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: $1,370 in Ar-rawdah versus $1,312 in Sabah Al Salem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,342 in Ar-rawdah versus $2,228 in Sabah Al Salem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,314 in Ar-rawdah versus $3,143 in Sabah Al Salem.

Living in Ar-rawdah is roughly 4% more expensive than Sabah Al Salem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ar-rawdah is 2% above, Sabah Al Salem is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 KWD 3.09

$7.56 KWD 2.32

33.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.0 KWD 25.45

$58.7 KWD 18.00

41.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.92 KWD 2.74

$8.59 KWD 2.63

3.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 KWD 0.76

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 KWD 1.13

$3.56 KWD 1.09

3.65%

Cappuccino

$5.91 KWD 1.81

$5.34 KWD 1.64

10.67%

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

$0.68 KWD 0.21

$0.62 KWD 0.19

9.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 KWD 0.11

$0.34 KWD 0.10

2.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 KWD 0.48

$1.43 KWD 0.44

9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 KWD 0.39

$1.05 KWD 0.32

21.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 KWD 0.55

$1.65 KWD 0.51

9.09%

Eggs

$2.08 KWD 0.64

$2.04 KWD 0.62

1.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.24 KWD 1.61

$4.58 KWD 1.40

14.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 KWD 2.00

$6.68 KWD 2.05

-2.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 KWD 3.19

$9.91 KWD 3.04

4.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 KWD 0.73

$2.35 KWD 0.72

1.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 KWD 0.58

$1.65 KWD 0.51

15.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 KWD 0.53

$1.56 KWD 0.48

11.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 KWD 0.46

$1.43 KWD 0.44

4.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 KWD 0.39

$1.23 KWD 0.38

4.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

$1.10 KWD 0.34

20.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 KWD 0.52

$1.69 KWD 0.52

0.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KWD 0.14

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.17 KWD 0.97

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 KWD 0.32

$1.00 KWD 0.31

4.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 KWD 0.92

$2.86 KWD 0.88

4.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 KWD 0.27

$0.90 KWD 0.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.42 KWD 13.32

$44.87 KWD 13.76

-3.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 KWD 1.01

$3.18 KWD 0.97

3.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 KWD 0.99

$3.16 KWD 0.97

1.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.51 KWD 5.06

$16.57 KWD 5.08

-0.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$0.36 KWD 0.11

-5.56%

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

$20.8K KWD 6,390

$20.5K KWD 6,280

1.74%

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

$19.7K KWD 6,038

$18.9K KWD 5,794

4.22%

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

$63.2 KWD 19.38

$63.6 KWD 19.50

-0.64%

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

$18.75 KWD 5.75

$18.43 KWD 5.65

1.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.29 KWD 8.06

$26.24 KWD 8.05

0.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.4 KWD 29.25

$95.5 KWD 29.30

-0.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.47 KWD 14.25

$46.83 KWD 14.36

-0.77%

Cinema Ticket

$11.63 KWD 3.57

$11.29 KWD 3.46

3.01%

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

$408 KWD 125

$278 KWD 85.4

46.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,537 KWD 2,005

$6,070 KWD 1,862

7.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.11 KWD 12.91

$42.73 KWD 13.11

-1.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.99 KWD 12.88

$42.21 KWD 12.95

-0.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 KWD 27.30

$87.9 KWD 26.96

1.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.0 KWD 24.84

$81.8 KWD 25.07

-0.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$784 KWD 240

$808 KWD 248

-2.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 KWD 184

$611 KWD 188

-1.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 KWD 475

$1,586 KWD 486

-2.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 KWD 397

$1,309 KWD 402

-1.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,593 KWD 489

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,958 KWD 907

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 Ar-rawdah: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sabah Al Salem: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $784 in Ar-rawdah and $808 in Sabah Al Salem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $83.0 in Ar-rawdah vs $59.0 in Sabah Al Salem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $170 per month, with Sabah Al Salem 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

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

Sabah Al Salem wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Ar-rawdah. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sabah Al Salem the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,055 in Ar-rawdah and $1,968 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: $784 in Ar-rawdah versus $808 in Sabah Al Salem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Ar-rawdah. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Sabah Al Salem – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $83.0 in Ar-rawdah. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,312 in Sabah Al Salem versus $1,370 in Ar-rawdah, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sabah Al Salem but tight or insufficient in Ar-rawdah. 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, 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 Sabah Al Salem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Ar-rawdah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.