Cost of Living Comparison Between Sabah Al Salem and Al-jahra' Cost of Living Comparison Between Sabah Al Salem and Al-jahra'

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,400 in Sabah Al Salem versus $1,314 in Al-jahra'.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,495 in Sabah Al Salem versus $2,258 in Al-jahra'.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,589 in Sabah Al Salem versus $3,201 in Al-jahra'.

Living in Sabah Al Salem is roughly 7% more expensive than in Al-jahra', driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sabah Al Salem is 2% above, Al-jahra' is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.93 KWD 2.43

$12.84 KWD 3.94

-38.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.6 KWD 22.26

$64.6 KWD 19.80

12.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.17 KWD 2.81

$9.08 KWD 2.79

0.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 KWD 1.00

$3.16 KWD 0.97

3.16%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 KWD 0.97

$4.94 KWD 1.52

-36.03%

Cappuccino

$6.44 KWD 1.97

$5.28 KWD 1.62

21.97%

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

$0.47 KWD 0.15

$0.72 KWD 0.22

-34.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 KWD 0.16

$0.37 KWD 0.11

37.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 KWD 0.60

$1.60 KWD 0.49

23.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 KWD 0.39

$1.53 KWD 0.47

-17.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 KWD 0.63

$1.90 KWD 0.58

8.42%

Eggs

$3.16 KWD 0.97

$2.16 KWD 0.66

46.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 KWD 2.23

$4.46 KWD 1.37

62.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.43 KWD 1.67

$6.64 KWD 2.03

-18.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.33 KWD 3.17

$10.20 KWD 3.13

1.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 KWD 0.75

$2.54 KWD 0.78

-3.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 KWD 0.57

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 KWD 0.40

$1.81 KWD 0.55

-27.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 KWD 0.47

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 KWD 0.41

$1.37 KWD 0.42

-3.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 KWD 0.29

$1.43 KWD 0.44

-32.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 KWD 0.49

$2.31 KWD 0.71

-30.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KWD 0.14

$0.54 KWD 0.17

-12.96%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.12 KWD 0.96

$3.29 KWD 1.01

-5.17%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 KWD 0.32

$1.07 KWD 0.33

-3.74%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 KWD 0.50

$1.40 KWD 0.43

16.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 KWD 0.89

$2.69 KWD 0.82

8.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 KWD 0.25

$0.78 KWD 0.24

3.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 KWD 34.94

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 KWD 1.03

$4.76 KWD 1.46

-29.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 KWD 1.13

$3.27 KWD 1.00

13.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.45 KWD 5.35

$16.14 KWD 4.95

8.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 KWD 0.10

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

$20.0K KWD 6,121

$21.4K KWD 6,567

-6.78%

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

$20.5K KWD 6,295

$20.1K KWD 6,161

2.17%

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

$38.32 KWD 11.75

$19.70 KWD 6.04

94.52%

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

$23.88 KWD 7.32

$22.97 KWD 7.04

3.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.34 KWD 12.06

$30.62 KWD 9.39

28.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$131 KWD 40.27

$96.4 KWD 29.55

36.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.26 KWD 11.73

Cinema Ticket

$11.13 KWD 3.41

$11.51 KWD 3.53

-3.30%

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

$273 KWD 83.8

$306 KWD 93.9

-10.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,488 KWD 2,296

$9,349 KWD 2,866

-19.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.51 KWD 11.50

$37.59 KWD 11.53

-0.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.45 KWD 12.10

$39.52 KWD 12.12

-0.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 KWD 30.11

$97.8 KWD 29.99

0.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 KWD 27.21

$89.0 KWD 27.29

-0.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$731 KWD 224

$723 KWD 222

1.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 KWD 169

$575 KWD 176

-4.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,811 KWD 555

$1,750 KWD 536

3.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,319 KWD 404

$1,356 KWD 416

-2.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,911 KWD 893

$2,986 KWD 915

-2.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

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

Last update for Sabah Al Salem: September 7, 2026

Last update for Al-jahra': September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $731 in Sabah Al Salem and $723 in Al-jahra'. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al-jahra' pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $73.0 in Sabah Al Salem vs $65.0 in Al-jahra' for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $187 vs $186 per month, with Al-jahra' cheaper across the board.

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-jahra': Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-jahra' is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 3% lower in Al-jahra'. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $731 in Sabah Al Salem versus $723 in Al-jahra'. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $273 in Sabah Al Salem versus $306 in Al-jahra'. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Al-jahra' – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $73.0 in Sabah Al Salem. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,314 in Al-jahra' versus $1,400 in Sabah Al Salem, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-jahra' but tight or insufficient in Sabah Al Salem. The gap between the two cities makes Al-jahra' the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Sabah Al Salem and Al-jahra' are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Al-jahra' gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Sabah Al Salem. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.