Cost of Living Comparison Between Sabah Al Salem and Al-farwaniyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Sabah Al Salem and Al-farwaniyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,358 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $1,077 in Al-farwaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,245 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $1,787 in Al-farwaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,132 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $2,496 in Al-farwaniyah, rent included.

Sabah Al Salem costs about 26% more than Al-farwaniyah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Sabah Al Salem sits 2% above the global median, while Al-farwaniyah is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.70 KWD 2.39

$6.61 KWD 2.05

16.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 KWD 17.99

$29.49 KWD 9.14

96.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.41 KWD 2.61

$5.05 KWD 1.56

66.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 KWD 0.77

$2.47 KWD 0.76

0.40%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 KWD 1.06

$3.66 KWD 1.14

-6.28%

Cappuccino

$5.28 KWD 1.63

$2.95 KWD 0.92

78.98%

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

$0.60 KWD 0.19

$0.70 KWD 0.22

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

$0.38 KWD 0.12

-5.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 KWD 0.46

$1.04 KWD 0.32

43.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 KWD 0.33

$1.29 KWD 0.40

-17.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 KWD 0.53

$0.96 KWD 0.30

79.17%

Eggs

$2.05 KWD 0.64

$1.90 KWD 0.59

7.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.37 KWD 1.35

$3.99 KWD 1.24

9.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 KWD 1.99

$6.46 KWD 2.00

-0.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.76 KWD 3.03

$10.32 KWD 3.20

-5.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 KWD 0.72

$1.53 KWD 0.48

51.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 KWD 0.50

$1.35 KWD 0.42

18.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 KWD 0.47

$0.91 KWD 0.28

67.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 KWD 0.42

$1.01 KWD 0.31

33.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 KWD 0.38

$0.71 KWD 0.22

71.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 KWD 0.36

$0.96 KWD 0.30

19.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 KWD 0.50

$1.67 KWD 0.52

-2.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 KWD 0.13

$0.43 KWD 0.13

-2.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.85 KWD 0.88

$3.31 KWD 1.02

-13.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

$1.04 KWD 0.32

0.96%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

$1.38 KWD 0.43

1.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 KWD 0.93

$2.88 KWD 0.89

4.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 KWD 0.27

$0.86 KWD 0.27

2.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.89 KWD 13.60

$32.78 KWD 10.16

33.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 KWD 1.01

$2.42 KWD 0.75

34.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 KWD 1.03

$1.83 KWD 0.57

81.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.23 KWD 5.03

$16.14 KWD 5.00

0.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

$0.30 KWD 0.09

20.00%

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

$20.7K KWD 6,425

$19.7K KWD 6,093

5.45%

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

$19.3K KWD 5,995

$17.7K KWD 5,472

9.56%

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

$62.2 KWD 19.26

$56.4 KWD 17.49

10.14%

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

$18.37 KWD 5.69

$16.25 KWD 5.04

13.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.42 KWD 7.88

$25.54 KWD 7.92

-0.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.2 KWD 28.58

$65.9 KWD 20.41

40.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.49 KWD 14.41

$64.8 KWD 20.10

-28.30%

Cinema Ticket

$11.23 KWD 3.48

$11.32 KWD 3.51

-0.80%

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

$282 KWD 87.5

$106 KWD 32.93

165.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,129 KWD 1,899

$4,650 KWD 1,441

31.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.43 KWD 12.84

$41.54 KWD 12.87

-0.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.70 KWD 12.92

$37.71 KWD 11.69

10.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 KWD 27.00

$88.7 KWD 27.49

-1.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.5 KWD 24.95

$65.7 KWD 20.34

22.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$808 KWD 251

$591 KWD 183

36.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 KWD 192

$485 KWD 150

27.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,591 KWD 493

$1,379 KWD 427

15.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 KWD 399

$1,121 KWD 347

14.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,736 KWD 848

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,525 KWD 1,092

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,998 KWD 929

$1,920 KWD 595

56.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.14

3.5

104.00%

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

Last update for Sabah Al Salem: July 14, 2026

Last update for Al-farwaniyah: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $808 in Sabah Al Salem versus $591 in Al-farwaniyah. 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 56% higher in Sabah Al Salem, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Sabah Al Salem versus $29.00 in Al-farwaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $167 vs $150 – making Al-farwaniyah 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,358 in Sabah Al Salem, $1,077 in Al-farwaniyah – roughly 26% apart. Sabah Al Salem costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,037 per month in Sabah Al Salem and $1,616 in Al-farwaniyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $282 per month in Sabah Al Salem and $106 in Al-farwaniyah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al-farwaniyah, where all-in costs run around $1,077, than in Sabah Al Salem at $1,358. In Al-farwaniyah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sabah Al Salem it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al-farwaniyah – 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 Al-farwaniyah. 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.