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: $1,421 in Al-jahra' versus $1,317 in Sabah Al Salem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,427 in Al-jahra' versus $2,234 in Sabah Al Salem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,433 in Al-jahra' versus $3,151 in Sabah Al Salem.

Living in Al-jahra' is roughly 8% more expensive than in Sabah Al Salem, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al-jahra' is 7% above, Sabah Al Salem is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.56 KWD 2.97

$7.78 KWD 2.41

22.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.1 KWD 25.48

$59.8 KWD 18.56

37.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.05 KWD 2.81

$8.41 KWD 2.61

7.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 KWD 0.75

$2.47 KWD 0.77

-2.83%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 KWD 1.17

$3.39 KWD 1.05

11.50%

Cappuccino

$5.84 KWD 1.81

$5.54 KWD 1.72

5.42%

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

$0.64 KWD 0.20

$0.60 KWD 0.19

6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 KWD 0.11

$0.36 KWD 0.11

-2.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 KWD 0.48

$1.42 KWD 0.44

9.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 KWD 0.40

$1.08 KWD 0.34

20.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 KWD 0.53

$1.65 KWD 0.51

4.24%

Eggs

$2.01 KWD 0.62

$1.97 KWD 0.61

2.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.14 KWD 1.59

$4.63 KWD 1.44

11.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.31 KWD 1.96

$6.49 KWD 2.01

-2.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.50 KWD 3.26

$9.72 KWD 3.02

8.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 KWD 0.75

$2.25 KWD 0.70

7.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 KWD 0.59

$1.68 KWD 0.52

14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 KWD 0.54

$1.52 KWD 0.47

14.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 KWD 0.47

$1.41 KWD 0.44

6.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 KWD 0.38

$1.28 KWD 0.40

-4.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 KWD 0.39

$1.11 KWD 0.34

12.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.67 KWD 0.52

$1.62 KWD 0.50

3.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 KWD 0.15

$0.43 KWD 0.13

13.95%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.18 KWD 0.99

$3.64 KWD 1.13

-12.64%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 KWD 0.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

$1.38 KWD 0.43

1.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 KWD 0.94

$3.01 KWD 0.94

0.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 KWD 0.28

$0.88 KWD 0.27

1.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.79 KWD 13.90

$43.78 KWD 13.59

2.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 KWD 1.00

$3.26 KWD 1.01

-1.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.29 KWD 1.02

$3.32 KWD 1.03

-0.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.07 KWD 4.99

$16.13 KWD 5.00

-0.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

$0.34 KWD 0.10

5.88%

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

$21.6K KWD 6,699

$20.8K KWD 6,439

4.03%

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

$19.8K KWD 6,130

$18.9K KWD 5,867

4.47%

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

$20.26 KWD 6.29

$62.7 KWD 19.45

-67.67%

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

$18.72 KWD 5.81

$18.64 KWD 5.78

0.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.17 KWD 8.12

$25.37 KWD 7.87

3.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$199 KWD 61.6

$94.0 KWD 29.18

111.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.59 KWD 14.46

$45.82 KWD 14.22

1.68%

Cinema Ticket

$11.37 KWD 3.53

$11.47 KWD 3.56

-0.87%

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

$399 KWD 124

$285 KWD 88.5

40.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,597 KWD 2,047

$6,128 KWD 1,901

7.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.96 KWD 13.33

$42.99 KWD 13.34

-0.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.11 KWD 13.38

$42.97 KWD 13.33

0.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 KWD 26.86

$87.7 KWD 27.20

-1.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.7 KWD 25.04

$83.3 KWD 25.85

-3.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$784 KWD 243

$794 KWD 246

-1.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$603 KWD 187

-0.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 KWD 493

$1,581 KWD 490

0.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,273 KWD 395

$1,309 KWD 406

-2.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,915 KWD 904

$3,008 KWD 933

-3.10%

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': July 27, 2026

Last update for Sabah Al Salem: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $784 in Al-jahra' and $794 in Sabah Al Salem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sabah Al Salem pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $82.0 in Al-jahra' vs $60.0 in Sabah Al Salem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $167 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, Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 3% lower in Sabah Al Salem. 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: $784 in Al-jahra' versus $794 in Sabah Al Salem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $399 in Al-jahra' versus $285 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 $1,317 in Sabah Al Salem versus $1,421 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 8% less than in Al-jahra'. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.