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 $1,312 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $1,092 in Al-farwaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,228 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $1,831 in Al-farwaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,143 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $2,570 in Al-farwaniyah, rent included.

Sabah Al Salem costs about 20% more than Al-farwaniyah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sabah Al Salem and Al-farwaniyah are more affordable than the global median – Sabah Al Salem 2% lower, Al-farwaniyah 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.56 KWD 2.32

$6.41 KWD 1.97

17.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.7 KWD 18.00

$29.24 KWD 8.97

100.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.59 KWD 2.63

$4.78 KWD 1.47

79.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 KWD 0.76

$2.51 KWD 0.77

-1.20%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 KWD 1.09

$3.66 KWD 1.12

-2.73%

Cappuccino

$5.34 KWD 1.64

$2.89 KWD 0.89

84.78%

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

$0.62 KWD 0.19

$0.66 KWD 0.20

-6.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$0.34 KWD 0.11

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

$1.08 KWD 0.33

32.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

$1.30 KWD 0.40

-19.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 KWD 0.51

$0.96 KWD 0.29

71.88%

Eggs

$2.04 KWD 0.62

$1.93 KWD 0.59

5.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.58 KWD 1.40

$3.97 KWD 1.22

15.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.68 KWD 2.05

$6.67 KWD 2.05

0.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.91 KWD 3.04

$10.31 KWD 3.16

-3.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 KWD 0.72

$1.51 KWD 0.46

55.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 KWD 0.51

$1.33 KWD 0.41

24.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 KWD 0.48

$0.94 KWD 0.29

65.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

$1.03 KWD 0.32

38.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 KWD 0.38

$0.77 KWD 0.24

59.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 KWD 0.34

$0.90 KWD 0.28

22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 KWD 0.52

$1.61 KWD 0.50

4.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KWD 0.14

$0.42 KWD 0.13

9.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.16 KWD 0.97

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 KWD 0.31

$1.01 KWD 0.31

-0.99%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

$1.32 KWD 0.41

0.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 KWD 0.88

$2.97 KWD 0.91

-3.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 KWD 0.28

$0.83 KWD 0.25

8.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.87 KWD 13.76

$33.21 KWD 10.19

35.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 KWD 0.97

$2.47 KWD 0.76

28.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.16 KWD 0.97

$1.73 KWD 0.53

82.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.57 KWD 5.08

$16.33 KWD 5.01

1.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

$0.31 KWD 0.09

16.13%

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

$20.5K KWD 6,280

$19.7K KWD 6,040

3.97%

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

$18.9K KWD 5,794

$17.9K KWD 5,475

5.82%

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

$63.6 KWD 19.50

$58.1 KWD 17.82

9.41%

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

$18.43 KWD 5.65

$16.11 KWD 4.94

14.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.24 KWD 8.05

$26.14 KWD 8.02

0.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.5 KWD 29.30

$64.8 KWD 19.88

47.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.83 KWD 14.36

$64.2 KWD 19.70

-27.10%

Cinema Ticket

$11.29 KWD 3.46

$11.28 KWD 3.46

0.09%

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

$278 KWD 85.4

$106 KWD 32.40

163.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,070 KWD 1,862

$4,602 KWD 1,411

31.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.73 KWD 13.11

$41.39 KWD 12.69

3.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.21 KWD 12.95

$37.39 KWD 11.47

12.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 KWD 26.96

$89.4 KWD 27.42

-1.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 KWD 25.07

$65.0 KWD 19.94

25.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$808 KWD 248

$578 KWD 177

39.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$611 KWD 188

$494 KWD 151

23.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,586 KWD 486

$1,384 KWD 425

14.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,309 KWD 402

$1,132 KWD 347

15.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,783 KWD 853

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,457 KWD 1,060

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,958 KWD 907

$1,884 KWD 578

56.96%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Al-farwaniyah: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $808 in Sabah Al Salem versus $578 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 57% 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 $59.0 in Sabah Al Salem versus $29.00 in Al-farwaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $152 – 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: $1,312 in Sabah Al Salem, $1,092 in Al-farwaniyah – roughly 20% apart. Sabah Al Salem costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,968 per month in Sabah Al Salem and $1,639 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 $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 12% 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 $1,092, than in Sabah Al Salem at $1,312. 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.