Cost of Living Comparison Between Sabah Al Salem and Al Wafrah Cost of Living Comparison Between Sabah Al Salem and Al Wafrah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,358 in Sabah Al Salem versus $1,332 in Al Wafrah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,245 in Sabah Al Salem versus $2,238 in Al Wafrah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,132 in Sabah Al Salem versus $3,143 in Al Wafrah.

Living in Sabah Al Salem is roughly 2% more expensive than in Al Wafrah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sabah Al Salem 2% above, Al Wafrah 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.70 KWD 2.39

$7.83 KWD 2.43

-1.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 KWD 17.99

$58.4 KWD 18.11

-0.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.41 KWD 2.61

$8.77 KWD 2.72

-4.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 KWD 0.77

$2.49 KWD 0.77

-0.40%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 KWD 1.06

$3.58 KWD 1.11

-4.19%

Cappuccino

$5.28 KWD 1.63

$5.36 KWD 1.66

-1.49%

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

$0.60 KWD 0.19

$0.59 KWD 0.18

1.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

$0.34 KWD 0.11

5.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 KWD 0.46

$1.47 KWD 0.45

1.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 KWD 0.33

$1.09 KWD 0.34

-2.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 KWD 0.53

$1.70 KWD 0.53

1.18%

Eggs

$2.05 KWD 0.64

$1.97 KWD 0.61

4.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.37 KWD 1.35

$4.45 KWD 1.38

-1.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 KWD 1.99

$6.60 KWD 2.05

-2.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.76 KWD 3.03

$9.49 KWD 2.94

2.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 KWD 0.72

$2.30 KWD 0.71

0.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 KWD 0.50

$1.66 KWD 0.51

-3.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 KWD 0.47

$1.50 KWD 0.47

1.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 KWD 0.42

$1.41 KWD 0.44

-4.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 KWD 0.38

$1.27 KWD 0.39

-3.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 KWD 0.36

$1.10 KWD 0.34

4.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 KWD 0.50

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 KWD 0.13

$0.46 KWD 0.14

-8.70%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.85 KWD 0.88

$3.15 KWD 0.98

-9.52%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

$1.01 KWD 0.31

3.96%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

$1.34 KWD 0.41

4.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 KWD 0.93

$2.90 KWD 0.90

3.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 KWD 0.27

$0.87 KWD 0.27

1.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.89 KWD 13.60

$43.67 KWD 13.53

0.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 KWD 1.01

$3.20 KWD 0.99

1.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 KWD 1.03

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

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

$20.7K KWD 6,425

$20.2K KWD 6,255

2.73%

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

$19.3K KWD 5,995

$18.8K KWD 5,834

2.76%

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

$62.2 KWD 19.26

$63.4 KWD 19.66

-2.02%

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

$18.37 KWD 5.69

$18.47 KWD 5.72

-0.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.42 KWD 7.88

$26.14 KWD 8.10

-2.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.2 KWD 28.58

$93.2 KWD 28.88

-1.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.49 KWD 14.41

$46.28 KWD 14.34

0.45%

Cinema Ticket

$11.23 KWD 3.48

$11.54 KWD 3.58

-2.69%

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

$282 KWD 87.5

$282 KWD 87.4

0.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,129 KWD 1,899

$6,055 KWD 1,876

1.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.43 KWD 12.84

$41.65 KWD 12.91

-0.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.70 KWD 12.92

$42.57 KWD 13.19

-2.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 KWD 27.00

$88.2 KWD 27.32

-1.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.5 KWD 24.95

$82.2 KWD 25.46

-2.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$808 KWD 251

$787 KWD 244

2.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 KWD 192

$622 KWD 193

-0.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,591 KWD 493

$1,575 KWD 488

1.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 KWD 399

$1,306 KWD 405

-1.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,998 KWD 929

$4,387 KWD 1,360

-31.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.14

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 Wafrah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $808 in Sabah Al Salem and $787 in Al Wafrah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Wafrah pays 46% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $58.0 in Sabah Al Salem vs $58.0 in Al Wafrah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $167 vs $168 per month, with Sabah Al Salem 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 Wafrah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sabah Al Salem and Al Wafrah differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,358 vs $1,332 including rent). Al Wafrah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 46% lower in Al Wafrah. 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: $808 in Sabah Al Salem versus $787 in Al Wafrah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $282 in Sabah Al Salem versus $282 in Al Wafrah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Sabah Al Salem pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,332 in Al Wafrah versus $1,358 in Sabah Al Salem, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al Wafrah but tight or insufficient in Sabah Al Salem. The gap between the two cities makes Al Wafrah 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 Wafrah 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 Wafrah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Sabah Al Salem. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.