Cost of Living Comparison Between Ar-rawdah and Sabah Al Salem Cost of Living Comparison Between Ar-rawdah and Sabah Al Salem

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,333 in Ar-rawdah versus $1,432 in Sabah Al Salem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,249 in Ar-rawdah versus $2,446 in Sabah Al Salem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,165 in Ar-rawdah versus $3,460 in Sabah Al Salem.

Living in Ar-rawdah costs roughly 7% less than in Sabah Al Salem, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ar-rawdah is 3% below, Sabah Al Salem is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.29 KWD 3.47

$8.32 KWD 2.56

35.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 KWD 19.58

$71.6 KWD 22.00

-11.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.04 KWD 2.78

$9.25 KWD 2.84

-2.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 KWD 1.01

$3.28 KWD 1.01

0.61%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 KWD 1.50

$3.15 KWD 0.97

55.24%

Cappuccino

$5.30 KWD 1.63

$6.62 KWD 2.04

-19.94%

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

$0.71 KWD 0.22

$0.48 KWD 0.15

47.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 KWD 0.10

$0.48 KWD 0.15

-35.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 KWD 0.49

$1.98 KWD 0.61

-19.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 KWD 0.47

$1.33 KWD 0.41

15.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 KWD 0.61

$2.13 KWD 0.65

-6.10%

Eggs

$2.07 KWD 0.64

$3.02 KWD 0.93

-31.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 KWD 1.34

$7.32 KWD 2.25

-40.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 KWD 2.10

$5.38 KWD 1.65

26.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.45 KWD 3.21

$10.15 KWD 3.12

2.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 KWD 0.75

$2.51 KWD 0.77

-2.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 KWD 0.59

$1.86 KWD 0.57

4.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 KWD 0.56

$1.32 KWD 0.41

37.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 KWD 0.46

$1.54 KWD 0.47

-2.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 KWD 0.43

$1.31 KWD 0.40

6.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 KWD 0.45

$0.95 KWD 0.29

55.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 KWD 0.73

$1.65 KWD 0.51

44.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 KWD 0.18

$0.48 KWD 0.15

25.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

$3.01 KWD 0.93

10.30%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

$0.95 KWD 0.29

7.37%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

$1.43 KWD 0.44

-3.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 KWD 0.86

$2.79 KWD 0.86

0.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 KWD 0.25

$0.75 KWD 0.23

9.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$115 KWD 35.27

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.82 KWD 1.48

$3.05 KWD 0.94

58.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 KWD 0.98

$3.50 KWD 1.07

-8.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.00 KWD 4.92

$14.39 KWD 4.42

11.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 KWD 0.10

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

$21.1K KWD 6,487

$21.8K KWD 6,702

-3.21%

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

$20.4K KWD 6,255

$21.9K KWD 6,726

-7.00%

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

$66.2 KWD 20.33

$39.29 KWD 12.07

68.41%

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

$22.53 KWD 6.92

$24.66 KWD 7.58

-8.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.99 KWD 9.21

$38.81 KWD 11.93

-22.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$102 KWD 31.20

$128 KWD 39.40

-20.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.17 KWD 12.04

Cinema Ticket

$11.47 KWD 3.52

$11.39 KWD 3.50

0.70%

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

$300 KWD 92.2

$277 KWD 85.2

8.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,436 KWD 2,900

$7,546 KWD 2,319

25.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.81 KWD 11.62

$37.94 KWD 11.66

-0.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.84 KWD 12.24

$40.10 KWD 12.32

-0.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 KWD 30.66

$96.3 KWD 29.59

3.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 KWD 27.32

$90.3 KWD 27.74

-1.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 KWD 226

$725 KWD 223

1.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 KWD 167

$555 KWD 171

-1.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,847 KWD 567

$1,811 KWD 557

1.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 KWD 406

$1,352 KWD 415

-2.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,642 KWD 505

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,022 KWD 929

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 Ar-rawdah: September 15, 2026

Last update for Sabah Al Salem: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Ar-rawdah and $725 in Sabah Al Salem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $64.0 in Ar-rawdah vs $72.0 in Sabah Al Salem. Groceries flip the comparison at $189 vs $188, 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

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

Ar-rawdah wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Sabah Al Salem. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ar-rawdah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,000 in Ar-rawdah and $2,148 in Sabah Al Salem to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $737 in Ar-rawdah versus $725 in Sabah Al Salem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Sabah Al Salem pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,333 per month in Ar-rawdah versus $1,432 in Sabah Al Salem – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,333 in Ar-rawdah versus $1,432 in Sabah Al Salem, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ar-rawdah but tight or insufficient in Sabah Al Salem. The gap between the two cities makes Ar-rawdah 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, Ar-rawdah 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 Ar-rawdah 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.