Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Wafrah and Sabah Al Salem Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Wafrah and Sabah Al Salem

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,332 in Al Wafrah versus $1,358 in Sabah Al Salem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,238 in Al Wafrah versus $2,245 in Sabah Al Salem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,143 in Al Wafrah versus $3,132 in Sabah Al Salem.

Living in Al Wafrah costs roughly 2% less than in Sabah Al Salem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Al Wafrah 0% above, Sabah Al Salem 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.83 KWD 2.41

$7.70 KWD 2.37

1.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.4 KWD 17.97

$58.1 KWD 17.84

0.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 KWD 2.70

$8.41 KWD 2.59

4.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 KWD 0.77

$2.48 KWD 0.76

0.40%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 KWD 1.10

$3.43 KWD 1.05

4.37%

Cappuccino

$5.36 KWD 1.65

$5.28 KWD 1.62

1.52%

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

$0.59 KWD 0.18

$0.60 KWD 0.18

-1.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$0.36 KWD 0.11

-5.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 KWD 0.45

$1.49 KWD 0.46

-1.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 KWD 0.33

$1.06 KWD 0.33

2.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 KWD 0.52

$1.72 KWD 0.53

-1.16%

Eggs

$1.97 KWD 0.61

$2.05 KWD 0.63

-3.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.45 KWD 1.37

$4.37 KWD 1.34

1.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.60 KWD 2.03

$6.41 KWD 1.97

2.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 KWD 2.92

$9.76 KWD 3.00

-2.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 KWD 0.71

$2.32 KWD 0.71

-0.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 KWD 0.51

$1.60 KWD 0.49

3.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 KWD 0.46

$1.52 KWD 0.47

-1.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 KWD 0.43

$1.35 KWD 0.42

4.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 KWD 0.39

$1.22 KWD 0.38

4.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 KWD 0.34

$1.15 KWD 0.35

-4.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 KWD 0.50

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KWD 0.14

$0.42 KWD 0.13

9.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.15 KWD 0.97

$2.85 KWD 0.88

10.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

$1.05 KWD 0.32

-3.81%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 KWD 0.41

$1.40 KWD 0.43

-4.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 KWD 0.89

$3.00 KWD 0.92

-3.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 KWD 0.27

$0.88 KWD 0.27

-1.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.67 KWD 13.43

$43.89 KWD 13.49

-0.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 KWD 0.98

$3.25 KWD 1.00

-1.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 KWD 1.03

$3.33 KWD 1.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.14 KWD 4.96

$16.23 KWD 4.99

-0.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

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

$20.2K KWD 6,204

$20.7K KWD 6,373

-2.66%

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

$18.8K KWD 5,787

$19.3K KWD 5,947

-2.69%

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

$63.4 KWD 19.50

$62.2 KWD 19.10

2.06%

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

$18.47 KWD 5.68

$18.37 KWD 5.65

0.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.14 KWD 8.04

$25.42 KWD 7.81

2.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.2 KWD 28.64

$92.2 KWD 28.35

1.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.28 KWD 14.23

$46.49 KWD 14.29

-0.45%

Cinema Ticket

$11.54 KWD 3.55

$11.23 KWD 3.45

2.76%

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

$282 KWD 86.7

$282 KWD 86.8

-0.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,055 KWD 1,861

$6,129 KWD 1,884

-1.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.65 KWD 12.80

$41.43 KWD 12.74

0.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.57 KWD 13.09

$41.70 KWD 12.82

2.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 KWD 27.10

$87.1 KWD 26.78

1.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.2 KWD 25.25

$80.5 KWD 24.75

2.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$787 KWD 242

$808 KWD 248

-2.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 KWD 191

$619 KWD 190

0.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 KWD 484

$1,591 KWD 489

-1.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,306 KWD 401

$1,289 KWD 396

1.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,387 KWD 1,349

$2,998 KWD 922

46.32%

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 Wafrah: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sabah Al Salem: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $787 in Al Wafrah and $808 in Sabah Al Salem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Wafrah pays 46% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $58.0 in Al Wafrah vs $58.0 in Sabah Al Salem. Groceries flip the comparison at $168 vs $167, with Sabah Al Salem cheaper for home cooking.

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

Al Wafrah and Sabah Al Salem differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,332 vs $1,358 including rent). Al Wafrah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 46% higher in Al Wafrah, 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: $787 in Al Wafrah versus $808 in Sabah Al Salem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $282 in Al Wafrah versus $282 in Sabah Al Salem. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Sabah Al Salem pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,332 in Al Wafrah versus $1,358 in Sabah Al Salem, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al Wafrah but tight or insufficient in Sabah Al Salem. The gap between the two cities makes Al Wafrah 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 Wafrah 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 Wafrah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Sabah Al Salem. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.