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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,353 in Mishref versus $1,476 in Kuwait City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,264 in Mishref versus $2,477 in Kuwait City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mishref versus $3,478 in Kuwait City.

Living in Mishref costs roughly 8% less than in Kuwait City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mishref is 2% below, Kuwait City is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.87 KWD 3.95

$12.80 KWD 3.92

0.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.6 KWD 19.50

$65.9 KWD 20.21

-3.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.15 KWD 2.80

$8.78 KWD 2.69

4.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 KWD 0.98

$3.22 KWD 0.99

-0.31%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.80 KWD 1.47

$4.98 KWD 1.53

-3.61%

Cappuccino

$5.39 KWD 1.65

$5.28 KWD 1.62

2.08%

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

$0.75 KWD 0.23

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 KWD 0.11

$0.37 KWD 0.11

-5.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 KWD 0.48

$1.58 KWD 0.49

-0.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 KWD 0.47

$1.52 KWD 0.47

1.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 KWD 0.61

Eggs

$2.06 KWD 0.63

$2.09 KWD 0.64

-1.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.28 KWD 1.31

$4.46 KWD 1.37

-4.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 KWD 2.03

$6.51 KWD 2.00

1.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.19 KWD 3.13

$10.25 KWD 3.14

-0.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 KWD 0.76

$2.44 KWD 0.75

2.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 KWD 0.57

$1.88 KWD 0.58

-0.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 KWD 0.55

$1.87 KWD 0.57

-4.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 KWD 0.48

$1.50 KWD 0.46

4.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 KWD 0.41

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 KWD 0.44

$1.50 KWD 0.46

-3.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 KWD 0.69

$2.29 KWD 0.70

-0.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 KWD 0.18

$0.60 KWD 0.18

-1.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.28 KWD 1.00

$3.28 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 KWD 0.33

$1.05 KWD 0.32

0.95%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

$1.40 KWD 0.43

2.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 KWD 0.83

$2.68 KWD 0.82

1.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 KWD 0.26

$0.80 KWD 0.24

5.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.67 KWD 14.62

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 KWD 1.47

$4.73 KWD 1.45

1.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.21 KWD 0.99

$3.22 KWD 0.99

-0.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.27 KWD 4.99

$16.17 KWD 4.96

0.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.35 KWD 0.11

$0.33 KWD 0.10

6.06%

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

$21.2K KWD 6,508

$20.8K KWD 6,367

2.22%

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

$20.4K KWD 6,249

$20.1K KWD 6,150

1.61%

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

$66.5 KWD 20.39

$65.2 KWD 19.98

2.03%

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

$22.83 KWD 7.00

$22.76 KWD 6.98

0.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.02 KWD 9.20

$29.79 KWD 9.13

0.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.9 KWD 30.33

$123 KWD 37.56

-19.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.11 KWD 9.85

Cinema Ticket

$11.29 KWD 3.46

$11.28 KWD 3.46

0.09%

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

$303 KWD 93.0

$302 KWD 92.7

0.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,369 KWD 2,873

$9,246 KWD 2,835

1.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.16 KWD 11.39

$37.90 KWD 11.62

-1.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.70 KWD 12.17

$39.83 KWD 12.21

-0.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 KWD 29.96

$98.0 KWD 30.05

-0.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.2 KWD 27.65

$87.6 KWD 26.85

2.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 KWD 226

$920 KWD 282

-19.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 KWD 175

$639 KWD 196

-10.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,749 KWD 536

$2,017 KWD 619

-13.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 KWD 406

$1,356 KWD 416

-2.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,255 KWD 1,611

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,362 KWD 724

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,066 KWD 633

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 Mishref: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kuwait City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Mishref and $920 in Kuwait City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $64.0 in Mishref vs $66.0 in Kuwait City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $186 per month, with Mishref 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

Mishref vs Kuwait City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mishref 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 Mishref the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,030 in Mishref and $2,214 in Kuwait City 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: $737 in Mishref versus $920 in Kuwait City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $303 in Mishref versus $302 in Kuwait City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mishref – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $66.0 in Kuwait City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,353 in Mishref versus $1,476 in Kuwait City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mishref but tight or insufficient in Kuwait City. The gap between the two cities makes Mishref 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, Mishref and Kuwait City 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 Mishref 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.