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: $1,469 in Kuwait City versus $1,318 in Qairawan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,440 in Kuwait City versus $2,238 in Qairawan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,411 in Kuwait City versus $3,157 in Qairawan.

Living in Kuwait City is roughly 11% more expensive than in Qairawan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kuwait City is 10% above, Qairawan is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.88 KWD 3.04

$7.72 KWD 2.37

27.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.7 KWD 24.79

$58.5 KWD 17.99

37.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.26 KWD 2.85

$8.76 KWD 2.69

5.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 KWD 0.74

$2.40 KWD 0.74

0.83%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 KWD 1.14

$3.40 KWD 1.04

8.53%

Cappuccino

$5.92 KWD 1.82

$5.34 KWD 1.64

10.86%

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

$0.68 KWD 0.21

$0.58 KWD 0.18

17.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 KWD 0.12

$0.36 KWD 0.11

5.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 KWD 0.50

$1.47 KWD 0.45

10.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 KWD 0.40

$1.10 KWD 0.34

17.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 KWD 0.55

$1.65 KWD 0.51

8.48%

Eggs

$2.10 KWD 0.64

$2.04 KWD 0.63

2.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.28 KWD 1.62

$4.38 KWD 1.34

20.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 KWD 2.00

$6.41 KWD 1.97

1.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.30 KWD 3.17

$9.52 KWD 2.93

8.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 KWD 0.75

$2.30 KWD 0.71

5.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 KWD 0.58

$1.60 KWD 0.49

18.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 KWD 0.55

$1.53 KWD 0.47

16.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 KWD 0.44

$1.43 KWD 0.44

0.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 KWD 0.38

$1.27 KWD 0.39

-3.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 KWD 0.40

$1.11 KWD 0.34

18.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 KWD 0.52

$1.61 KWD 0.49

4.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 KWD 0.14

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.27 KWD 1.01

$3.31 KWD 1.02

-1.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 KWD 0.32

$1.02 KWD 0.31

1.96%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 KWD 0.41

$1.37 KWD 0.42

-1.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 KWD 0.88

$2.92 KWD 0.90

-2.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 KWD 0.26

$0.88 KWD 0.27

-3.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.92 KWD 11.96

$44.22 KWD 13.59

-11.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 KWD 1.03

$3.24 KWD 1.00

3.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 KWD 0.97

$3.20 KWD 0.98

-0.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.40 KWD 5.04

$16.54 KWD 5.08

-0.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

$0.34 KWD 0.10

5.88%

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

$21.0K KWD 6,442

$20.1K KWD 6,165

4.48%

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

$19.8K KWD 6,074

$19.4K KWD 5,972

1.71%

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

$62.7 KWD 19.27

$62.1 KWD 19.09

0.92%

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

$18.39 KWD 5.65

$18.09 KWD 5.56

1.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.42 KWD 7.81

$26.13 KWD 8.03

-2.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 KWD 33.14

$95.3 KWD 29.30

13.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.51 KWD 6.61

$46.20 KWD 14.20

-53.44%

Cinema Ticket

$11.53 KWD 3.55

$11.65 KWD 3.58

-1.03%

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

$400 KWD 123

$279 KWD 85.8

43.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,575 KWD 2,021

$6,047 KWD 1,859

8.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.00 KWD 12.91

$41.38 KWD 12.72

1.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.82 KWD 12.86

$42.79 KWD 13.15

-2.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 KWD 27.32

$86.4 KWD 26.55

2.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.7 KWD 25.42

$83.2 KWD 25.58

-0.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$868 KWD 267

$796 KWD 245

8.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 KWD 201

$608 KWD 187

7.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,757 KWD 540

$1,582 KWD 486

11.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,371 KWD 422

$1,285 KWD 395

6.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,223 KWD 1,606

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,377 KWD 731

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,068 KWD 636

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 Qairawan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $868 in Kuwait City and $796 in Qairawan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $81.0 in Kuwait City vs $59.0 in Qairawan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $167 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 11% 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 $2,204 in Kuwait City and $1,978 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: $868 in Kuwait City versus $796 in Qairawan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,469 per month in Kuwait City versus $1,318 in Qairawan – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Qairawan runs roughly 14% less than in Kuwait City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,318 in Qairawan versus $1,469 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 11% less than in Kuwait City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.