Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahboula and Fahaheel Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahboula and Fahaheel

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,217 per month in Mahboula vs $1,346 in Fahaheel, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,010 per month in Mahboula vs $2,185 in Fahaheel, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,803 per month in Mahboula vs $3,025 in Fahaheel, rent included.

Mahboula is about 10% cheaper than Fahaheel, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Mahboula sits 9% below the global median, while Fahaheel is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.60 KWD 2.05

$7.91 KWD 2.46

-16.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.12 KWD 8.11

$58.7 KWD 18.21

-55.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.17 KWD 2.85

$8.42 KWD 2.61

8.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.66 KWD 0.52

$2.41 KWD 0.75

-31.12%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 KWD 1.00

$3.41 KWD 1.06

-5.28%

Cappuccino

$5.77 KWD 1.79

$5.37 KWD 1.67

7.45%

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

$0.48 KWD 0.15

$0.59 KWD 0.18

-18.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 KWD 0.05

$0.34 KWD 0.10

-55.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 KWD 0.48

$1.41 KWD 0.44

9.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 KWD 0.29

$1.08 KWD 0.34

-12.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 KWD 0.56

$1.67 KWD 0.52

7.78%

Eggs

$1.34 KWD 0.42

$1.96 KWD 0.61

-31.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.12 KWD 1.59

$4.37 KWD 1.36

17.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.34 KWD 1.97

$6.47 KWD 2.01

-2.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.36 KWD 3.22

$9.75 KWD 3.02

6.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 KWD 0.73

$2.23 KWD 0.69

5.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 KWD 0.61

$1.60 KWD 0.50

23.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 KWD 0.56

$1.53 KWD 0.47

17.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 KWD 0.35

$1.42 KWD 0.44

-20.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 KWD 0.39

$1.27 KWD 0.40

-0.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 KWD 0.36

$1.10 KWD 0.34

5.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 KWD 0.50

$1.61 KWD 0.50

0.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KWD 0.14

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.24 KWD 1.00

$3.64 KWD 1.13

-10.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.33

$1.02 KWD 0.32

2.94%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

$1.40 KWD 0.43

-5.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.67 KWD 0.52

$3.01 KWD 0.93

-44.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 KWD 0.24

$0.85 KWD 0.26

-7.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.97 KWD 15.20

$44.24 KWD 13.73

10.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KWD 0.49

$3.23 KWD 1.00

-51.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 KWD 0.52

$3.23 KWD 1.00

-48.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 KWD 1.75

$16.41 KWD 5.09

-65.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.16 KWD 0.05

$0.36 KWD 0.11

-55.56%

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

$19.6K KWD 6,081

$20.8K KWD 6,454

-5.78%

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

$17.8K KWD 5,524

$18.9K KWD 5,859

-5.72%

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

$61.3 KWD 19.02

$62.0 KWD 19.23

-1.10%

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

$16.37 KWD 5.08

$18.52 KWD 5.75

-11.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.84 KWD 8.02

$26.33 KWD 8.17

-1.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.7 KWD 28.77

$81.1 KWD 25.17

14.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.43 KWD 14.10

$47.05 KWD 14.60

-3.44%

Cinema Ticket

$11.24 KWD 3.49

$11.63 KWD 3.61

-3.35%

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

$392 KWD 122

$288 KWD 89.2

36.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,526 KWD 2,025

$6,055 KWD 1,879

7.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.24 KWD 13.11

$41.81 KWD 12.97

1.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.25 KWD 13.11

$42.86 KWD 13.30

-1.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 KWD 27.61

$88.7 KWD 27.51

0.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.3 KWD 25.23

$80.3 KWD 24.93

1.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 KWD 226

$780 KWD 242

-6.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 KWD 156

$608 KWD 189

-17.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,808 KWD 561

$1,591 KWD 494

13.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 KWD 352

$1,307 KWD 405

-13.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,302 KWD 404

$4,251 KWD 1,319

-69.36%

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 Mahboula: July 26, 2026

Last update for Fahaheel: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $728 in Mahboula versus $780 in Fahaheel. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 226% higher in Fahaheel, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Mahboula versus $59.0 in Fahaheel. Groceries tell a different story – $170 in Mahboula vs $166 in Fahaheel – so Fahaheel wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Mahboula vs Fahaheel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,217 in Mahboula, $1,346 in Fahaheel – roughly 11% apart. Fahaheel costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,825 per month in Mahboula and $2,019 in Fahaheel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mahboula, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,217 in Mahboula and $1,346 in Fahaheel. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 11% less in Mahboula. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mahboula, where all-in costs run around $1,217, than in Fahaheel at $1,346. In Mahboula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fahaheel it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mahboula – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mahboula. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fahaheel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.