Cost of Living Comparison Between Mishref and Sabah Al Salem Cost of Living Comparison Between Mishref and Sabah Al Salem

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,399 per month in Mishref vs $1,312 in Sabah Al Salem, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,367 per month in Mishref vs $2,228 in Sabah Al Salem, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,334 per month in Mishref vs $3,143 in Sabah Al Salem, rent included.

Mishref costs about 7% more than Sabah Al Salem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mishref sits 4% above the global median, while Sabah Al Salem is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.87 KWD 3.03

$7.56 KWD 2.32

30.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.2 KWD 25.20

$58.7 KWD 18.00

40.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.10 KWD 2.79

$8.59 KWD 2.63

5.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 KWD 0.77

$2.48 KWD 0.76

1.61%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 KWD 1.12

$3.56 KWD 1.09

2.81%

Cappuccino

$5.96 KWD 1.83

$5.34 KWD 1.64

11.61%

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

$0.64 KWD 0.20

$0.62 KWD 0.19

3.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 KWD 0.48

$1.43 KWD 0.44

9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 KWD 0.38

$1.05 KWD 0.32

18.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 KWD 0.52

$1.65 KWD 0.51

3.03%

Eggs

$2.05 KWD 0.63

$2.04 KWD 0.62

0.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.34 KWD 1.64

$4.58 KWD 1.40

16.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 KWD 1.94

$6.68 KWD 2.05

-5.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.16 KWD 3.12

$9.91 KWD 3.04

2.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 KWD 0.72

$2.35 KWD 0.72

-0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 KWD 0.60

$1.65 KWD 0.51

18.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 KWD 0.53

$1.56 KWD 0.48

10.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 KWD 0.45

$1.43 KWD 0.44

3.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 KWD 0.39

$1.23 KWD 0.38

3.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 KWD 0.39

$1.10 KWD 0.34

14.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 KWD 0.50

$1.69 KWD 0.52

-2.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 KWD 0.15

$0.46 KWD 0.14

6.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.30 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

$1.00 KWD 0.31

2.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 KWD 0.91

$2.86 KWD 0.88

3.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 KWD 0.26

$0.90 KWD 0.28

-6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.95 KWD 13.48

$44.87 KWD 13.76

-2.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

$3.18 KWD 0.97

4.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

$3.16 KWD 0.97

5.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.63 KWD 5.10

$16.57 KWD 5.08

0.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 KWD 0.10

$0.36 KWD 0.11

-8.33%

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

$20.9K KWD 6,405

$20.5K KWD 6,280

1.98%

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

$19.7K KWD 6,050

$18.9K KWD 5,794

4.43%

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

$61.6 KWD 18.90

$63.6 KWD 19.50

-3.10%

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

$18.30 KWD 5.61

$18.43 KWD 5.65

-0.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.42 KWD 7.80

$26.24 KWD 8.05

-3.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.9 KWD 29.09

$95.5 KWD 29.30

-0.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.91 KWD 14.08

$46.83 KWD 14.36

-1.96%

Cinema Ticket

$11.51 KWD 3.53

$11.29 KWD 3.46

1.95%

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

$397 KWD 122

$278 KWD 85.4

42.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,616 KWD 2,029

$6,070 KWD 1,862

8.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.67 KWD 12.78

$42.73 KWD 13.11

-2.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.82 KWD 12.83

$42.21 KWD 12.95

-0.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 KWD 27.37

$87.9 KWD 26.96

1.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 KWD 24.82

$81.8 KWD 25.07

-1.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$792 KWD 243

$808 KWD 248

-1.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 KWD 185

$611 KWD 188

-1.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,552 KWD 476

$1,586 KWD 486

-2.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,314 KWD 403

$1,309 KWD 402

0.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,958 KWD 907

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 Mishref: June 2, 2026

Last update for Sabah Al Salem: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $792 in Mishref versus $808 in Sabah Al Salem. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82.0 in Mishref versus $59.0 in Sabah Al Salem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $178 vs $170 – making Sabah Al Salem the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Sabah Al Salem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mishref is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,099 per month in Mishref and $1,968 in Sabah Al Salem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 2% less in Sabah Al Salem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $397 per month in Mishref and $278 in Sabah Al Salem. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sabah Al Salem, where all-in costs run around $1,312, than in Mishref at $1,399. In Sabah Al Salem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mishref it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sabah Al Salem – 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 Sabah Al Salem. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mishref makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.