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 $1,431 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $1,136 in Al-farwaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,455 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $1,961 in Al-farwaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,479 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $2,786 in Al-farwaniyah, rent included.

Sabah Al Salem costs about 26% more than Al-farwaniyah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Sabah Al Salem sits 6% above the global median, while Al-farwaniyah is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 KWD 2.47

$6.74 KWD 2.07

18.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.5 KWD 22.29

$29.15 KWD 8.97

148.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.04 KWD 2.78

$4.91 KWD 1.51

84.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 KWD 1.00

$3.14 KWD 0.97

3.82%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 KWD 1.01

$4.90 KWD 1.51

-33.27%

Cappuccino

$6.45 KWD 1.98

$2.47 KWD 0.76

161.13%

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

$0.48 KWD 0.15

$0.74 KWD 0.23

-35.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KWD 0.15

$0.29 KWD 0.09

72.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 KWD 0.58

$0.93 KWD 0.29

101.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 KWD 0.39

$1.47 KWD 0.45

-12.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 KWD 0.67

$1.67 KWD 0.51

29.94%

Eggs

$3.13 KWD 0.96

$1.91 KWD 0.59

63.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.10 KWD 2.18

$4.45 KWD 1.37

59.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.49 KWD 1.69

$4.92 KWD 1.51

11.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 KWD 3.21

$10.26 KWD 3.16

1.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 KWD 0.74

$2.45 KWD 0.75

-2.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 KWD 0.57

$1.95 KWD 0.60

-4.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 KWD 0.39

$1.28 KWD 0.40

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 KWD 0.48

$1.00 KWD 0.31

55.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

$0.63 KWD 0.19

111.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 KWD 0.29

$0.98 KWD 0.30

-2.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 KWD 0.51

$1.00 KWD 0.31

65.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 KWD 0.16

$0.31 KWD 0.09

64.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.63 KWD 1.12

$3.16 KWD 0.97

14.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 KWD 0.28

$1.03 KWD 0.32

-12.62%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 KWD 0.39

$0.99 KWD 0.31

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 KWD 0.74

$2.81 KWD 0.86

-14.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KWD 0.25

$0.83 KWD 0.26

-3.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 KWD 34.80

$32.03 KWD 9.85

253.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 KWD 0.98

$2.48 KWD 0.76

29.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 KWD 1.12

$3.29 KWD 1.01

10.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.87 KWD 5.50

$6.42 KWD 1.97

178.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

$0.29 KWD 0.09

24.14%

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

$23.5K KWD 7,228

$21.1K KWD 6,479

11.56%

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

$20.8K KWD 6,390

$20.7K KWD 6,352

0.59%

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

$39.64 KWD 12.19

$31.96 KWD 9.83

24.03%

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

$23.94 KWD 7.36

$16.10 KWD 4.95

48.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.34 KWD 12.10

$29.88 KWD 9.19

31.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$132 KWD 40.63

$48.10 KWD 14.80

174.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.71 KWD 11.91

$33.07 KWD 10.17

17.05%

Cinema Ticket

$11.39 KWD 3.50

$11.44 KWD 3.52

-0.44%

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

$278 KWD 85.6

$97.3 KWD 29.93

186.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,677 KWD 2,361

$1,984 KWD 610

287.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.82 KWD 11.63

$38.33 KWD 11.79

-1.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.01 KWD 12.00

$32.72 KWD 10.07

19.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 KWD 30.46

$92.1 KWD 28.32

7.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 KWD 26.93

$32.12 KWD 9.88

172.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 KWD 226

$568 KWD 175

28.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$544 KWD 167

$582 KWD 179

-6.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,761 KWD 542

$1,772 KWD 545

-0.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,350 KWD 415

$1,449 KWD 446

-6.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,845 KWD 875

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,512 KWD 1,080

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,959 KWD 910

$2,044 KWD 629

44.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

6.5

0.46%

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

Last update for Sabah Al Salem: September 20, 2026

Last update for Al-farwaniyah: September 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Sabah Al Salem versus $568 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 45% 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 $72.0 in Sabah Al Salem versus $29.00 in Al-farwaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $153 – 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: $1,431 in Sabah Al Salem, $1,136 in Al-farwaniyah – roughly 26% apart. Sabah Al Salem costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,146 per month in Sabah Al Salem and $1,704 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 $278 per month in Sabah Al Salem and $97.3 in Al-farwaniyah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% 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 $1,136, than in Sabah Al Salem at $1,431. 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.