Doha or Dubai: which is better?
World city: head-to-head comparison
Doha wins on more indicators: 3 of 5 against 0.
- Climate and risks: Doha 3:0
All indicators weigh the same. This is a score based on data, not advice on where to live: different people have different circumstances.
Doha
Indicator
Dubai
Population
no winnerCity population
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
344,939 people
GeoNames snapshot (all-the-cities 3.1.0 package, 2022), exact date not stated
2,956,587 people
GeoNames snapshot (all-the-cities 3.1.0 package, 2022), exact date not stated
Urban centre population
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
1,980,416 people
2025
4,565,478 people
2025
Urban centre area
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
392 km²
2025
854 km²
2025
Urban centre density
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
5,052 people per km²
2025
5,346 people per km²
2025
Urban centre population growth, 2015–2025
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
22.3 %
2015–2025
18.6 %
2015–2025
Climate and risks
Better: Doha (3 : 0)Hot days (max ≥ +30 °C)
lower is better
✓235 days per year
2016-20258% lower
✗255 days per year
2016-20258% higher
Frost days (min ≤ −10 °C)
tie
0 days per year
2016-2025
0 days per year
2016-2025
Severe frost (min ≤ −20 °C)
tie
0.0 days per year
2016-2025
0.0 days per year
2016-2025
Ice days (max ≤ 0 °C)
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
0 days per year
2016-2025
0 days per year
2016-2025
Heating degree days
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
10 °C·days per year
2016-2025
1 °C·days per year
2016-2025
Cooling degree days
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
4,282 °C·days per year
2016-2025
4,505 °C·days per year
2016-2025
Daylight on December 21
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
10.6 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
10.6 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
Daylight on June 21
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
13.7 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
13.7 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
Air humidity
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
52 %
2021-2025
51 %
2021-2025
Muggy days (dew point ≥ +20 °C)
lower is better
✓128 days per year
2021-202516% lower
✗153 days per year
2021-202519% higher
Distance to the sea
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
3 km
2006-2025
13 km
2006-2025
Earthquakes M4.5+ within 100 km
lower is better
✓0.00 per year
2006-2025
✗0.10 per year
2006-2025
Strongest earthquake in the period
no data for one of the places
no data
4.7 magnitude
2006-2025
A winner is named only for indicators with a known “better / worse” direction. Population and other neutral indicators are shown without a winner. Outdated and missing values are not counted. Details for each place: Doha, Dubai.