Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sabah Al Salem and Ahmadi

For one person, living is cheaper in Ahmadi: $1,220 a month against $1,406 in Sabah Al Salem, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. The total is higher in Sabah Al Salem despite lower rent and utilities.

69

Cost of Living Index in Sabah Al Salem
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Sabah Al Salem Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Ahmadi
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Ahmadi Living Index

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Sabah Al Salem

🇰🇼 Kuwait

$1,406

/mo nomad

Ahmadi

🇰🇼 Kuwait

$1,220

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,406 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $1,220 in Ahmadi, rent included.

Sabah Al Salem $1,406
Ahmadi $1,220

A couple spends around $2,449 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $2,028 in Ahmadi, rent included.

Sabah Al Salem $2,449
Ahmadi $2,028

A family of three spends $3,492 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $2,836 in Ahmadi, rent included.

Sabah Al Salem $3,492
Ahmadi $2,836

Sabah Al Salem costs about 15% more than Ahmadi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Sabah Al Salem sits 4% above the global median, while Ahmadi is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.94 KWD 2.45

$7.89 KWD 2.43

0.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 KWD 21.75

$43.72 KWD 13.47

61.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.09 KWD 2.80

$7.68 KWD 2.36

18.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 KWD 0.97

$2.34 KWD 0.72

34.19%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 KWD 0.97

$1.58 KWD 0.49

98.73%

Cappuccino

$6.50 KWD 2.00

$4.22 KWD 1.30

54.03%

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

$0.47 KWD 0.14

$0.58 KWD 0.18

-18.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 KWD 0.14

$0.31 KWD 0.10

51.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 KWD 0.60

$1.30 KWD 0.40

48.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 KWD 0.40

$0.78 KWD 0.24

67.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 KWD 0.66

$1.58 KWD 0.49

36.08%

Eggs

$3.00 KWD 0.93

$1.34 KWD 0.41

123.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.36 KWD 2.27

$3.28 KWD 1.01

124.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 KWD 1.65

$4.77 KWD 1.47

12.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 KWD 3.17

$10.22 KWD 3.15

0.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 KWD 0.77

$1.40 KWD 0.43

77.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 KWD 0.59

$1.47 KWD 0.45

30.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 KWD 0.40

$1.10 KWD 0.34

17.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 KWD 0.46

$0.79 KWD 0.24

88.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 KWD 0.42

$0.46 KWD 0.14

197.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 KWD 0.29

$0.50 KWD 0.15

88.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 KWD 0.49

$1.31 KWD 0.40

20.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 KWD 0.15

$0.54 KWD 0.17

-7.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.85 KWD 0.88

$3.29 KWD 1.01

-13.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 KWD 0.27

$1.01 KWD 0.31

-12.87%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 KWD 0.38

$1.44 KWD 0.44

-13.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.69 KWD 0.83

$2.78 KWD 0.86

-3.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 KWD 0.25

$0.99 KWD 0.30

-17.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 KWD 34.93

$28.74 KWD 8.86

294.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 KWD 1.03

$3.19 KWD 0.98

4.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.79 KWD 0.86

$3.29 KWD 1.01

-15.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 KWD 5.45

$16.32 KWD 5.03

8.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.35 KWD 0.11

$0.36 KWD 0.11

-2.78%

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

$21.4K KWD 6,587

$20.5K KWD 6,322

4.19%

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

$18.4K KWD 5,667

$17.8K KWD 5,488

3.25%

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

$38.41 KWD 11.83

$64.2 KWD 19.77

-40.13%

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

$23.71 KWD 7.31

$15.77 KWD 4.86

50.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.51 KWD 12.17

$29.35 KWD 9.04

34.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$131 KWD 40.25

$117 KWD 36.11

11.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.15 KWD 12.06

$32.04 KWD 9.87

22.19%

Cinema Ticket

$11.39 KWD 3.51

$10.61 KWD 3.27

7.35%

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

$270 KWD 83.3

$94.7 KWD 29.17

185.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,430 KWD 2,289

$9,224 KWD 2,842

-19.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.61 KWD 11.59

$37.76 KWD 11.63

-0.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.45 KWD 12.16

$39.24 KWD 12.09

0.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.2 KWD 30.56

$96.5 KWD 29.74

2.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 KWD 27.00

$86.6 KWD 26.67

1.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 KWD 246

$633 KWD 195

26.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 KWD 166

$527 KWD 163

2.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 KWD 535

$1,604 KWD 494

8.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,326 KWD 409

$1,201 KWD 370

10.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,121 KWD 962

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,468 KWD 760

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,997 KWD 923

$3,545 KWD 1,092

-15.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

4.67

39.83%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Sabah Al Salem: October 12, 2026

Last update for Ahmadi: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sabah Al Salem

$538 38.3%

Ahmadi

$527 43.2% 2% $11

Groceries & Markets

Sabah Al Salem

$188 13.3%

Ahmadi

$135 11.1% 28% $53

Eating Out

Sabah Al Salem

$172 12.3%

Ahmadi

$140 11.5% 18.6% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Sabah Al Salem

$153 10.9%

Ahmadi

$138 11.4% 9.8% $15

Getting Around

Sabah Al Salem

$134 9.5%

Ahmadi

$52 4.3% 60.9% $82

Clothing & Footwear

Sabah Al Salem

$119 8.5%

Ahmadi

$117 9.6% 1.4% $1.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sabah Al Salem

$102 7.2%

Ahmadi

$109 9% 7.5% $7.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $798 in Sabah Al Salem versus $633 in Ahmadi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 18% higher in Ahmadi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Sabah Al Salem versus $44.00 in Ahmadi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $135 – making Ahmadi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇼 Sabah Al Salem

🇰🇼 Ahmadi

🕒 Local time

04:46 4:46 AM

Same time as Sabah Al Salem

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

92,818

31,422

💱 Currency

Kuwaiti Dinar KWD د.ك

📈 Exchange rate

1 KWD = 3.25 USD

1 KWD = 2.89 EUR

1 KWD = 3.25 USD

1 KWD = 2.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Sabah Al Salem Ahmadi 18 km

From you

Sabah Al Salem
Ahmadi

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

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

Yes – Sabah Al Salem is pricier by about 15%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,109 per month in Sabah Al Salem and $1,830 in Ahmadi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $270 per month in Sabah Al Salem and $94.7 in Ahmadi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Sabah Al Salem, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ahmadi, where all-in costs run around $1,220, than in Sabah Al Salem at $1,406. In Ahmadi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sabah Al Salem it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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