Cost of Living Comparison Between Sabah Al Salem and Janub-as-surrah Cost of Living Comparison Between Sabah Al Salem and Janub-as-surrah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,432 in Sabah Al Salem versus $1,263 in Janub-as-surrah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,446 in Sabah Al Salem versus $2,157 in Janub-as-surrah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,460 in Sabah Al Salem versus $3,051 in Janub-as-surrah.

Living in Sabah Al Salem is roughly 13% more expensive than in Janub-as-surrah, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sabah Al Salem is 5% above, Janub-as-surrah is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.32 KWD 2.56

$9.08 KWD 2.80

-8.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.6 KWD 22.06

$63.0 KWD 19.41

13.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.25 KWD 2.85

$8.74 KWD 2.69

5.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 KWD 1.01

$3.35 KWD 1.03

-2.09%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 KWD 0.97

$3.62 KWD 1.11

-12.98%

Cappuccino

$6.62 KWD 2.04

$5.56 KWD 1.71

19.06%

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

$0.48 KWD 0.15

$0.58 KWD 0.18

-17.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 KWD 0.15

$0.32 KWD 0.10

50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 KWD 0.61

$1.17 KWD 0.36

69.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

$0.83 KWD 0.26

60.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 KWD 0.66

$2.11 KWD 0.65

0.95%

Eggs

$3.02 KWD 0.93

$2.18 KWD 0.67

38.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 KWD 2.26

$4.14 KWD 1.28

76.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 KWD 1.66

$6.24 KWD 1.92

-13.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.15 KWD 3.13

$10.49 KWD 3.23

-3.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 KWD 0.77

$2.41 KWD 0.74

4.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 KWD 0.57

$1.73 KWD 0.53

7.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 KWD 0.41

$1.28 KWD 0.39

3.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 KWD 0.47

$1.36 KWD 0.42

13.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 KWD 0.40

$1.23 KWD 0.38

6.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 KWD 0.29

$0.97 KWD 0.30

-2.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 KWD 0.51

$1.62 KWD 0.50

1.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KWD 0.15

$0.53 KWD 0.16

-9.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.01 KWD 0.93

$2.88 KWD 0.89

4.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 KWD 0.29

$1.04 KWD 0.32

-8.65%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

$1.48 KWD 0.46

-3.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 KWD 0.86

$2.74 KWD 0.84

1.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KWD 0.23

$0.78 KWD 0.24

-3.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$115 KWD 35.36

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 KWD 0.94

$3.17 KWD 0.98

-3.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 KWD 1.08

$3.15 KWD 0.97

11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.39 KWD 4.44

$16.10 KWD 4.96

-10.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 KWD 0.10

$0.34 KWD 0.11

-2.94%

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

$21.8K KWD 6,720

$22.4K KWD 6,899

-2.60%

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

$21.9K KWD 6,743

$20.3K KWD 6,264

7.65%

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

$39.29 KWD 12.11

$59.4 KWD 18.29

-33.81%

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

$24.66 KWD 7.60

$20.98 KWD 6.46

17.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.81 KWD 11.96

$27.86 KWD 8.58

39.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$128 KWD 39.50

$85.3 KWD 26.28

50.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.17 KWD 12.07

Cinema Ticket

$11.39 KWD 3.51

$9.95 KWD 3.06

14.47%

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

$277 KWD 85.4

$295 KWD 90.8

-5.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,546 KWD 2,325

$8,583 KWD 2,645

-12.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.94 KWD 11.69

$35.17 KWD 10.84

7.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.10 KWD 12.35

$34.85 KWD 10.74

15.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 KWD 29.67

$87.4 KWD 26.92

10.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 KWD 27.81

$85.9 KWD 26.47

5.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$725 KWD 223

$709 KWD 218

2.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 KWD 171

$525 KWD 162

5.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,811 KWD 558

$1,579 KWD 486

14.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 KWD 417

$1,403 KWD 432

-3.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,022 KWD 931

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 15, 2026

Last update for Janub-as-surrah: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $725 in Sabah Al Salem and $709 in Janub-as-surrah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $72.0 in Sabah Al Salem vs $63.0 in Janub-as-surrah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $165 per month, with Janub-as-surrah 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 Janub-as-surrah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Janub-as-surrah wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Sabah Al Salem. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Janub-as-surrah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,148 in Sabah Al Salem and $1,894 in Janub-as-surrah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $725 in Sabah Al Salem versus $709 in Janub-as-surrah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Sabah Al Salem. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,432 per month in Sabah Al Salem versus $1,263 in Janub-as-surrah – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,263 in Janub-as-surrah versus $1,432 in Sabah Al Salem, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Janub-as-surrah but tight or insufficient in Sabah Al Salem. The gap between the two cities makes Janub-as-surrah 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 Janub-as-surrah 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 Janub-as-surrah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Sabah Al Salem. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.