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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,427 in Kuwait City versus $1,351 in Salwa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,375 in Kuwait City versus $2,232 in Salwa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,322 in Kuwait City versus $3,113 in Salwa.

Living in Kuwait City is roughly 6% more expensive than Salwa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kuwait City 6% above, Salwa 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 KWD 3.09

$9.62 KWD 2.95

4.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.0 KWD 25.46

$64.6 KWD 19.83

28.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 KWD 2.69

$6.56 KWD 2.01

33.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 KWD 0.75

$2.51 KWD 0.77

-2.79%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 KWD 1.15

$3.78 KWD 1.16

-0.53%

Cappuccino

$5.95 KWD 1.83

$6.06 KWD 1.86

-1.82%

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

$0.69 KWD 0.21

$0.50 KWD 0.15

38.00%

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

$1.60 KWD 0.49

-2.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 KWD 0.39

$0.71 KWD 0.22

81.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 KWD 0.53

$0.85 KWD 0.26

102.35%

Eggs

$2.03 KWD 0.62

$1.97 KWD 0.61

3.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.16 KWD 1.58

$5.30 KWD 1.63

-2.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 KWD 2.04

$6.65 KWD 2.04

-0.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 KWD 3.15

$10.51 KWD 3.22

-2.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 KWD 0.73

$2.36 KWD 0.72

0.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 KWD 0.60

$1.98 KWD 0.61

-1.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 KWD 0.54

$1.74 KWD 0.53

0.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

$0.84 KWD 0.26

70.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 KWD 0.38

$0.67 KWD 0.21

83.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 KWD 0.39

$1.31 KWD 0.40

-3.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 KWD 0.50

$1.60 KWD 0.49

1.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KWD 0.15

$0.45 KWD 0.14

6.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.31 KWD 1.02

$3.25 KWD 1.00

1.85%

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

$2.81 KWD 0.86

5.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 KWD 0.26

$0.89 KWD 0.27

-3.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.87 KWD 11.92

$43.86 KWD 13.45

-11.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 KWD 0.99

$3.36 KWD 1.03

-3.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 KWD 0.98

$3.23 KWD 0.99

-1.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.27 KWD 4.99

$16.42 KWD 5.04

-0.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

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

$20.8K KWD 6,390

$21.0K KWD 6,446

-0.87%

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

$19.6K KWD 6,013

$18.2K KWD 5,582

7.73%

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

$62.4 KWD 19.14

$62.7 KWD 19.22

-0.40%

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

$18.33 KWD 5.62

$18.55 KWD 5.69

-1.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.30 KWD 7.76

$25.34 KWD 7.77

-0.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 KWD 33.32

$94.9 KWD 29.11

14.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.90 KWD 6.41

$46.21 KWD 14.17

-54.77%

Cinema Ticket

$11.33 KWD 3.47

$11.32 KWD 3.47

0.09%

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

$402 KWD 123

$407 KWD 125

-1.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,711 KWD 2,058

$6,713 KWD 2,059

-0.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.86 KWD 13.14

$38.69 KWD 11.86

10.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.89 KWD 13.15

$42.71 KWD 13.10

0.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 KWD 26.45

$81.8 KWD 25.09

5.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.2 KWD 25.20

$65.1 KWD 19.97

26.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$890 KWD 273

$796 KWD 244

11.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$666 KWD 204

$618 KWD 190

7.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 KWD 541

$1,594 KWD 489

10.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,373 KWD 421

$1,309 KWD 401

4.92%

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

$3,606 KWD 1,106

-43.10%

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 Salwa: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $890 in Kuwait City and $796 in Salwa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salwa pays 76% 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 $65.0 in Salwa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $166 per month, with Salwa 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 Salwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Salwa 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 Salwa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Salwa earns 76% 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 $796 in Salwa. 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 $1,351 in Salwa – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Salwa 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 $1,351 in Salwa versus $1,427 in Kuwait City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Salwa but tight or insufficient in Kuwait City. The gap between the two cities makes Salwa 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 Salwa 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 Salwa 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.