Yes. Most vendors in Qatar will be able to accept debit and credit cards payments. This is espcially the case for the international hotels, shopping malls and chain restaurants in Doha and Al Rayyan.

However, grocery stores, taxi drivers and vendors on Qatar’s traditional market place Souq Waqif don’t accept card payments.

If you are going to pay by card in Qatar: Be aware of steep currency conversion fees and bank fees for card payments: Your bank’s QAR to GBP exchange rate may be quite bad. This is how banks make money. Before using your bank card for payments in the Middle East, it’s certainly a good idea to contact your bank. This will avoid your card becoming blocked due to international transactions that your bank may find suspicious.

You should ideally take some Qatari Riyal cash with you on your trip to Qatar. To enjoy the hustle and bustle of Qatar’s traditional souq, ‘Souq Waqif’ a.k.a. ‘the standing market’ you’ll need Qatari Riyal banknotes for all purchases.

Cash remains a popular and convenient payment method in Qatar. In addition, cash is a great fallback in case card payments aren’t accepted or if they are declined.

Prices in Qatar are on average almost the same as prices in the UK: The cost of living in Qatar is 2% lower than the cost of living in the UK.

For a coffee in a cafe in Doha the price is around 18 riyals. For a three-course meal in a mid-range restaurant the bill will be around 100 riyals per person.

Tipping is not expected in Qatar. However if you want to leave a tip you can of course. In some restaurants a 10% service charge is added to the bill.