In this paper, we suggest quasi-likelihood estimation (QLE) method and its robust version in estimating spatial dependence modelled through variogram used for spatial data modelling. We compare the statistical characteristics of the estimators with other popular least squares estimators of parameters for variogram model by simulation study. The QLE method for estimating spatial dependence has the advantages that it does not need the concept of lags commonly required for least squares estimation methods as well as its statistical superiority. The QLE method also shows the statistical superiority to the other methods for the tested Gaussian and non-Gaussian spatial processes.