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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,317 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $1,322 in Salwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,234 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $2,259 in Salwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,151 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $3,195 in Salwa, rent included.

Sabah Al Salem and Salwa have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Sabah Al Salem and Salwa are more affordable than the global median – Sabah Al Salem 1% lower, Salwa 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.78 KWD 2.39

$9.89 KWD 3.04

-21.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 KWD 18.40

$64.6 KWD 19.87

-7.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.41 KWD 2.59

$6.43 KWD 1.98

30.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 KWD 0.76

$2.50 KWD 0.77

-1.20%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 KWD 1.04

$3.72 KWD 1.14

-8.87%

Cappuccino

$5.54 KWD 1.70

$5.86 KWD 1.80

-5.46%

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

$0.60 KWD 0.18

$0.47 KWD 0.15

27.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

$0.34 KWD 0.11

5.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 KWD 0.44

$1.61 KWD 0.50

-11.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 KWD 0.33

$0.74 KWD 0.23

45.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 KWD 0.51

$0.81 KWD 0.25

103.70%

Eggs

$1.97 KWD 0.61

$2.07 KWD 0.64

-4.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.63 KWD 1.43

$5.33 KWD 1.64

-13.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.49 KWD 2.00

$6.42 KWD 1.98

1.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.72 KWD 2.99

$10.13 KWD 3.11

-4.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 KWD 0.69

$2.45 KWD 0.75

-8.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 KWD 0.52

$1.88 KWD 0.58

-10.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 KWD 0.47

$1.81 KWD 0.56

-16.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 KWD 0.43

$0.85 KWD 0.26

65.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 KWD 0.39

$0.68 KWD 0.21

88.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KWD 0.34

$1.33 KWD 0.41

-16.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 KWD 0.50

$1.69 KWD 0.52

-4.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 KWD 0.13

$0.46 KWD 0.14

-6.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.64 KWD 1.12

$3.28 KWD 1.01

10.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 KWD 0.32

$1.01 KWD 0.31

4.95%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.43

$1.33 KWD 0.41

3.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 KWD 0.93

$2.85 KWD 0.88

5.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 KWD 0.27

$0.83 KWD 0.26

6.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.78 KWD 13.47

$44.02 KWD 13.54

-0.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 KWD 1.00

$3.21 KWD 0.99

1.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

$3.25 KWD 1.00

2.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.13 KWD 4.96

$16.57 KWD 5.10

-2.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

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

$20.8K KWD 6,383

$20.9K KWD 6,439

-0.88%

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

$18.9K KWD 5,816

$17.7K KWD 5,439

6.94%

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

$62.7 KWD 19.28

$62.8 KWD 19.30

-0.14%

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

$18.64 KWD 5.73

$18.68 KWD 5.75

-0.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.37 KWD 7.80

$26.12 KWD 8.04

-2.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.0 KWD 28.92

$94.5 KWD 29.07

-0.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.82 KWD 14.09

$46.77 KWD 14.39

-2.03%

Cinema Ticket

$11.47 KWD 3.53

$11.27 KWD 3.47

1.77%

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

$285 KWD 87.7

$408 KWD 125

-30.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,128 KWD 1,885

$6,527 KWD 2,008

-6.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.99 KWD 13.22

$39.44 KWD 12.13

9.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.97 KWD 13.22

$43.24 KWD 13.30

-0.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 KWD 26.97

$81.3 KWD 25.02

7.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 KWD 25.63

$65.8 KWD 20.23

26.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 KWD 244

$792 KWD 244

0.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$603 KWD 185

$609 KWD 187

-1.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 KWD 486

$1,551 KWD 477

1.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,309 KWD 403

$1,287 KWD 396

1.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,008 KWD 925

$3,611 KWD 1,111

-16.69%

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 28, 2026

Last update for Salwa: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $794 in Sabah Al Salem versus $792 in Salwa. 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 20% higher in Salwa. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Sabah Al Salem versus $65.0 in Salwa. Groceries tell a different story – $167 in Sabah Al Salem vs $165 in Salwa – so Salwa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Salwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,976 per month in Sabah Al Salem and $1,984 in Salwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sabah Al Salem, 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 $60.0 in Sabah Al Salem and $65.0 in Salwa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Sabah Al Salem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sabah Al Salem, where all-in costs run around $1,317, than in Salwa at $1,322. In Sabah Al Salem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Salwa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sabah Al Salem – 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 Sabah Al Salem. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Salwa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.