Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuwait City and Qairawan Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuwait City and Qairawan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,476 in Kuwait City versus $1,259 in Qairawan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,477 in Kuwait City versus $2,146 in Qairawan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,478 in Kuwait City versus $3,033 in Qairawan.

Living in Kuwait City is roughly 17% more expensive than in Qairawan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kuwait City is 7% above, Qairawan is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.80 KWD 3.92

$7.97 KWD 2.44

60.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.9 KWD 20.21

$59.1 KWD 18.12

11.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.78 KWD 2.69

$8.29 KWD 2.54

5.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.22 KWD 0.99

$3.15 KWD 0.96

2.22%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 KWD 1.53

$3.33 KWD 1.02

49.55%

Cappuccino

$5.28 KWD 1.62

$5.07 KWD 1.55

4.14%

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

$0.75 KWD 0.23

$0.56 KWD 0.17

33.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 KWD 0.11

$0.38 KWD 0.12

-2.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 KWD 0.49

$1.32 KWD 0.41

19.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 KWD 0.47

$0.85 KWD 0.26

78.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 KWD 0.61

$1.90 KWD 0.58

4.74%

Eggs

$2.09 KWD 0.64

$2.06 KWD 0.63

1.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.46 KWD 1.37

$4.41 KWD 1.35

1.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 KWD 2.00

$5.63 KWD 1.73

15.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.25 KWD 3.14

$10.40 KWD 3.19

-1.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 KWD 0.75

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 KWD 0.58

$1.92 KWD 0.59

-2.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 KWD 0.57

$1.32 KWD 0.41

41.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 KWD 0.46

$1.54 KWD 0.47

-2.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 KWD 0.41

$1.39 KWD 0.43

-3.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 KWD 0.46

$0.96 KWD 0.29

56.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 KWD 0.70

$1.61 KWD 0.49

42.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 KWD 0.18

$0.47 KWD 0.14

27.66%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.28 KWD 1.01

$3.31 KWD 1.02

-0.91%

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)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

$1.44 KWD 0.44

-2.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.68 KWD 0.82

$2.69 KWD 0.82

-0.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KWD 0.24

$0.78 KWD 0.24

2.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.67 KWD 14.62

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.73 KWD 1.45

$3.30 KWD 1.01

43.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 KWD 0.99

$3.32 KWD 1.02

-3.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.17 KWD 4.96

$16.45 KWD 5.04

-1.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 KWD 0.10

$0.35 KWD 0.11

-5.71%

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

$20.8K KWD 6,367

$21.3K KWD 6,524

-2.41%

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

$20.1K KWD 6,150

$20.4K KWD 6,259

-1.74%

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

$65.2 KWD 19.98

$65.0 KWD 19.93

0.25%

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

$22.76 KWD 6.98

$21.21 KWD 6.50

7.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.79 KWD 9.13

$29.58 KWD 9.07

0.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$123 KWD 37.56

$96.0 KWD 29.43

27.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.11 KWD 9.85

Cinema Ticket

$11.28 KWD 3.46

$11.12 KWD 3.41

1.44%

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

$302 KWD 92.7

$275 KWD 84.3

9.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,246 KWD 2,835

$7,505 KWD 2,301

23.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.90 KWD 11.62

$37.86 KWD 11.61

0.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.83 KWD 12.21

$39.21 KWD 12.02

1.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 KWD 30.05

$97.7 KWD 29.96

0.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 KWD 26.85

$87.5 KWD 26.84

0.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$920 KWD 282

$720 KWD 221

27.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$639 KWD 196

$586 KWD 180

9.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,017 KWD 619

$1,771 KWD 543

13.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 KWD 416

$1,369 KWD 420

-0.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,255 KWD 1,611

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,362 KWD 724

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,066 KWD 633

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: September 6, 2026

Last update for Qairawan: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $920 in Kuwait City and $720 in Qairawan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $66.0 in Kuwait City vs $59.0 in Qairawan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $165 per month, with Qairawan 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 Qairawan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Qairawan wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Kuwait City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Qairawan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,214 in Kuwait City and $1,888 in Qairawan 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: $920 in Kuwait City versus $720 in Qairawan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $302 in Kuwait City versus $275 in Qairawan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Qairawan – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $66.0 in Kuwait City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,259 in Qairawan versus $1,476 in Kuwait City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Qairawan but tight or insufficient in Kuwait City. The gap between the two cities makes Qairawan 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 Qairawan 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 Qairawan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Kuwait City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.