Cost of Living Comparison Between Fahaheel and Shaab Cost of Living Comparison Between Fahaheel and Shaab

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,277 per month in Fahaheel vs $1,360 in Shaab, rent included.

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

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Fahaheel vs $3,186 in Shaab, rent included.

Fahaheel is about 6% cheaper than Shaab, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Fahaheel and Shaab are more affordable than the global median – Fahaheel 7% lower, Shaab 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 KWD 2.51

$13.13 KWD 4.03

-37.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 KWD 18.21

$65.1 KWD 19.96

-8.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.90 KWD 2.42

$8.65 KWD 2.65

-8.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.22 KWD 0.99

$3.14 KWD 0.96

2.55%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 KWD 0.97

$4.94 KWD 1.52

-36.03%

Cappuccino

$5.01 KWD 1.54

$5.40 KWD 1.65

-7.22%

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

$0.59 KWD 0.18

$0.70 KWD 0.21

-15.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 KWD 0.11

$0.34 KWD 0.11

8.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

$1.66 KWD 0.51

-19.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 KWD 0.24

$1.52 KWD 0.47

-48.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 KWD 0.58

$1.96 KWD 0.60

-3.06%

Eggs

$2.09 KWD 0.64

$2.06 KWD 0.63

1.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 KWD 1.33

$4.47 KWD 1.37

-3.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 KWD 1.67

$6.58 KWD 2.02

-17.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.10 KWD 3.10

$10.40 KWD 3.19

-2.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 KWD 0.74

$2.45 KWD 0.75

-2.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 KWD 0.57

$1.85 KWD 0.57

1.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 KWD 0.39

$1.82 KWD 0.56

-30.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 KWD 0.48

$1.50 KWD 0.46

4.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

$1.39 KWD 0.43

-0.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 KWD 0.28

$1.48 KWD 0.45

-37.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 KWD 0.51

$2.29 KWD 0.70

-27.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KWD 0.14

$0.54 KWD 0.17

-12.96%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.33 KWD 1.02

$3.15 KWD 0.96

5.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 KWD 0.43

$1.44 KWD 0.44

-2.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.83 KWD 0.87

$2.82 KWD 0.86

0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 KWD 0.24

$0.84 KWD 0.26

-8.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 KWD 0.97

$4.81 KWD 1.47

-34.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 KWD 1.01

$3.17 KWD 0.97

4.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.97 KWD 4.90

$16.44 KWD 5.04

-2.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.35 KWD 0.11

$0.33 KWD 0.10

6.06%

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

$20.8K KWD 6,369

$21.1K KWD 6,484

-1.78%

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

$20.1K KWD 6,162

$20.4K KWD 6,249

-1.39%

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

$66.2 KWD 20.31

$65.7 KWD 20.16

0.76%

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

$21.16 KWD 6.49

$22.73 KWD 6.97

-6.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.86 KWD 9.15

$30.56 KWD 9.37

-2.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.4 KWD 25.26

$96.2 KWD 29.49

-14.34%

Cinema Ticket

$11.17 KWD 3.42

$11.43 KWD 3.50

-2.27%

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

$275 KWD 84.4

$304 KWD 93.1

-9.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,487 KWD 2,296

$9,545 KWD 2,927

-21.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.83 KWD 11.60

$38.16 KWD 11.70

-0.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 KWD 12.23

$40.02 KWD 12.27

-0.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 KWD 30.37

$100.0 KWD 30.65

-0.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 KWD 27.12

$88.1 KWD 27.00

0.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 KWD 220

$720 KWD 221

-0.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$587 KWD 180

$590 KWD 181

-0.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,760 KWD 540

$1,750 KWD 536

0.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,350 KWD 414

$1,326 KWD 407

1.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,191 KWD 1,285

$3,181 KWD 975

31.73%

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 Fahaheel: September 6, 2026

Last update for Shaab: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Fahaheel versus $720 in Shaab. 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 32% 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 Fahaheel versus $65.0 in Shaab. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $162 vs $186 – making Fahaheel 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 Shaab: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,277 in Fahaheel, $1,360 in Shaab – roughly 6% apart. Shaab costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,915 per month in Fahaheel and $2,040 in Shaab. 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 $1,277 in Fahaheel and $1,360 in Shaab. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $275 per month in Fahaheel and $304 in Shaab. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Fahaheel, where all-in costs run around $1,277, than in Shaab at $1,360. In Fahaheel it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shaab 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, Shaab makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.