Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuwait City and Ar-rawdah Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuwait City and Ar-rawdah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,418 in Kuwait City versus $1,359 in Ar-rawdah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,432 in Kuwait City versus $2,319 in Ar-rawdah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,446 in Kuwait City versus $3,279 in Ar-rawdah.

Living in Kuwait City is roughly 4% more expensive than Ar-rawdah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kuwait City 5% above, Ar-rawdah 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.92 KWD 3.05

$9.67 KWD 2.97

2.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.6 KWD 25.05

$80.5 KWD 24.72

1.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 KWD 2.83

$8.73 KWD 2.68

5.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 KWD 0.74

$2.38 KWD 0.73

1.26%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 KWD 1.15

$3.75 KWD 1.15

-0.53%

Cappuccino

$5.85 KWD 1.80

$5.80 KWD 1.78

0.86%

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

$0.70 KWD 0.21

$0.69 KWD 0.21

1.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 KWD 0.11

$0.38 KWD 0.12

-2.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 KWD 0.50

$1.57 KWD 0.48

3.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 KWD 0.40

$1.26 KWD 0.39

2.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 KWD 0.54

$1.79 KWD 0.55

-1.68%

Eggs

$2.02 KWD 0.62

$2.11 KWD 0.65

-4.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.27 KWD 1.62

$5.36 KWD 1.65

-1.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 KWD 1.94

$6.34 KWD 1.95

-0.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.30 KWD 3.16

$10.27 KWD 3.15

0.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 KWD 0.75

$2.43 KWD 0.75

0.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 KWD 0.61

$1.91 KWD 0.59

4.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 KWD 0.53

$1.75 KWD 0.54

-0.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 KWD 0.46

$1.43 KWD 0.44

3.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 KWD 0.39

$1.27 KWD 0.39

-0.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 KWD 0.39

$1.27 KWD 0.39

-0.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 KWD 0.52

$1.69 KWD 0.52

-0.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KWD 0.15

$0.45 KWD 0.14

6.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.20 KWD 0.98

$3.31 KWD 1.02

-3.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 KWD 0.33

$1.01 KWD 0.31

4.95%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 KWD 0.43

$1.40 KWD 0.43

-0.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 KWD 0.93

$2.88 KWD 0.88

5.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 KWD 0.26

$0.87 KWD 0.27

-1.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.81 KWD 12.23

$44.39 KWD 13.64

-10.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 KWD 0.99

$3.28 KWD 1.01

-1.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 KWD 0.98

$3.26 KWD 1.00

-2.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.48 KWD 5.06

$16.38 KWD 5.03

0.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

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

$21.5K KWD 6,620

$21.6K KWD 6,627

-0.11%

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

$20.2K KWD 6,197

$19.6K KWD 6,013

3.06%

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

$62.1 KWD 19.07

$63.1 KWD 19.37

-1.55%

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

$18.83 KWD 5.78

$18.22 KWD 5.60

3.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.13 KWD 8.03

$25.85 KWD 7.94

1.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$110 KWD 33.64

$92.9 KWD 28.54

17.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.30 KWD 6.54

$47.16 KWD 14.49

-54.83%

Cinema Ticket

$11.46 KWD 3.52

$11.45 KWD 3.52

0.09%

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

$401 KWD 123

$407 KWD 125

-1.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,715 KWD 2,063

$6,623 KWD 2,035

1.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.10 KWD 12.93

$41.73 KWD 12.82

0.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.72 KWD 12.82

$41.84 KWD 12.85

-0.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 KWD 27.13

$86.6 KWD 26.59

2.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.7 KWD 24.80

$80.9 KWD 24.84

-0.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$888 KWD 273

$795 KWD 244

11.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 KWD 207

$599 KWD 184

12.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 KWD 536

$1,604 KWD 493

8.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,398 KWD 430

$1,304 KWD 401

7.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,297 KWD 1,627

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,361 KWD 725

$1,603 KWD 492

47.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,073 KWD 637

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 Kuwait City: June 9, 2026

Last update for Ar-rawdah: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $888 in Kuwait City and $795 in Ar-rawdah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $82.0 in Kuwait City vs $80.0 in Ar-rawdah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $179 per month, with Ar-rawdah cheaper across the board.

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

Kuwait City vs Ar-rawdah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ar-rawdah wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Kuwait City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ar-rawdah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,127 in Kuwait City and $2,038 in Ar-rawdah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $888 in Kuwait City versus $795 in Ar-rawdah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Kuwait City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ar-rawdah – a meal for two runs $80.0 versus $82.0 in Kuwait City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,359 in Ar-rawdah versus $1,418 in Kuwait City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ar-rawdah but tight or insufficient in Kuwait City. The gap between the two cities makes Ar-rawdah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Kuwait City and Ar-rawdah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ar-rawdah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Kuwait City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.