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: $1,497 in Kuwait City versus $1,254 in Janub-as-surrah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,433 in Kuwait City versus $2,165 in Janub-as-surrah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,369 in Kuwait City versus $3,076 in Janub-as-surrah.

Living in Kuwait City is roughly 19% more expensive than in Janub-as-surrah, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kuwait City is 9% above, Janub-as-surrah is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.93 KWD 3.99

$9.01 KWD 2.78

43.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.6 KWD 19.63

$59.7 KWD 18.45

6.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.72 KWD 2.69

$8.10 KWD 2.50

7.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 KWD 1.03

$2.76 KWD 0.85

20.65%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 KWD 1.53

$3.00 KWD 0.93

64.67%

Cappuccino

$5.30 KWD 1.64

$4.96 KWD 1.53

6.85%

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

$0.74 KWD 0.23

$0.64 KWD 0.20

15.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.11

$0.36 KWD 0.11

-5.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 KWD 0.49

$1.32 KWD 0.41

18.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 KWD 0.47

$0.71 KWD 0.22

116.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 KWD 0.59

$2.08 KWD 0.64

-8.65%

Eggs

$2.16 KWD 0.67

$2.23 KWD 0.69

-3.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.44 KWD 1.37

$4.27 KWD 1.32

3.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 KWD 2.05

$4.85 KWD 1.50

36.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.25 KWD 3.17

$10.76 KWD 3.32

-4.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 KWD 0.76

$2.64 KWD 0.81

-6.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 KWD 0.60

$1.84 KWD 0.57

5.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 KWD 0.55

$1.41 KWD 0.43

26.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 KWD 0.47

$1.30 KWD 0.40

18.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 KWD 0.42

$1.55 KWD 0.48

-11.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 KWD 0.46

$0.98 KWD 0.30

52.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 KWD 0.74

$1.61 KWD 0.50

48.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 KWD 0.17

$0.56 KWD 0.17

-3.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.19 KWD 0.99

$3.11 KWD 0.96

2.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

$0.97 KWD 0.30

4.12%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 KWD 0.43

$1.44 KWD 0.44

-3.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.67 KWD 0.82

$2.45 KWD 0.76

8.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KWD 0.25

$0.81 KWD 0.25

-1.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.22 KWD 14.90

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.74 KWD 1.46

$2.99 KWD 0.92

58.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.26 KWD 1.01

$3.58 KWD 1.10

-8.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.34 KWD 5.05

$16.19 KWD 5.00

0.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.35 KWD 0.11

$0.36 KWD 0.11

-2.78%

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

$20.7K KWD 6,390

$22.1K KWD 6,836

-6.53%

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

$20.2K KWD 6,239

$17.8K KWD 5,490

13.63%

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

$64.9 KWD 20.06

$73.9 KWD 22.83

-12.14%

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

$22.24 KWD 6.87

$21.24 KWD 6.56

4.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.52 KWD 9.12

$29.48 KWD 9.11

0.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$123 KWD 38.08

$87.2 KWD 26.95

41.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.45 KWD 10.02

Cinema Ticket

$11.52 KWD 3.56

$9.75 KWD 3.01

18.15%

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

$303 KWD 93.5

$304 KWD 93.9

-0.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,492 KWD 2,932

$6,658 KWD 2,057

42.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.42 KWD 11.87

$41.10 KWD 12.70

-6.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.37 KWD 12.16

$45.14 KWD 13.94

-12.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.3 KWD 30.38

$98.9 KWD 30.55

-0.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 KWD 27.60

$83.9 KWD 25.92

6.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$925 KWD 286

$714 KWD 220

29.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$637 KWD 197

$502 KWD 155

26.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 KWD 616

$1,791 KWD 553

11.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 KWD 414

$1,437 KWD 444

-6.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,368 KWD 1,658

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,407 KWD 744

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,080 KWD 643

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 Kuwait City: August 30, 2026

Last update for Janub-as-surrah: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $925 in Kuwait City and $714 in Janub-as-surrah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $64.0 in Kuwait City vs $60.0 in Janub-as-surrah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $163 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 19% 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 $2,246 in Kuwait City and $1,880 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: $925 in Kuwait City versus $714 in Janub-as-surrah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Kuwait City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,497 per month in Kuwait City versus $1,254 in Janub-as-surrah – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,254 in Janub-as-surrah versus $1,497 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 19% less than in Kuwait City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.