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: $1,283 in Al Wafrah versus $1,431 in Sabah Al Salem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,177 in Al Wafrah versus $2,455 in Sabah Al Salem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,072 in Al Wafrah versus $3,479 in Sabah Al Salem.

Living in Al Wafrah costs roughly 10% less than in Sabah Al Salem, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Wafrah is 5% below, Sabah Al Salem is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.22 KWD 2.53

$8.02 KWD 2.47

2.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 KWD 18.18

$72.5 KWD 22.29

-18.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 KWD 2.55

$9.04 KWD 2.78

-8.30%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 KWD 0.98

$3.26 KWD 1.00

-2.15%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 KWD 0.98

$3.27 KWD 1.01

-2.14%

Cappuccino

$4.99 KWD 1.54

$6.45 KWD 1.98

-22.64%

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

$0.56 KWD 0.17

$0.48 KWD 0.15

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 KWD 0.10

$0.50 KWD 0.15

-38.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

$1.87 KWD 0.58

-28.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 KWD 0.26

$1.28 KWD 0.39

-34.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 KWD 0.60

$2.17 KWD 0.67

-9.68%

Eggs

$2.12 KWD 0.65

$3.13 KWD 0.96

-32.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.48 KWD 1.38

$7.10 KWD 2.18

-36.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.61 KWD 1.73

$5.49 KWD 1.69

2.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 KWD 3.15

$10.43 KWD 3.21

-1.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 KWD 0.77

$2.40 KWD 0.74

4.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 KWD 0.57

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

$1.28 KWD 0.39

3.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 KWD 0.46

$1.55 KWD 0.48

-3.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 KWD 0.42

$1.33 KWD 0.41

3.01%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 KWD 0.30

$0.96 KWD 0.29

1.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.67 KWD 0.51

$1.65 KWD 0.51

1.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KWD 0.15

$0.51 KWD 0.16

-5.88%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.31 KWD 1.02

$3.63 KWD 1.12

-8.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

$0.90 KWD 0.28

12.22%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 KWD 0.44

$1.26 KWD 0.39

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 KWD 0.84

$2.39 KWD 0.74

13.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 KWD 0.24

$0.80 KWD 0.25

-3.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 KWD 34.80

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 KWD 1.02

$3.20 KWD 0.98

4.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.16 KWD 0.97

$3.65 KWD 1.12

-13.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.24 KWD 5.00

$17.87 KWD 5.50

-9.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.32 KWD 0.10

$0.36 KWD 0.11

-11.11%

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

$20.9K KWD 6,423

$23.5K KWD 7,228

-11.14%

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

$20.1K KWD 6,178

$20.8K KWD 6,390

-3.31%

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

$64.8 KWD 19.93

$39.64 KWD 12.19

63.45%

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

$20.78 KWD 6.39

$23.94 KWD 7.36

-13.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.49 KWD 9.38

$39.34 KWD 12.10

-22.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 KWD 30.05

$132 KWD 40.63

-26.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.71 KWD 11.91

Cinema Ticket

$11.48 KWD 3.53

$11.39 KWD 3.50

0.79%

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

$279 KWD 86.0

$278 KWD 85.6

0.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,583 KWD 2,333

$7,677 KWD 2,361

-1.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.46 KWD 11.83

$37.82 KWD 11.63

1.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.07 KWD 12.33

$39.01 KWD 12.00

2.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 KWD 29.86

$99.0 KWD 30.46

-1.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 KWD 27.51

$87.6 KWD 26.93

2.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 KWD 223

$733 KWD 226

-0.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$590 KWD 182

$544 KWD 167

8.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,748 KWD 538

$1,761 KWD 542

-0.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 KWD 420

$1,350 KWD 415

1.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,392 KWD 1,351

$2,959 KWD 910

48.43%

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 Wafrah: September 22, 2026

Last update for Sabah Al Salem: September 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $726 in Al Wafrah and $733 in Sabah Al Salem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Wafrah pays 48% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59.0 in Al Wafrah vs $72.0 in Sabah Al Salem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $165 vs $187 per month, with Al Wafrah 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 Wafrah vs Sabah Al Salem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Wafrah and Sabah Al Salem differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($1,283 vs $1,431 including rent). Al Wafrah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 48% 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: $726 in Al Wafrah versus $733 in Sabah Al Salem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $279 in Al Wafrah versus $278 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 Wafrah – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $72.0 in Sabah Al Salem. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,283 in Al Wafrah versus $1,431 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 12% less than in Sabah Al Salem. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.