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: $1,314 in Al-jahra' versus $1,400 in Sabah Al Salem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,258 in Al-jahra' versus $2,495 in Sabah Al Salem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,201 in Al-jahra' versus $3,589 in Sabah Al Salem.

Living in Al-jahra' costs roughly 6% less than in Sabah Al Salem, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al-jahra' is 5% below, Sabah Al Salem is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.84 KWD 3.94

$7.93 KWD 2.43

61.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 KWD 19.80

$72.6 KWD 22.26

-11.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.08 KWD 2.79

$9.17 KWD 2.81

-0.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.16 KWD 0.97

$3.26 KWD 1.00

-3.07%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 KWD 1.52

$3.16 KWD 0.97

56.33%

Cappuccino

$5.28 KWD 1.62

$6.44 KWD 1.97

-18.01%

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

$0.72 KWD 0.22

$0.47 KWD 0.15

53.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 KWD 0.11

$0.51 KWD 0.16

-27.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 KWD 0.49

$1.97 KWD 0.60

-18.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 KWD 0.47

$1.26 KWD 0.39

21.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 KWD 0.58

$2.06 KWD 0.63

-7.77%

Eggs

$2.16 KWD 0.66

$3.16 KWD 0.97

-31.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.46 KWD 1.37

$7.26 KWD 2.23

-38.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 KWD 2.03

$5.43 KWD 1.67

22.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.20 KWD 3.13

$10.33 KWD 3.17

-1.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 KWD 0.78

$2.46 KWD 0.75

3.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 KWD 0.57

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 KWD 0.55

$1.31 KWD 0.40

38.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 KWD 0.47

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 KWD 0.42

$1.32 KWD 0.41

3.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

$0.96 KWD 0.29

48.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 KWD 0.71

$1.60 KWD 0.49

44.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 KWD 0.17

$0.47 KWD 0.14

14.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

$3.12 KWD 0.96

5.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 KWD 0.33

$1.03 KWD 0.32

3.88%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

$1.63 KWD 0.50

-14.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.69 KWD 0.82

$2.91 KWD 0.89

-7.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 KWD 0.24

$0.81 KWD 0.25

-3.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 KWD 34.94

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 KWD 1.46

$3.37 KWD 1.03

41.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 KWD 1.00

$3.70 KWD 1.13

-11.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.14 KWD 4.95

$17.45 KWD 5.35

-7.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 KWD 0.10

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

$21.4K KWD 6,567

$20.0K KWD 6,121

7.28%

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

$20.1K KWD 6,161

$20.5K KWD 6,295

-2.13%

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

$19.70 KWD 6.04

$38.32 KWD 11.75

-48.59%

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

$22.97 KWD 7.04

$23.88 KWD 7.32

-3.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.62 KWD 9.39

$39.34 KWD 12.06

-22.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.4 KWD 29.55

$131 KWD 40.27

-26.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.26 KWD 11.73

Cinema Ticket

$11.51 KWD 3.53

$11.13 KWD 3.41

3.41%

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

$306 KWD 93.9

$273 KWD 83.8

12.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,349 KWD 2,866

$7,488 KWD 2,296

24.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.59 KWD 11.53

$37.51 KWD 11.50

0.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.52 KWD 12.12

$39.45 KWD 12.10

0.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 KWD 29.99

$98.2 KWD 30.11

-0.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 KWD 27.29

$88.8 KWD 27.21

0.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$723 KWD 222

$731 KWD 224

-1.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$575 KWD 176

$552 KWD 169

4.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,750 KWD 536

$1,811 KWD 555

-3.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 KWD 416

$1,319 KWD 404

2.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,986 KWD 915

$2,911 KWD 893

2.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

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

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

Last update for Sabah Al Salem: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $723 in Al-jahra' and $731 in Sabah Al Salem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al-jahra' 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: $65.0 in Al-jahra' vs $73.0 in Sabah Al Salem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $187 per month, with Al-jahra' 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

Al-jahra' is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 3% higher in Al-jahra', which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $723 in Al-jahra' versus $731 in Sabah Al Salem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $306 in Al-jahra' versus $273 in Sabah Al Salem. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Al-jahra' – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $73.0 in Sabah Al Salem. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,314 in Al-jahra' versus $1,400 in Sabah Al Salem, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-jahra' but tight or insufficient in Sabah Al Salem. The gap between the two cities makes Al-jahra' 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 Al-jahra' gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Sabah Al Salem. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.