Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuwait City and Sabah Al Salem Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuwait City and Sabah Al Salem

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,427 in Kuwait City versus $1,312 in Sabah Al Salem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,375 in Kuwait City versus $2,228 in Sabah Al Salem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,322 in Kuwait City versus $3,143 in Sabah Al Salem.

Living in Kuwait City is roughly 9% more expensive than Sabah Al Salem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kuwait City is 6% above, Sabah Al Salem is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 KWD 3.09

$7.56 KWD 2.32

33.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.0 KWD 25.46

$58.7 KWD 18.00

41.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 KWD 2.69

$8.59 KWD 2.63

2.10%

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

$3.56 KWD 1.09

5.62%

Cappuccino

$5.95 KWD 1.83

$5.34 KWD 1.64

11.42%

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

$0.69 KWD 0.21

$0.62 KWD 0.19

11.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 KWD 0.11

$0.34 KWD 0.10

2.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 KWD 0.48

$1.43 KWD 0.44

9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 KWD 0.39

$1.05 KWD 0.32

22.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 KWD 0.53

$1.65 KWD 0.51

4.24%

Eggs

$2.03 KWD 0.62

$2.04 KWD 0.62

-0.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.16 KWD 1.58

$4.58 KWD 1.40

12.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 KWD 2.04

$6.68 KWD 2.05

-0.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 KWD 3.15

$9.91 KWD 3.04

3.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 KWD 0.73

$2.35 KWD 0.72

1.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 KWD 0.60

$1.65 KWD 0.51

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 KWD 0.54

$1.56 KWD 0.48

12.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 KWD 0.38

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 KWD 0.39

$1.10 KWD 0.34

15.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 KWD 0.50

$1.69 KWD 0.52

-4.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KWD 0.15

$0.46 KWD 0.14

4.35%

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

$1.00 KWD 0.31

5.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

$1.33 KWD 0.41

3.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 KWD 0.91

$2.86 KWD 0.88

3.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 KWD 0.26

$0.90 KWD 0.28

-4.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.87 KWD 11.92

$44.87 KWD 13.76

-13.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 KWD 0.99

$3.18 KWD 0.97

1.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 KWD 0.98

$3.16 KWD 0.97

0.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.27 KWD 4.99

$16.57 KWD 5.08

-1.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

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

$20.8K KWD 6,390

$20.5K KWD 6,280

1.74%

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

$19.6K KWD 6,013

$18.9K KWD 5,794

3.79%

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

$62.4 KWD 19.14

$63.6 KWD 19.50

-1.87%

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

$18.33 KWD 5.62

$18.43 KWD 5.65

-0.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.30 KWD 7.76

$26.24 KWD 8.05

-3.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 KWD 33.32

$95.5 KWD 29.30

13.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.90 KWD 6.41

$46.83 KWD 14.36

-55.37%

Cinema Ticket

$11.33 KWD 3.47

$11.29 KWD 3.46

0.35%

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

$402 KWD 123

$278 KWD 85.4

44.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,711 KWD 2,058

$6,070 KWD 1,862

10.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.86 KWD 13.14

$42.73 KWD 13.11

0.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.89 KWD 13.15

$42.21 KWD 12.95

1.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 KWD 26.45

$87.9 KWD 26.96

-1.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.2 KWD 25.20

$81.8 KWD 25.07

0.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$890 KWD 273

$808 KWD 248

10.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$666 KWD 204

$611 KWD 188

8.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 KWD 541

$1,586 KWD 486

11.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,373 KWD 421

$1,309 KWD 402

4.89%

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

$2,958 KWD 907

-30.62%

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 Sabah Al Salem: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $890 in Kuwait City and $808 in Sabah Al Salem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sabah Al Salem pays 44% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $83.0 in Kuwait City vs $59.0 in Sabah Al Salem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $170 per month, with Sabah Al Salem 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 Sabah Al Salem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sabah Al Salem wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Kuwait City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sabah Al Salem the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Sabah Al Salem earns 44% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $890 in Kuwait City versus $808 in Sabah Al Salem. 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 $1,312 in Sabah Al Salem – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sabah Al Salem runs roughly 15% less than in Kuwait City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,312 in Sabah Al Salem versus $1,427 in Kuwait City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sabah Al Salem but tight or insufficient in Kuwait City. The gap between the two cities makes Sabah Al Salem 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 Sabah Al Salem 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 Sabah Al Salem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Kuwait City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.