A no-budget trip: how much it costs to go to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar

The FIFA World Cup in Russia has not yet come to an end, but the whole world is already starting to talk about the next World Cup, which will be held in November – December 2022 in Qatar. Considering how much money foreign fans spent during the 2018 World Cup, you and I need to start saving up for the next World Cup now. How much will a trip to the oil capital cost for an ordinary foreign tourist?

Qatar VS Moscow

All Qatar is located on the area of 11 586 square kilometers, which is 4 times less than the area of the Moscow region (45 900 square kilometers). Moscow, of course, is smaller than Qatar – 2,511 sq. km, but the population of our capital is more than 12.5 million people, while on the Qatari peninsula lives about 2.5 million. It seems that if all Qatari citizens move to Moscow, they can assimilate here almost imperceptibly.

Flight

Now in Qatar there is only one civilian airport “Hamad”, which was opened in 2014. “Hamad” is located in the capital of the state – the city of Doha, and on its territory is many times larger than “Domodedovo”. Inside – a lot of stores of expensive brands and large lounges for each gate. A definite “+” of the airport – no buses, boarding and disembarking is done by gangway.

Hamad is also used as a transit airport for those flying to Thailand or Bali.

• Themost budget option to fly from Moscow to Doha is by Turkish Airlines with a connection in Istanbul. A one-way ticket costs about 15,000 rubles, round trip – 25,000 rubles.
• You can also take a direct five-hour flight Qatar Airways – this local airline is one of the best in the world, but a round-trip ticket will cost an impressive 50,000 rubles. But on board even in economy class they offer free drinks (including alcoholic ones), feed you well, give you an opportunity to connect to personal video displays and do not make you turn off your phone.
• If you fly business class with Qatar Airlines, you will have to pay (we don’t want to shock you, but sorry) 140,000 rubles for one flight from Moscow. For comparison, a business class ticket from Moscow to New York costs 100,000 rubles (considering that the flight lasts not 5 hours, but 12).

By the way, it will be no cheaper to get to Qatar from neighboring countries than from Moscow – a one-way economy class ticket from Saudi Arabia, Greece or UAE costs from 20,000 rubles. Apparently, Qatar will have to wait for an influx of Russian fans who will come to see the new successes of our national team. It is not for nothing that Stanislav Cherchesov said after the match with Croatia: “It will be better in Qatar”.

Do I need a visa to Qatar?

Since 2017, Qatar has introduced a simplified visa regime – the document will be processed upon arrival at the airport, it is enough to have a passport valid for at least 6 months after arrival in the country. You may also be asked to present a return ticket, hotel reservation and a guarantee that you have at least 1500$ on your card or in cash. A one-month tourist visa costs 100 Qatari riyals (about 1700 rubles) and can be extended if you wish.

Where to live in Qatar?

It all depends on how long you will come to the World Cup-2022, but the prices for hotels in Doha are quite democratic.

• A room in a 4-star hotel with a swimming pool, spa and fitness room from 2800 rubles per day.
• The cheapest hostel on Booking in Qatar now costs 1000 rubles per day, so it is more profitable for tourists to take rooms in good hotels. But there is a good chance that by the World Cup the prices for hotels will increase many times over.
• On Airbnb prices for accommodation in Doha vary greatly, now the average price for a small one-room apartment will be 6000 rubles per day.

Local climate

Qatar is located on the Arabian Peninsula, and it is all desert. In summer in the city the average temperature is +40-45 degrees, so during the day no one is on the street longer than 15 minutes. All premises, including underground passages, have air conditioners, but despite this, locals recommend leaving the house only in the evening.

That’s why they decided to hold the World Cup-2022 from November 21 to December 18 – in winter the temperature in Qatar drops to +26-30 degrees Celsius.

Food, water and entertainment

Almost everything, except oil and gas, in Qatar is imported, in stores there are a lot of brands known in Russia. There are local sweets and spices, that is what tourists buy. Prices for food are much higher than in Russia (for example, a can of cola costs 150 rubles).

However, you will not spend a lot of money on a cab – in Qatar, gasoline prices are much lower (28-30 rubles/liter). Uber is very popular, and, by the way, cabs are the only mode of transportation in Doha so far. The bus network is just starting to develop, and the metro in Doha will be put into operation only in 2019.

Bars, restaurants and nightclubs in Qatar are in abundance. The most popular entertainment is riding and drifting through the desert on a jeep. You can also go out of town to the beach and swim in the Persian Gulf, ride camels, visit the Museum of Islamic Art or just stroll through the shopping centers and Souq Waqif market (it is there that local spices and sweets are sold), go to the Qatar Heritage Village. They promise to build more museums and architectural sights by the World Cup-2022 in Qatar.

Alcohol

You can’t bring alcohol to Qatar – it will be confiscated at the airport and given back on the way back. Alcohol in Doha is sold in several outlets and only with a special limited card (locals do not have it), which is issued to foreigners working in the country. The card can be used to buy alcohol for an amount not exceeding 10% of the official income.

Visiting tourists drink in bars, hotels and nightclubs – there alcohol is freely available. But prices for all products are much higher than in Russia – a glass of beer in a bar will cost at least 600 rubles, a bottle of vodka – 1500 rubles. You can’t drink on the streets, but by the World Cup they promise to make fan zones where alcohol will be freely available.

Local culture

Local women, as in most Muslim countries, wear burqas with cutouts for eyes and face, men – in local robes. Tourists here can dress as they wish, but in official institutions like museums it is better to come in pants (for men), and women should be with covered shoulders and not too deep cleavage. On city beaches you can not appear in swim trunks, open tops and bikinis, on wild beaches – you can.

Local girls are not allowed to go to clubs and bars, ride buses. If a local girl marries a foreigner, she loses her citizenship, so get acquainted Qatari beauty with foreigners can – but no more.

Approximate budget

Based on current prices, you can already guess how much it will cost you to travel to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup (we’re counting on a week-long trip).

• Average four-star hotel for one person – 600 euros.
• Round-trip direct flight – 700 euros.
• Transfer by Uber – 100 euros.
• Spending on food, alcohol and entertainment – 1000 euros.

Total: 2400 euros + a ticket to the match (it is difficult to even guess how much it will cost).
Total in rubles: the trip (taking into account current prices) will cost you about 200,000 rubles with moderate spending, direct economy class flight, not the most expensive hotel and without taking into account tickets to the match.

Therefore, you should start saving up now and hope that in the remaining few years before Qatar will build new airports, hotels and attractions, prices will not rise, and the local rich will leave the country so as not to interfere with the celebration of the victory of the Russian national soccer team.