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 $1,352 per month in As-salimiyah vs $1,277 in Fahaheel, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,273 per month in As-salimiyah vs $2,128 in Fahaheel, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,194 per month in As-salimiyah vs $2,980 in Fahaheel, rent included.

As-salimiyah costs about 6% more than Fahaheel, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both As-salimiyah and Fahaheel are more affordable than the global median – As-salimiyah 2% lower, Fahaheel 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.89 KWD 3.95

$8.18 KWD 2.51

57.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 KWD 17.94

$59.4 KWD 18.21

-1.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 KWD 2.43

$7.90 KWD 2.42

0.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 KWD 0.97

$3.22 KWD 0.99

-1.55%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 KWD 0.49

$3.16 KWD 0.97

-50.00%

Cappuccino

$5.37 KWD 1.65

$5.01 KWD 1.54

7.19%

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

$0.76 KWD 0.23

$0.59 KWD 0.18

28.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$0.37 KWD 0.11

-8.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 KWD 0.39

$1.33 KWD 0.41

-3.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 KWD 0.23

$0.79 KWD 0.24

-5.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 KWD 0.61

$1.90 KWD 0.58

4.21%

Eggs

$2.06 KWD 0.63

$2.09 KWD 0.64

-1.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.45 KWD 1.36

$4.33 KWD 1.33

2.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.47 KWD 1.68

$5.44 KWD 1.67

0.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.44 KWD 2.89

$10.10 KWD 3.10

-6.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 KWD 0.66

$2.40 KWD 0.74

-10.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 KWD 0.49

$1.87 KWD 0.57

-15.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 KWD 0.41

$1.27 KWD 0.39

5.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 KWD 0.46

$1.56 KWD 0.48

-4.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 KWD 0.40

$1.38 KWD 0.42

-5.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 KWD 0.24

$0.92 KWD 0.28

-14.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 KWD 0.50

$1.66 KWD 0.51

-1.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 KWD 0.15

$0.47 KWD 0.14

6.38%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

$3.33 KWD 1.02

-0.30%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

$1.05 KWD 0.32

-2.86%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

$1.41 KWD 0.43

1.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 KWD 0.83

$2.83 KWD 0.87

-3.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 KWD 0.29

$0.77 KWD 0.24

20.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.99 KWD 15.02

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 KWD 1.01

$3.16 KWD 0.97

4.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 KWD 0.97

$3.31 KWD 1.01

-4.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.47 KWD 5.05

$15.97 KWD 4.90

3.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.32 KWD 0.10

$0.35 KWD 0.11

-8.57%

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

$20.7K KWD 6,350

$20.8K KWD 6,369

-0.30%

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

$20.3K KWD 6,211

$20.1K KWD 6,162

0.79%

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

$32.77 KWD 10.05

$66.2 KWD 20.31

-50.53%

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

$20.76 KWD 6.37

$21.16 KWD 6.49

-1.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.42 KWD 9.33

$29.86 KWD 9.15

1.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.6 KWD 29.31

$82.4 KWD 25.26

16.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$65.2 KWD 19.98

Cinema Ticket

$11.11 KWD 3.41

$11.17 KWD 3.42

-0.54%

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

$275 KWD 84.4

0.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,291 KWD 1,929

$7,487 KWD 2,296

-15.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.48 KWD 11.49

$37.83 KWD 11.60

-0.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.10 KWD 11.68

$39.89 KWD 12.23

-4.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 KWD 27.49

$99.1 KWD 30.37

-9.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.8 KWD 19.86

$88.5 KWD 27.12

-26.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$889 KWD 273

$716 KWD 220

24.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 KWD 196

$587 KWD 180

9.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,767 KWD 542

$1,760 KWD 540

0.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 KWD 419

$1,350 KWD 414

1.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,784 KWD 854

$4,191 KWD 1,285

-33.56%

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 As-salimiyah: September 6, 2026

Last update for Fahaheel: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $889 in As-salimiyah versus $716 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 51% 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 $59.0 in As-salimiyah versus $59.0 in Fahaheel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $157 vs $162 – 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 6%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,029 per month in As-salimiyah and $1,915 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in As-salimiyah and $59.0 in Fahaheel. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in As-salimiyah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Fahaheel, where all-in costs run around $1,277, than in As-salimiyah at $1,352. 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.