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 $1,358 per month in Mishref vs $1,358 in Sabah Al Salem, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,324 per month in Mishref vs $2,245 in Sabah Al Salem, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,290 per month in Mishref vs $3,132 in Sabah Al Salem, rent included.

Mishref and Sabah Al Salem have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Mishref and Sabah Al Salem sit above the global median – Mishref by 2%, Sabah Al Salem by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 KWD 3.09

$7.70 KWD 2.37

30.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 KWD 24.88

$58.1 KWD 17.84

39.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.17 KWD 2.82

$8.41 KWD 2.59

9.04%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 KWD 0.77

$2.48 KWD 0.76

0.81%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 KWD 1.12

$3.43 KWD 1.05

6.12%

Cappuccino

$5.84 KWD 1.80

$5.28 KWD 1.62

10.61%

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

$0.65 KWD 0.20

$0.60 KWD 0.18

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.11

$0.36 KWD 0.11

-5.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 KWD 0.50

$1.49 KWD 0.46

10.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 KWD 0.40

$1.06 KWD 0.33

21.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 KWD 0.54

$1.72 KWD 0.53

2.33%

Eggs

$2.10 KWD 0.65

$2.05 KWD 0.63

2.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.28 KWD 1.62

$4.37 KWD 1.34

20.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 KWD 1.96

$6.41 KWD 1.97

-0.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.51 KWD 3.23

$9.76 KWD 3.00

7.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 KWD 0.75

$2.32 KWD 0.71

4.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 KWD 0.61

$1.60 KWD 0.49

24.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 KWD 0.53

$1.52 KWD 0.47

13.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 KWD 0.44

$1.35 KWD 0.42

6.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 KWD 0.38

$1.22 KWD 0.38

0.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 KWD 0.41

$1.15 KWD 0.35

14.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 KWD 0.49

$1.63 KWD 0.50

-1.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 KWD 0.14

$0.42 KWD 0.13

7.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

$2.85 KWD 0.88

16.49%

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)

$1.35 KWD 0.41

$1.40 KWD 0.43

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 KWD 0.88

$3.00 KWD 0.92

-4.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 KWD 0.28

$0.88 KWD 0.27

2.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.84 KWD 13.48

$43.89 KWD 13.49

-0.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 KWD 0.98

$3.25 KWD 1.00

-2.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

$3.33 KWD 1.02

-1.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.38 KWD 5.03

$16.23 KWD 4.99

0.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$0.36 KWD 0.11

-5.56%

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

$20.9K KWD 6,432

$20.7K KWD 6,373

0.92%

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

$20.2K KWD 6,217

$19.3K KWD 5,947

4.55%

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

$62.2 KWD 19.13

$62.2 KWD 19.10

0.11%

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

$18.22 KWD 5.60

$18.37 KWD 5.65

-0.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.62 KWD 7.88

$25.42 KWD 7.81

0.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.5 KWD 28.43

$92.2 KWD 28.35

0.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.46 KWD 13.97

$46.49 KWD 14.29

-2.22%

Cinema Ticket

$11.50 KWD 3.54

$11.23 KWD 3.45

2.40%

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

$396 KWD 122

$282 KWD 86.8

40.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,467 KWD 1,988

$6,129 KWD 1,884

5.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.50 KWD 13.07

$41.43 KWD 12.74

2.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.21 KWD 13.28

$41.70 KWD 12.82

3.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 KWD 27.36

$87.1 KWD 26.78

2.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.4 KWD 25.34

$80.5 KWD 24.75

2.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 KWD 245

$808 KWD 248

-1.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 KWD 190

0.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,561 KWD 480

$1,591 KWD 489

-1.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,309 KWD 402

$1,289 KWD 396

1.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,998 KWD 922

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Sabah Al Salem: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $798 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 $81.0 in Mishref versus $58.0 in Sabah Al Salem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $180 vs $167 – 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,037 per month in Mishref and $2,037 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Mishref and $58.0 in Sabah Al Salem. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 0% less in Sabah Al Salem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sabah Al Salem, where all-in costs run around $1,358, than in Mishref at $1,358. 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.