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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,400 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $1,353 in Mishref, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,495 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $2,264 in Mishref, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,589 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $3,174 in Mishref, rent included.

Sabah Al Salem costs about 3% more than Mishref, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Sabah Al Salem sits 2% above the global median, while Mishref is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.93 KWD 2.43

$12.87 KWD 3.95

-38.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.6 KWD 22.26

$63.6 KWD 19.50

14.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.17 KWD 2.81

$9.15 KWD 2.80

0.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 KWD 1.00

$3.21 KWD 0.98

1.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 KWD 0.97

$4.80 KWD 1.47

-34.17%

Cappuccino

$6.44 KWD 1.97

$5.39 KWD 1.65

19.48%

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

$0.47 KWD 0.15

$0.75 KWD 0.23

-37.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 KWD 0.16

$0.35 KWD 0.11

45.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 KWD 0.60

$1.57 KWD 0.48

25.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 KWD 0.39

$1.54 KWD 0.47

-18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 KWD 0.63

$1.99 KWD 0.61

3.52%

Eggs

$3.16 KWD 0.97

$2.06 KWD 0.63

53.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 KWD 2.23

$4.28 KWD 1.31

69.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.43 KWD 1.67

$6.63 KWD 2.03

-18.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.33 KWD 3.17

$10.19 KWD 3.13

1.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 KWD 0.75

$2.49 KWD 0.76

-1.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 KWD 0.57

$1.87 KWD 0.57

-1.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 KWD 0.40

$1.79 KWD 0.55

-26.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 KWD 0.47

$1.56 KWD 0.48

-1.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 KWD 0.41

$1.34 KWD 0.41

-1.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 KWD 0.29

$1.45 KWD 0.44

-33.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 KWD 0.49

$2.27 KWD 0.69

-29.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KWD 0.14

$0.59 KWD 0.18

-20.34%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.12 KWD 0.96

$3.28 KWD 1.00

-4.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 KWD 0.32

$1.06 KWD 0.33

-2.83%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 KWD 0.50

$1.43 KWD 0.44

13.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 KWD 0.89

$2.71 KWD 0.83

7.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 KWD 0.25

$0.84 KWD 0.26

-3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 KWD 34.94

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 KWD 1.03

$4.78 KWD 1.47

-29.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 KWD 1.13

$3.21 KWD 0.99

15.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.45 KWD 5.35

$16.27 KWD 4.99

7.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 KWD 0.10

$0.35 KWD 0.11

-5.71%

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

$20.0K KWD 6,121

$21.2K KWD 6,508

-5.94%

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

$20.5K KWD 6,295

$20.4K KWD 6,249

0.74%

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

$38.32 KWD 11.75

$66.5 KWD 20.39

-42.37%

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

$23.88 KWD 7.32

$22.83 KWD 7.00

4.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.34 KWD 12.06

$30.02 KWD 9.20

31.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$131 KWD 40.27

$98.9 KWD 30.33

32.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.26 KWD 11.73

Cinema Ticket

$11.13 KWD 3.41

$11.29 KWD 3.46

-1.42%

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

$273 KWD 83.8

$303 KWD 93.0

-9.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,488 KWD 2,296

$9,369 KWD 2,873

-20.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.51 KWD 11.50

$37.16 KWD 11.39

0.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.45 KWD 12.10

$39.70 KWD 12.17

-0.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 KWD 30.11

$97.7 KWD 29.96

0.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 KWD 27.21

$90.2 KWD 27.65

-1.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$731 KWD 224

$737 KWD 226

-0.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 KWD 169

$572 KWD 175

-3.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,811 KWD 555

$1,749 KWD 536

3.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,319 KWD 404

$1,325 KWD 406

-0.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,911 KWD 893

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 Mishref: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $731 in Sabah Al Salem versus $737 in Mishref. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Sabah Al Salem versus $64.0 in Mishref. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $186 – making Mishref 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 Mishref: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sabah Al Salem is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,100 per month in Sabah Al Salem and $2,030 in Mishref. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mishref, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Sabah Al Salem and $64.0 in Mishref. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mishref, where all-in costs run around $1,353, than in Sabah Al Salem at $1,400. In Mishref it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sabah Al Salem it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mishref – 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 Mishref. 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.