Cost of Living Comparison Between As-salimiyah and Fahaheel Cost of Living Comparison Between As-salimiyah and Fahaheel

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,454 per month in As-salimiyah vs $1,302 in Fahaheel, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,321 per month in As-salimiyah vs $2,201 in Fahaheel, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,188 per month in As-salimiyah vs $3,100 in Fahaheel, rent included.

As-salimiyah costs about 12% more than Fahaheel, driven mainly by Eating Out.

As-salimiyah sits 9% above the global median, while Fahaheel is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.53 KWD 2.93

$7.71 KWD 2.37

23.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.42 KWD 13.64

$58.5 KWD 17.94

-24.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.01 KWD 2.46

$8.75 KWD 2.69

-8.46%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 KWD 0.75

$2.38 KWD 0.73

2.52%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 KWD 1.12

$3.47 KWD 1.07

5.48%

Cappuccino

$6.06 KWD 1.86

$5.30 KWD 1.63

14.34%

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

$0.64 KWD 0.20

$0.58 KWD 0.18

10.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 KWD 0.12

$0.34 KWD 0.10

11.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 KWD 0.44

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 KWD 0.25

$1.10 KWD 0.34

-25.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 KWD 0.50

$1.67 KWD 0.51

-3.59%

Eggs

$2.06 KWD 0.63

$1.95 KWD 0.60

5.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.95 KWD 1.52

$4.44 KWD 1.36

11.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 KWD 1.92

$6.61 KWD 2.03

-5.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 KWD 3.16

$9.44 KWD 2.90

8.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 KWD 0.62

$2.32 KWD 0.71

-13.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 KWD 0.50

$1.68 KWD 0.52

-2.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 KWD 0.49

$1.56 KWD 0.48

1.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 KWD 0.43

$1.38 KWD 0.42

2.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 KWD 0.39

$1.22 KWD 0.38

4.10%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 KWD 0.28

$1.09 KWD 0.33

-16.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 KWD 0.47

$1.63 KWD 0.50

-6.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 KWD 0.15

$0.42 KWD 0.13

16.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.33 KWD 1.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 KWD 0.43

$1.34 KWD 0.41

3.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 KWD 0.92

$2.89 KWD 0.89

3.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 KWD 0.34

$0.90 KWD 0.28

23.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.27 KWD 14.82

$44.51 KWD 13.66

8.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 KWD 1.02

$3.20 KWD 0.98

4.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.21 KWD 0.98

$3.18 KWD 0.98

0.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.51 KWD 5.07

$16.02 KWD 4.92

3.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$0.37 KWD 0.11

-8.11%

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

$21.5K KWD 6,589

$20.2K KWD 6,189

6.46%

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

$19.6K KWD 6,023

$18.9K KWD 5,805

3.75%

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

$39.08 KWD 12.00

$62.3 KWD 19.13

-37.28%

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

$18.22 KWD 5.59

$18.23 KWD 5.60

-0.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.96 KWD 7.97

$25.95 KWD 7.97

0.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.4 KWD 28.97

$82.0 KWD 25.16

15.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$65.4 KWD 20.08

$45.75 KWD 14.05

42.93%

Cinema Ticket

$8.80 KWD 2.70

$11.55 KWD 3.55

-23.81%

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

$276 KWD 84.9

$289 KWD 88.6

-4.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,650 KWD 2,041

$5,958 KWD 1,829

11.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.81 KWD 13.14

$42.53 KWD 13.06

0.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.80 KWD 12.83

$42.70 KWD 13.11

-2.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 KWD 26.54

$88.4 KWD 27.15

-2.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.5 KWD 21.34

$82.3 KWD 25.26

-15.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 KWD 300

$804 KWD 247

21.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 KWD 222

$614 KWD 189

17.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,828 KWD 561

$1,544 KWD 474

18.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 KWD 423

$1,281 KWD 393

7.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,841 KWD 872

$4,225 KWD 1,297

-32.74%

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 As-salimiyah: April 26, 2026

Last update for Fahaheel: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in As-salimiyah versus $804 in Fahaheel. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 49% higher in Fahaheel, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in As-salimiyah versus $58.0 in Fahaheel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $165 vs $167 – making As-salimiyah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

As-salimiyah vs Fahaheel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – As-salimiyah is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,180 per month in As-salimiyah and $1,953 in Fahaheel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fahaheel, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,454 in As-salimiyah and $1,302 in Fahaheel. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 8% less in Fahaheel. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Fahaheel, where all-in costs run around $1,302, than in As-salimiyah at $1,454. In Fahaheel it covers expenses comfortably, while in As-salimiyah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Fahaheel – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Fahaheel. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, As-salimiyah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.