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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,352 per month in As-salimiyah vs $1,609 in Portimao, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,273 per month in As-salimiyah vs $2,468 in Portimao, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,194 per month in As-salimiyah vs $3,327 in Portimao, rent included.

As-salimiyah is about 16% cheaper than Portimao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

As-salimiyah sits 2% below the global median, while Portimao is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.89 KWD 3.95

$14.19 €12.23

-9.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 KWD 17.94

$69.2 €59.6

-15.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 KWD 2.43

$11.00 €9.48

-27.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 KWD 0.97

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 KWD 0.49

Cappuccino

$5.37 KWD 1.65

$1.76 €1.52

205.11%

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

$0.76 KWD 0.23

$2.30 €1.98

-66.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$1.67 €1.44

-79.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 €2.23

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 €3.67

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 KWD 0.39

$1.11 €0.96

15.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 KWD 0.23

$1.78 €1.54

-57.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 KWD 0.61

$1.74 €1.50

13.79%

Eggs

$2.06 KWD 0.63

$3.24 €2.79

-36.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.45 KWD 1.36

$11.93 €10.29

-62.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.47 KWD 1.68

$7.56 €6.52

-27.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.44 KWD 2.89

$11.58 €9.98

-18.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 KWD 0.66

$2.44 €2.11

-11.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 KWD 0.49

$1.60 €1.38

-1.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 KWD 0.41

$1.46 €1.26

-8.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 KWD 0.46

$2.37 €2.04

-37.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 KWD 0.40

$2.16 €1.86

-39.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 KWD 0.24

$2.27 €1.96

-65.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 KWD 0.50

$1.68 €1.45

-2.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 KWD 0.15

$0.81 €0.70

-38.27%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 KWD 0.83

$6.19 €5.34

-56.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.09

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.97

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 €2.12

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 KWD 0.29

$2.03 €1.75

-54.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.99 KWD 15.02

$28.01 €24.15

74.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 KWD 1.01

$3.41 €2.94

-2.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 KWD 0.97

$1.05 €0.91

201.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.47 KWD 5.05

$17.57 €15.15

-6.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.32 KWD 0.10

$2.13 €1.84

-84.98%

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

$20.7K KWD 6,350

$34.3K €29.5K

-39.57%

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

$20.3K KWD 6,211

$40.2K €34.7K

-49.61%

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

$32.77 KWD 10.05

$114 €98.6

-71.35%

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

$20.76 KWD 6.37

$38.79 €33.44

-46.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.42 KWD 9.33

$50.4 €43.44

-39.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.6 KWD 29.31

$48.58 €41.88

96.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$65.2 KWD 19.98

$22.56 €19.45

188.87%

Cinema Ticket

$11.11 KWD 3.41

$8.07 €6.96

37.67%

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

$275 KWD 84.4

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,291 KWD 1,929

$4,663 €4,019

34.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.48 KWD 11.49

$53.5 €46.15

-30.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.10 KWD 11.68

$23.59 €20.33

61.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 KWD 27.49

$46.92 €40.44

91.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.8 KWD 19.86

$71.1 €61.3

-8.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$889 KWD 273

$985 €849

-9.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 KWD 196

$737 €635

-13.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,767 KWD 542

$1,738 €1,498

1.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 KWD 419

$1,237 €1,067

10.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,330 €3,732

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,362 €2,898

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,784 KWD 854

$1,008 €869

176.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

4.58

42.58%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for As-salimiyah: September 6, 2026

Last update for Portimao: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $889 in As-salimiyah versus $985 in Portimao. 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 176% higher in As-salimiyah, 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 $69.0 in Portimao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $157 vs $247 – 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 Portimao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Portimao is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $2,414 in Portimao. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 75% less in As-salimiyah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 57% more in Portimao, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in As-salimiyah, where all-in costs run around $1,352, than in Portimao at $1,609. In As-salimiyah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Portimao it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward As-salimiyah – 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 As-salimiyah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Portimao makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.