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: $1,342 in Al Wafrah versus $1,312 in Sabah Al Salem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,233 in Al Wafrah versus $2,228 in Sabah Al Salem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,125 in Al Wafrah versus $3,143 in Sabah Al Salem.

Living in Al Wafrah is roughly 2% more expensive than Sabah Al Salem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Wafrah is 0% above, Sabah Al Salem is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.65 KWD 2.35

$7.56 KWD 2.32

1.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 KWD 18.33

$58.7 KWD 18.00

1.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.44 KWD 2.59

$8.59 KWD 2.63

-1.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 KWD 0.75

$2.48 KWD 0.76

-1.61%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 KWD 1.10

$3.56 KWD 1.09

0.28%

Cappuccino

$5.47 KWD 1.68

$5.34 KWD 1.64

2.43%

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

$0.58 KWD 0.18

$0.62 KWD 0.19

-6.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

$0.34 KWD 0.10

5.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 KWD 0.43

$1.43 KWD 0.44

-0.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 KWD 0.34

$1.05 KWD 0.32

3.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 KWD 0.51

$1.65 KWD 0.51

1.21%

Eggs

$2.06 KWD 0.63

$2.04 KWD 0.62

0.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.45 KWD 1.37

$4.58 KWD 1.40

-2.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 KWD 1.96

$6.68 KWD 2.05

-4.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 KWD 2.93

$9.91 KWD 3.04

-3.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 KWD 0.70

$2.35 KWD 0.72

-3.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 KWD 0.49

$1.65 KWD 0.51

-2.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 KWD 0.48

$1.56 KWD 0.48

0.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 KWD 0.39

$1.23 KWD 0.38

3.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KWD 0.34

$1.10 KWD 0.34

0.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 KWD 0.52

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KWD 0.14

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

$1.00 KWD 0.31

2.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 KWD 0.41

$1.33 KWD 0.41

0.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 KWD 0.89

$2.86 KWD 0.88

2.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 KWD 0.27

$0.90 KWD 0.28

-2.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.99 KWD 13.80

$44.87 KWD 13.76

0.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

$3.18 KWD 0.97

4.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 KWD 1.02

$3.16 KWD 0.97

5.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.44 KWD 5.04

$16.57 KWD 5.08

-0.78%

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)

$20.5K KWD 6,293

$20.5K KWD 6,280

0.20%

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

$18.8K KWD 5,761

$18.9K KWD 5,794

-0.57%

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

$63.0 KWD 19.31

$63.6 KWD 19.50

-1.01%

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

$18.44 KWD 5.65

$18.43 KWD 5.65

0.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.80 KWD 7.91

$26.24 KWD 8.05

-1.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.8 KWD 29.37

$95.5 KWD 29.30

0.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.96 KWD 14.40

$46.83 KWD 14.36

0.28%

Cinema Ticket

$11.62 KWD 3.56

$11.29 KWD 3.46

2.92%

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

$281 KWD 86.3

$278 KWD 85.4

1.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,147 KWD 1,885

$6,070 KWD 1,862

1.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.75 KWD 13.11

$42.73 KWD 13.11

0.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.67 KWD 12.78

$42.21 KWD 12.95

-1.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 KWD 26.48

$87.9 KWD 26.96

-1.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 KWD 25.48

$81.8 KWD 25.07

1.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$807 KWD 247

$808 KWD 248

-0.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$605 KWD 186

$611 KWD 188

-1.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 KWD 475

$1,586 KWD 486

-2.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 KWD 401

$1,309 KWD 402

-0.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,388 KWD 1,346

$2,958 KWD 907

48.35%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sabah Al Salem: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $807 in Al Wafrah and $808 in Sabah Al Salem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Wafrah pays 48% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $60.0 in Al Wafrah vs $59.0 in Sabah Al Salem. Groceries flip the comparison at $167 vs $170, with Al Wafrah 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 ($1,342 vs $1,312 including rent). Sabah Al Salem is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Al Wafrah pays 48% more on average, 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: $807 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 $281 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.

Shoppers in Al Wafrah pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,312 in Sabah Al Salem versus $1,342 in Al Wafrah, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sabah Al Salem but tight or insufficient in Al Wafrah. 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 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 Sabah Al Salem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Al Wafrah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.