic strength

Excellent

Output & income

GDP$215.6B (2025)

GDP / person$72,525 (2025)

GNI / person$126,290 PPP (2025)

GDP growth2.4% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour

Inflation1.3% / yr (2024)

Unemployment0.1% (2025)

Output per worker$149,895 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition

Agriculture0.3% of GDP (2025)

Industry57.0% of GDP (2025)

Services47.0% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries

Natural gas (LNG)OilPetrochemicalsFinanceConstruction

Top exports

LNG & natural gasCrude oilPetrochemicals

Type	High-income, gas-driven
Key sectors	Liquefied natural gas (a world leader), Finance, Sovereign wealth investment
Summary	One of the world's richest economies per capita, built on vast LNG exports and a large sovereign wealth fund.
Currency	Qatari riyal (pegged to the US dollar)

Business and wealth

Taxes

Tax friendliness

Excellent

Personal	No tax on employment income
Corporate	Generally 10% on Qatar-source taxable income
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit tax	Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence
Foreign companies	Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply

Personal tax

Excellent

100

Personal	No tax on employment income
Freelance	Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit tax	Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence

Corporate tax

Good

Corporate	Generally 10% on Qatar-source taxable income
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Foreign companies	Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply

Business

Business friendliness

Good

Regulation & bureaucracy

Regulatory quality0.97 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Government effectiveness1.13 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules

Foreign company	Generally possible, subject to sector, registration, tax, and substance rules
Local company	Available company forms and capital requirements vary
Freelance	Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply

Investment

Investing environment

Moderate

Market cap82% of GDP (2025)

Private credit127% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, residence, holding period, and treaty position
Dividends	Data not available yet
ETFs & funds	Data not available yet
Wealth tax	Check current national and subnational rules
Brokers	Local and international availability varies by residency and compliance checks
Foreign access	Data not available yet
Tax-advantaged	Data not available yet

Wealth building

Wealth accumulation

Good

Salary & work

Excellent

Business

Good

Investment

Moderate

Tax friendliness

Excellent

Cost of living

Moderate

Daily life

Safety

Safety & stability

Excellent

Personal safety

Homicide rate0.1 per 100,000 (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability

Control of corruption0.75 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Political stability0.95 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Healthcare

Healthcare score

Good

Outcomes

Life expectancy82.5 years (2024)

Under-5 mortality5.9 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing

Physicians3.02 per 1,000 (2023)

Hospital beds1.25 per 1,000 (2022)

Health spending$2,901 PPP / person (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs

System	Public/private mix varies by eligibility and residence status
Insurance	Check residence-permit and local coverage requirements
Average cost	Depends on eligibility, income, insurer, and chosen coverage

Environment

Environment score

Low

Environmental pressure

PM2.5 exposure107.8 μg/m³ annually (2023)

Water stress431.0% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure

Infrastructure score

Excellent

Digital infrastructure

Internet use98.1% (2024)

Internet resilience65 / 100 (2026)

Fixed speed88 / 100 download index (2026)

Mobile speed98 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities

Electricity access100.0% (2023)

Grid losses5.7% of output (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport

Transport quality3.80 / 5 (2022)

Air connectivity69,652 departures / million people (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education

Education score

Moderate

Attainment

Expected schooling13.1 years (2023)

Mean schooling10.8 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment

Tertiary enrolment43% gross (2024)

Education spending3.2% of GDP (2020)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tuition	$8,000-30,000 / yr
Public university	Varies by institution, programme, and student nationality
Languages	Arabic
Student work	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

HDI

Human development score

Excellent

HDI0.886 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life

Life expectancy82.4 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge

Expected schooling13.1 years (2023)

Mean schooling10.8 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025