Qatar has the highest cost of living in the Gulf thanks to the high cost of renting homes in the country, said a report.

In a like-for-like comparison of seven measures accommodation, food, healthcare, education, transport, utilities and lifestyle, Qatar topped the list overall, followed by the UAE, Saudi, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait, said the Arabian Business report quoting a study by Cost of Living Reports (CLR).

The average cost of renting a two-bedroom apartment in Qatar during Q4 2013 was $42,930 a year compared to $27,390 in the UAE, it said.

Qatar was also the most expensive in the region for renting a car with costs put at $2,773 per month for a small SUV, almost double the $1,390.50 cost for the same car in the UAE, said the report.

A mid-level GP consultation cost was most expensive in the UAE ($78.50), followed by Qatar ($54), Saudi and Bahrain ($27), Kuwait ($26.50) and Oman ($13), the report found.