I worked in Riyadh before, not Qatar.

How I saved extra money was by not staying where the western expats stay, but closer to where the asians stayed.

My neighbours were mostly Filipinos, mix with some lower middle class Arabs.

My monthly rental was RM3.5k for a single bedroom apartment. Compare that with another Malaysian friend who stayed at a western compound, paying RM12k a month for a similar sized unit. Of course his area was far more atas, with mat salleh neughbours..

This was pre-covid times. Im sure rental will be up more now.