Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-jahra' and Sabah Al Salem Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-jahra' and Sabah Al Salem

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Al-jahra' versus $1,349 in Sabah Al Salem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,406 in Al-jahra' versus $2,216 in Sabah Al Salem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,404 in Al-jahra' versus $3,082 in Sabah Al Salem.

Living in Al-jahra' is roughly 4% more expensive than Sabah Al Salem, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Al-jahra' 5% above, Sabah Al Salem 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 KWD 3.09

$7.87 KWD 2.42

27.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 KWD 24.70

$58.6 KWD 17.99

37.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.79 KWD 2.70

$8.73 KWD 2.68

0.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 KWD 1.14

$3.41 KWD 1.05

8.80%

Cappuccino

$6.05 KWD 1.86

$5.31 KWD 1.63

13.94%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 KWD 0.20

$0.62 KWD 0.19

6.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 KWD 0.11

$0.34 KWD 0.10

2.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 KWD 0.49

$1.44 KWD 0.44

11.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 KWD 0.40

$1.04 KWD 0.32

25.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 KWD 0.55

$1.65 KWD 0.51

8.48%

Eggs

$2.03 KWD 0.62

$2.07 KWD 0.64

-1.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.08 KWD 1.56

$4.55 KWD 1.40

11.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 KWD 2.02

$6.64 KWD 2.04

-0.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.32 KWD 3.17

$9.68 KWD 2.97

6.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 KWD 0.72

$2.27 KWD 0.70

3.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 KWD 0.59

$1.66 KWD 0.51

15.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 KWD 0.56

$1.57 KWD 0.48

15.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 KWD 0.46

$1.38 KWD 0.42

8.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 KWD 0.39

$1.28 KWD 0.39

-0.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 KWD 0.40

$1.11 KWD 0.34

18.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 KWD 0.51

$1.68 KWD 0.51

-1.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KWD 0.14

$0.45 KWD 0.14

2.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 KWD 0.31

$1.04 KWD 0.32

-3.85%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

$1.38 KWD 0.42

-3.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 KWD 0.89

$2.91 KWD 0.89

-0.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 KWD 0.28

$0.88 KWD 0.27

2.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.87 KWD 13.78

$44.47 KWD 13.66

0.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 KWD 1.03

$3.19 KWD 0.98

4.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.28 KWD 1.01

$3.32 KWD 1.02

-1.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.42 KWD 5.05

$16.55 KWD 5.09

-0.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.37 KWD 0.11

$0.36 KWD 0.11

2.78%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.3K KWD 6,532

$20.3K KWD 6,226

4.91%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.0K KWD 6,140

$18.8K KWD 5,768

6.45%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$20.05 KWD 6.16

$61.9 KWD 19.02

-67.61%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$18.88 KWD 5.80

$18.50 KWD 5.68

2.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.64 KWD 7.88

$25.45 KWD 7.82

0.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$193 KWD 59.2

$92.2 KWD 28.33

108.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.22 KWD 14.51

$46.73 KWD 14.35

1.05%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 KWD 3.55

$11.41 KWD 3.51

1.31%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$408 KWD 125

$283 KWD 87.0

44.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,706 KWD 2,060

$6,184 KWD 1,900

8.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.91 KWD 12.87

$42.71 KWD 13.12

-1.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.00 KWD 12.90

$43.25 KWD 13.29

-2.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 KWD 26.79

$88.8 KWD 27.28

-1.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.1 KWD 24.92

$82.0 KWD 25.20

-1.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 KWD 246

$800 KWD 246

0.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 KWD 185

$615 KWD 189

-1.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,557 KWD 478

$1,549 KWD 476

0.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,300 KWD 399

$1,269 KWD 390

2.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,952 KWD 907

$3,019 KWD 927

-2.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.14

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Al-jahra': June 7, 2026

Last update for Sabah Al Salem: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $801 in Al-jahra' and $800 in Sabah Al Salem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sabah Al Salem pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $80.0 in Al-jahra' vs $59.0 in Sabah Al Salem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $168 per month, with Sabah Al Salem cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Al-jahra' vs Sabah Al Salem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sabah Al Salem is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Sabah Al Salem earns 2% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $801 in Al-jahra' versus $800 in Sabah Al Salem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $408 in Al-jahra' versus $283 in Sabah Al Salem. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Al-jahra'. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,349 in Sabah Al Salem versus $1,408 in Al-jahra', a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sabah Al Salem but tight or insufficient in Al-jahra'. The gap between the two cities makes Sabah Al Salem the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Al-jahra' and Sabah Al Salem are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Sabah Al Salem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Al-jahra'. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.