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 $1,469 per month in Kuwait City vs $1,427 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,440 per month in Kuwait City vs $2,254 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,411 per month in Kuwait City vs $3,080 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

Kuwait City costs about 3% more than As-salimiyah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Kuwait City and As-salimiyah sit above the global median – Kuwait City by 10%, As-salimiyah by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.88 KWD 3.06

$9.73 KWD 3.02

1.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.7 KWD 25.00

$43.60 KWD 13.51

85.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.26 KWD 2.87

$7.93 KWD 2.46

16.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 KWD 0.75

$2.48 KWD 0.77

-2.42%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 KWD 1.15

$3.63 KWD 1.12

1.65%

Cappuccino

$5.92 KWD 1.84

$6.11 KWD 1.89

-3.11%

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

$0.68 KWD 0.21

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 KWD 0.12

$0.35 KWD 0.11

8.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 KWD 0.50

$1.43 KWD 0.44

13.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 KWD 0.40

$0.90 KWD 0.28

43.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 KWD 0.56

$1.59 KWD 0.49

12.58%

Eggs

$2.10 KWD 0.65

$2.05 KWD 0.63

2.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.28 KWD 1.64

$4.88 KWD 1.51

8.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 KWD 2.02

$6.23 KWD 1.93

4.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.30 KWD 3.19

$10.16 KWD 3.15

1.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 KWD 0.75

$2.01 KWD 0.62

20.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 KWD 0.59

$1.57 KWD 0.49

20.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 KWD 0.55

$1.57 KWD 0.49

13.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 KWD 0.45

$1.36 KWD 0.42

5.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 KWD 0.38

$1.26 KWD 0.39

-3.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 KWD 0.41

$0.87 KWD 0.27

51.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 KWD 0.52

$1.59 KWD 0.49

6.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 KWD 0.14

$0.49 KWD 0.15

-8.16%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.27 KWD 1.01

$3.29 KWD 1.02

-0.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 KWD 0.32

$1.01 KWD 0.31

2.97%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 KWD 0.42

$1.38 KWD 0.43

-2.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 KWD 0.88

$2.86 KWD 0.89

-0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 KWD 0.26

$1.12 KWD 0.35

-24.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.92 KWD 12.06

$49.19 KWD 15.24

-20.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 KWD 1.04

$3.32 KWD 1.03

0.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 KWD 0.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.40 KWD 5.08

$16.63 KWD 5.15

-1.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

$0.32 KWD 0.10

12.50%

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

$21.0K KWD 6,494

$21.5K KWD 6,657

-2.44%

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

$19.8K KWD 6,123

$19.9K KWD 6,169

-0.74%

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

$62.7 KWD 19.43

$38.74 KWD 12.00

61.82%

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

$18.39 KWD 5.70

$18.42 KWD 5.71

-0.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.42 KWD 7.88

$25.68 KWD 7.96

-1.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 KWD 33.41

$94.0 KWD 29.14

14.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.51 KWD 6.67

$65.0 KWD 20.13

-66.89%

Cinema Ticket

$11.53 KWD 3.57

$8.38 KWD 2.60

37.59%

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

$400 KWD 124

$275 KWD 85.2

45.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,575 KWD 2,038

$6,685 KWD 2,072

-1.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.00 KWD 13.02

$42.26 KWD 13.10

-0.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.82 KWD 12.96

$41.90 KWD 12.98

-0.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 KWD 27.54

$88.7 KWD 27.47

0.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.7 KWD 25.62

$68.6 KWD 21.25

20.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$868 KWD 269

$949 KWD 294

-8.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 KWD 202

$710 KWD 220

-8.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,757 KWD 544

$1,858 KWD 576

-5.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,371 KWD 425

$1,366 KWD 423

0.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,223 KWD 1,619

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,377 KWD 737

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,068 KWD 641

$2,794 KWD 866

-26.00%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for As-salimiyah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $868 in Kuwait City versus $949 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 35% 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 $81.0 in Kuwait City versus $44.00 in As-salimiyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $180 vs $164 – 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 – Kuwait City is pricier by about 3%, 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 $2,204 per month in Kuwait City and $2,140 in As-salimiyah. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,469 in Kuwait City and $1,427 in As-salimiyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 26% less in As-salimiyah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in As-salimiyah, where all-in costs run around $1,427, than in Kuwait City at $1,469. In As-salimiyah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kuwait City 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, Kuwait City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.