Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuwait City and As-salimiyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuwait City and As-salimiyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,427 per month in Kuwait City vs $1,439 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,375 per month in Kuwait City vs $2,262 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,322 per month in Kuwait City vs $3,086 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

Kuwait City is about 1% cheaper than As-salimiyah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Kuwait City and As-salimiyah sit above the global median – Kuwait City by 6%, As-salimiyah by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 KWD 3.11

$9.77 KWD 3.02

2.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.0 KWD 25.63

$43.64 KWD 13.47

90.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 KWD 2.71

$8.10 KWD 2.50

8.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 KWD 0.75

$2.42 KWD 0.75

0.83%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 KWD 1.16

$3.64 KWD 1.12

3.30%

Cappuccino

$5.95 KWD 1.84

$6.00 KWD 1.85

-0.83%

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

$0.69 KWD 0.21

$0.63 KWD 0.20

9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 KWD 0.11

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 KWD 0.48

$1.49 KWD 0.46

4.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 KWD 0.40

$0.88 KWD 0.27

46.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 KWD 0.53

$1.66 KWD 0.51

3.61%

Eggs

$2.03 KWD 0.63

$2.11 KWD 0.65

-3.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.16 KWD 1.59

$4.76 KWD 1.47

8.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 KWD 2.05

$6.41 KWD 1.98

3.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 KWD 3.17

$10.34 KWD 3.19

-0.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 KWD 0.74

$1.99 KWD 0.61

19.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 KWD 0.60

$1.63 KWD 0.50

19.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 KWD 0.54

$1.53 KWD 0.47

14.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

$1.37 KWD 0.42

4.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 KWD 0.38

$1.22 KWD 0.38

0.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 KWD 0.39

$0.87 KWD 0.27

45.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 KWD 0.50

$1.52 KWD 0.47

6.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KWD 0.15

$0.49 KWD 0.15

-2.04%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.31 KWD 1.02

$3.19 KWD 0.98

3.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

$1.02 KWD 0.31

2.94%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.43

$1.40 KWD 0.43

-1.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 KWD 0.92

$2.86 KWD 0.88

3.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 KWD 0.26

$1.13 KWD 0.35

-23.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.87 KWD 12.00

$48.59 KWD 15.00

-20.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 KWD 1.00

$3.24 KWD 1.00

-0.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 KWD 0.99

$3.30 KWD 1.02

-3.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.27 KWD 5.02

$16.06 KWD 4.96

1.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

$0.34 KWD 0.11

5.88%

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

$20.8K KWD 6,433

$21.5K KWD 6,654

-3.31%

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

$19.6K KWD 6,054

$19.9K KWD 6,145

-1.48%

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

$62.4 KWD 19.27

$38.97 KWD 12.03

60.12%

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

$18.33 KWD 5.66

$18.55 KWD 5.73

-1.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.30 KWD 7.81

$25.79 KWD 7.96

-1.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 KWD 33.54

$95.6 KWD 29.52

13.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.90 KWD 6.45

$64.2 KWD 19.82

-67.43%

Cinema Ticket

$11.33 KWD 3.50

$8.74 KWD 2.70

29.63%

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

$402 KWD 124

$278 KWD 86.0

44.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,711 KWD 2,072

$6,686 KWD 2,065

0.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.86 KWD 13.23

$41.71 KWD 12.88

2.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.89 KWD 13.24

$41.92 KWD 12.95

2.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 KWD 26.63

$88.4 KWD 27.31

-2.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.2 KWD 25.37

$67.3 KWD 20.79

22.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$890 KWD 275

$941 KWD 291

-5.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$666 KWD 206

$731 KWD 226

-8.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 KWD 545

$1,844 KWD 570

-4.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,373 KWD 424

$1,375 KWD 425

-0.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,320 KWD 1,643

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,372 KWD 732

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 KWD 634

$2,830 KWD 874

-27.48%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for As-salimiyah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $890 in Kuwait City versus $941 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 38% higher in As-salimiyah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Kuwait City versus $44.00 in As-salimiyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $166 – 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

Kuwait City vs As-salimiyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – As-salimiyah is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,140 per month in Kuwait City and $2,159 in As-salimiyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kuwait City, 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 $1,427 in Kuwait City and $1,439 in As-salimiyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 25% less in Kuwait City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kuwait City, where all-in costs run around $1,427, than in As-salimiyah at $1,439. In Kuwait City it covers expenses comfortably, while in As-salimiyah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kuwait City – 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 Kuwait City. 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.