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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,346 per month in Qairawan vs $1,312 in Sabah Al Salem, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,219 per month in Qairawan vs $2,228 in Sabah Al Salem, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,092 per month in Qairawan vs $3,143 in Sabah Al Salem, rent included.

Qairawan costs about 3% more than Sabah Al Salem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Qairawan sits 0% above the global median, while Sabah Al Salem is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 KWD 2.36

$7.56 KWD 2.32

1.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 KWD 17.93

$58.7 KWD 18.00

-0.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 KWD 2.64

$8.59 KWD 2.63

0.23%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 KWD 0.75

$2.48 KWD 0.76

-0.81%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 KWD 1.04

$3.56 KWD 1.09

-5.06%

Cappuccino

$5.47 KWD 1.68

$5.34 KWD 1.64

2.43%

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

$0.63 KWD 0.19

$0.62 KWD 0.19

1.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 KWD 0.10

$0.34 KWD 0.10

-2.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 KWD 0.45

$1.43 KWD 0.44

2.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 KWD 0.53

$1.65 KWD 0.51

4.85%

Eggs

$2.07 KWD 0.63

$2.04 KWD 0.62

1.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.38 KWD 1.34

$4.58 KWD 1.40

-4.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 KWD 1.98

$6.68 KWD 2.05

-3.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.73 KWD 2.98

$9.91 KWD 3.04

-1.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 KWD 0.71

$2.35 KWD 0.72

-1.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 KWD 0.50

$1.65 KWD 0.51

-1.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 KWD 0.48

$1.56 KWD 0.48

0.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 KWD 0.37

$1.23 KWD 0.38

-0.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 KWD 0.35

$1.10 KWD 0.34

3.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 KWD 0.49

$1.69 KWD 0.52

-4.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KWD 0.14

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

$1.00 KWD 0.31

5.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 KWD 0.41

$1.33 KWD 0.41

0.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 KWD 0.91

$2.86 KWD 0.88

3.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 KWD 0.25

$0.90 KWD 0.28

-7.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.71 KWD 13.71

$44.87 KWD 13.76

-0.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 KWD 0.99

$3.18 KWD 0.97

1.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.18 KWD 0.98

$3.16 KWD 0.97

0.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.16 KWD 4.96

$16.57 KWD 5.08

-2.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.37 KWD 0.11

$0.36 KWD 0.11

2.78%

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

$20.5K KWD 6,273

$20.5K KWD 6,280

-0.12%

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

$19.4K KWD 5,961

$18.9K KWD 5,794

2.88%

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

$61.8 KWD 18.96

$63.6 KWD 19.50

-2.80%

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

$18.26 KWD 5.60

$18.43 KWD 5.65

-0.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.69 KWD 7.88

$26.24 KWD 8.05

-2.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.5 KWD 29.30

-0.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.91 KWD 14.39

$46.83 KWD 14.36

0.17%

Cinema Ticket

$11.22 KWD 3.44

$11.29 KWD 3.46

-0.62%

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

$281 KWD 86.2

$278 KWD 85.4

0.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,152 KWD 1,887

$6,070 KWD 1,862

1.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.94 KWD 12.86

$42.73 KWD 13.11

-1.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.22 KWD 13.25

$42.21 KWD 12.95

2.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 KWD 27.17

$87.9 KWD 26.96

0.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 KWD 25.45

$81.8 KWD 25.07

1.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$808 KWD 248

-0.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 KWD 190

$611 KWD 188

1.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,544 KWD 473

$1,586 KWD 486

-2.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,300 KWD 399

$1,309 KWD 402

-0.74%

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 Qairawan: May 30, 2026

Last update for Sabah Al Salem: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $808 in Qairawan 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 $58.0 in Qairawan versus $59.0 in Sabah Al Salem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $168 vs $170 – making Qairawan 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

Qairawan vs Sabah Al Salem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Qairawan is pricier by about 3%, 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 $2,019 per month in Qairawan 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Qairawan and $59.0 in Sabah Al Salem. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,346 in Qairawan and $1,312 in Sabah Al Salem. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sabah Al Salem, where all-in costs run around $1,312, than in Qairawan at $1,346. In Sabah Al Salem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Qairawan 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, Qairawan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.