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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Fahaheel is about 10% cheaper than As-salimiyah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.71 KWD 2.37

$9.53 KWD 2.93

-19.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 KWD 17.94

$44.42 KWD 13.64

31.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.75 KWD 2.69

$8.01 KWD 2.46

9.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 KWD 0.73

$2.44 KWD 0.75

-2.46%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 KWD 1.07

$3.66 KWD 1.12

-5.19%

Cappuccino

$5.30 KWD 1.63

$6.06 KWD 1.86

-12.54%

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

$0.58 KWD 0.18

$0.64 KWD 0.20

-9.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$0.38 KWD 0.12

-10.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 KWD 0.44

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 KWD 0.34

$0.82 KWD 0.25

34.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 KWD 0.51

$1.61 KWD 0.50

3.73%

Eggs

$1.95 KWD 0.60

$2.06 KWD 0.63

-5.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.44 KWD 1.36

$4.95 KWD 1.52

-10.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.61 KWD 2.03

$6.26 KWD 1.92

5.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.44 KWD 2.90

$10.28 KWD 3.16

-8.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 KWD 0.71

$2.00 KWD 0.62

16.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 KWD 0.52

$1.63 KWD 0.50

3.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 KWD 0.48

$1.59 KWD 0.49

-1.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

$1.41 KWD 0.43

-2.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 KWD 0.38

$1.27 KWD 0.39

-3.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 KWD 0.33

$0.91 KWD 0.28

19.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 KWD 0.50

$1.53 KWD 0.47

6.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 KWD 0.13

$0.49 KWD 0.15

-14.29%

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)

$1.34 KWD 0.41

$1.39 KWD 0.43

-3.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 KWD 0.89

$2.98 KWD 0.92

-3.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 KWD 0.28

$1.11 KWD 0.34

-18.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.51 KWD 13.66

$48.27 KWD 14.82

-7.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 KWD 0.98

$3.33 KWD 1.02

-3.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.18 KWD 0.98

$3.21 KWD 0.98

-0.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.02 KWD 4.92

$16.51 KWD 5.07

-2.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.37 KWD 0.11

$0.34 KWD 0.10

8.82%

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

$20.2K KWD 6,189

$21.5K KWD 6,589

-6.07%

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

$18.9K KWD 5,805

$19.6K KWD 6,023

-3.61%

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

$62.3 KWD 19.13

$39.08 KWD 12.00

59.44%

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

$18.23 KWD 5.60

$18.22 KWD 5.59

0.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.95 KWD 7.97

$25.96 KWD 7.97

-0.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.0 KWD 25.16

$94.4 KWD 28.97

-13.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.75 KWD 14.05

$65.4 KWD 20.08

-30.04%

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 KWD 3.55

$8.80 KWD 2.70

31.25%

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

$289 KWD 88.6

$276 KWD 84.9

4.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,958 KWD 1,829

$6,650 KWD 2,041

-10.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.53 KWD 13.06

$42.81 KWD 13.14

-0.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.70 KWD 13.11

$41.80 KWD 12.83

2.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 KWD 27.15

$86.4 KWD 26.54

2.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 KWD 25.26

$69.5 KWD 21.34

18.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$804 KWD 247

$978 KWD 300

-17.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$614 KWD 189

$723 KWD 222

-15.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,544 KWD 474

$1,828 KWD 561

-15.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 KWD 393

$1,379 KWD 423

-7.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,225 KWD 1,297

$2,841 KWD 872

48.69%

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 Fahaheel: April 27, 2026

Last update for As-salimiyah: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $804 in Fahaheel versus $978 in As-salimiyah. 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 $58.0 in Fahaheel versus $44.00 in As-salimiyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $167 vs $165 – 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

Fahaheel vs As-salimiyah: 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 $1,953 per month in Fahaheel and $2,180 in As-salimiyah. 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 $1,302 in Fahaheel and $1,454 in As-salimiyah. 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.