Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuwait City and Janub-as-surrah Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuwait City and Janub-as-surrah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,427 in Kuwait City versus $1,343 in Janub-as-surrah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,375 in Kuwait City versus $2,222 in Janub-as-surrah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,322 in Kuwait City versus $3,100 in Janub-as-surrah.

Living in Kuwait City is roughly 6% more expensive than Janub-as-surrah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kuwait City 6% above, Janub-as-surrah 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 KWD 3.09

$7.63 KWD 2.34

31.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.0 KWD 25.46

$57.9 KWD 17.77

43.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 KWD 2.69

$8.51 KWD 2.61

3.06%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 KWD 0.75

$2.48 KWD 0.76

-1.61%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 KWD 1.15

$3.58 KWD 1.10

5.03%

Cappuccino

$5.95 KWD 1.83

$5.25 KWD 1.61

13.33%

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

$0.69 KWD 0.21

$0.63 KWD 0.19

9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 KWD 0.11

$0.37 KWD 0.11

-5.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 KWD 0.48

$1.48 KWD 0.46

5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 KWD 0.39

$1.09 KWD 0.34

18.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 KWD 0.53

$1.66 KWD 0.51

3.61%

Eggs

$2.03 KWD 0.62

$1.97 KWD 0.60

3.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.16 KWD 1.58

$4.42 KWD 1.35

16.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 KWD 2.04

$6.68 KWD 2.05

-0.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 KWD 3.15

$9.82 KWD 3.01

4.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 KWD 0.73

$2.35 KWD 0.72

1.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 KWD 0.60

$1.60 KWD 0.49

21.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 KWD 0.54

$1.57 KWD 0.48

11.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

$1.37 KWD 0.42

4.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 KWD 0.38

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 KWD 0.39

$1.14 KWD 0.35

11.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 KWD 0.50

$1.61 KWD 0.50

0.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KWD 0.15

$0.43 KWD 0.13

11.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.31 KWD 1.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

$1.39 KWD 0.43

-0.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 KWD 0.91

$2.91 KWD 0.89

2.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 KWD 0.26

$0.85 KWD 0.26

1.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.87 KWD 11.92

$43.96 KWD 13.48

-11.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 KWD 0.99

$3.35 KWD 1.03

-3.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 KWD 0.98

$3.28 KWD 1.01

-2.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.27 KWD 4.99

$16.15 KWD 4.95

0.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

$0.37 KWD 0.11

-2.70%

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

$20.8K KWD 6,390

$20.3K KWD 6,222

2.70%

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

$19.6K KWD 6,013

$18.9K KWD 5,800

3.67%

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

$62.4 KWD 19.14

$63.7 KWD 19.53

-1.98%

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

$18.33 KWD 5.62

$18.40 KWD 5.64

-0.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.30 KWD 7.76

$25.68 KWD 7.88

-1.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 KWD 33.32

$94.4 KWD 28.96

15.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.90 KWD 6.41

$47.06 KWD 14.43

-55.59%

Cinema Ticket

$11.33 KWD 3.47

$11.51 KWD 3.53

-1.56%

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

$402 KWD 123

$288 KWD 88.2

39.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,711 KWD 2,058

$6,158 KWD 1,889

8.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.86 KWD 13.14

$42.65 KWD 13.08

0.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.89 KWD 13.15

$42.29 KWD 12.97

1.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 KWD 26.45

$88.9 KWD 27.27

-3.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.2 KWD 25.20

$82.1 KWD 25.17

0.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$890 KWD 273

$779 KWD 239

14.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$666 KWD 204

$613 KWD 188

8.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 KWD 541

$1,590 KWD 488

11.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,373 KWD 421

$1,290 KWD 396

6.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,320 KWD 1,632

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,372 KWD 727

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 KWD 629

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 Janub-as-surrah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $890 in Kuwait City and $779 in Janub-as-surrah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $83.0 in Kuwait City vs $58.0 in Janub-as-surrah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $168 per month, with Janub-as-surrah 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 Janub-as-surrah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Janub-as-surrah wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Kuwait City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Janub-as-surrah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,140 in Kuwait City and $2,014 in Janub-as-surrah 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: $890 in Kuwait City versus $779 in Janub-as-surrah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,427 per month in Kuwait City versus $1,343 in Janub-as-surrah – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Janub-as-surrah runs roughly 13% less than in Kuwait City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,343 in Janub-as-surrah versus $1,427 in Kuwait City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Janub-as-surrah but tight or insufficient in Kuwait City. The gap between the two cities makes Janub-as-surrah 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 Janub-as-surrah 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 Janub-as-surrah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Kuwait City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.