Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahboula and Sabah Al Salem

For one person, living is cheaper in Mahboula: $1,239 a month against $1,418 in Sabah Al Salem, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Mahboula
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Mahboula Living Index
68

Cost of Living Index in Sabah Al Salem
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Sabah Al Salem Living Index

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Mahboula

🇰🇼 Kuwait

$1,239

/mo nomad

Sabah Al Salem

🇰🇼 Kuwait

$1,418

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mahboula and in Sabah Al Salem

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mahboula and in Sabah Al Salem actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,239 in Mahboula versus $1,418 in Sabah Al Salem.

Mahboula $1,239
Sabah Al Salem $1,418

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,004 in Mahboula versus $2,468 in Sabah Al Salem.

Mahboula $2,004
Sabah Al Salem $2,468

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,769 in Mahboula versus $3,518 in Sabah Al Salem.

Mahboula $2,769
Sabah Al Salem $3,518

Living in Mahboula costs roughly 13% less than in Sabah Al Salem, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mahboula is 9% below, Sabah Al Salem is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.57 KWD 2.04

$7.81 KWD 2.43

-15.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.24 KWD 7.84

$71.2 KWD 22.11

-64.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.92 KWD 2.77

$9.38 KWD 2.91

-4.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.66 KWD 0.51

$3.26 KWD 1.01

-49.08%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 KWD 1.01

$3.16 KWD 0.98

2.85%

Cappuccino

$5.15 KWD 1.60

$6.61 KWD 2.05

-22.09%

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

$0.49 KWD 0.15

$0.47 KWD 0.15

4.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 KWD 0.04

$0.46 KWD 0.14

-69.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 KWD 0.51

$1.86 KWD 0.58

-12.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 KWD 0.31

$1.25 KWD 0.39

-20.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 KWD 0.58

$2.05 KWD 0.64

-8.78%

Eggs

$1.30 KWD 0.40

$3.16 KWD 0.98

-58.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.48 KWD 1.39

$7.12 KWD 2.21

-37.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.58 KWD 2.04

$5.41 KWD 1.68

21.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.41 KWD 3.24

$10.01 KWD 3.11

4.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 KWD 0.78

$2.44 KWD 0.76

2.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 KWD 0.60

$1.94 KWD 0.60

0.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 KWD 0.55

$1.26 KWD 0.39

41.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 KWD 0.36

$1.47 KWD 0.46

-21.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 KWD 0.41

$1.36 KWD 0.42

-2.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KWD 0.35

$0.91 KWD 0.28

21.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 KWD 0.70

$1.65 KWD 0.51

37.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 KWD 0.15

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.13 KWD 0.97

$3.08 KWD 0.96

1.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.33

$1.14 KWD 0.35

-7.89%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.43

$1.35 KWD 0.42

2.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.58 KWD 0.49

$2.68 KWD 0.83

-41.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 KWD 0.24

$0.92 KWD 0.28

-15.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.06 KWD 15.24

$112 KWD 34.91

-56.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 KWD 0.49

$3.60 KWD 1.12

-56.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 KWD 0.50

$3.20 KWD 0.99

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.50 KWD 1.71

$13.80 KWD 4.29

-60.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.15 KWD 0.05

$0.33 KWD 0.10

-54.55%

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

$19.6K KWD 6,096

$25.2K KWD 7,829

-22.14%

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

$17.5K KWD 5,449

$21.5K KWD 6,685

-18.49%

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

$65.7 KWD 20.43

$38.66 KWD 12.01

70.02%

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

$16.29 KWD 5.06

$23.88 KWD 7.42

-31.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.36 KWD 9.44

$38.49 KWD 11.96

-21.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.6 KWD 30.32

$131 KWD 40.66

-25.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.79 KWD 14.85

$38.26 KWD 11.89

24.91%

Cinema Ticket

$12.67 KWD 3.94

$11.06 KWD 3.44

14.56%

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

$379 KWD 118

$281 KWD 87.3

34.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,632 KWD 2,061

$7,550 KWD 2,346

-12.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.09 KWD 11.84

$37.23 KWD 11.57

2.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.40 KWD 12.24

$39.57 KWD 12.30

-0.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 KWD 30.23

$98.9 KWD 30.73

-1.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 KWD 27.52

$89.8 KWD 27.89

-1.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 KWD 229

$814 KWD 253

-9.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$505 KWD 157

$550 KWD 171

-8.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,769 KWD 550

$1,741 KWD 541

1.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 KWD 347

$1,351 KWD 420

-17.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,275 KWD 396

$2,957 KWD 919

-56.87%

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 Mahboula: October 25, 2026

Last update for Sabah Al Salem: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mahboula

$505 40.8%

Sabah Al Salem

$550 38.8% 8.9% $45

Groceries & Markets

Mahboula

$175 14.1%

Sabah Al Salem

$185 13.1% 5.9% $10

Eating Out

Mahboula

$144 11.6%

Sabah Al Salem

$174 12.3% 20.9% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Mahboula

$123 9.9%

Sabah Al Salem

$153 10.8% 24.5% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Mahboula

$119 9.6%

Sabah Al Salem

$119 8.4% 0.8% $1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mahboula

$112 9.1%

Sabah Al Salem

$101 7.1% 10.1% $11

Getting Around

Mahboula

$62 5%

Sabah Al Salem

$136 9.6% 120% $74

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Mahboula and $814 in Sabah Al Salem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sabah Al Salem pays about 2.3 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $25 in Mahboula vs $71 in Sabah Al Salem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $175 vs $185 per month, with Mahboula cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇼 Mahboula

🇰🇼 Sabah Al Salem

🕒 Local time

10:34 10:34 AM

Same time as Mahboula

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

18,178

92,818

💱 Currency

Kuwaiti Dinar KWD د.ك

📈 Exchange rate

1 KWD = 3.22 USD

1 KWD = 2.88 EUR

1 KWD = 3.22 USD

1 KWD = 2.88 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Mahboula Sabah Al Salem 13 km

From you

Mahboula
Sabah Al Salem

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Sabah Al Salem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mahboula is about 13% cheaper overall, especially in transport, leisure, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 57% lower in Mahboula. 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: $737 in Mahboula versus $814 in Sabah Al Salem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mahboula – a meal for two runs $25 versus $71 in Sabah Al Salem. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $1,239 per month in Mahboula versus $1,418 in Sabah Al Salem – Mahboula is about 13% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Safety-wise, Mahboula and Sabah Al Salem are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Mahboula gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Sabah Al Salem. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.