Cost of Living Comparison Between Salmiya and Hadiya Cost of Living Comparison Between Salmiya and Hadiya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,621 per month in Salmiya vs $1,299 in Hadiya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,442 per month in Salmiya vs $2,173 in Hadiya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,264 per month in Salmiya vs $3,046 in Hadiya, rent included.

Salmiya costs about 25% more than Hadiya, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Salmiya sits 18% above the global median, while Hadiya is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.51 KWD 2.93

$8.57 KWD 2.64

10.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 KWD 14.90

$62.5 KWD 19.29

-22.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.34 KWD 2.57

$8.22 KWD 2.54

1.46%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 KWD 0.76

$3.59 KWD 1.11

-31.48%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 KWD 0.81

$3.15 KWD 0.97

-16.83%

Cappuccino

$5.08 KWD 1.57

$4.41 KWD 1.36

15.19%

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

$0.45 KWD 0.14

$0.54 KWD 0.17

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$0.38 KWD 0.12

-10.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 KWD 0.51

$1.17 KWD 0.36

40.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 KWD 0.22

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 KWD 0.59

$1.77 KWD 0.55

7.34%

Eggs

$2.06 KWD 0.64

$2.09 KWD 0.64

-1.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 KWD 1.32

$4.23 KWD 1.31

1.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.84 KWD 2.11

$5.02 KWD 1.55

36.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.14 KWD 3.13

$11.13 KWD 3.43

-8.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 KWD 0.77

$2.55 KWD 0.79

-2.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 KWD 0.59

$1.67 KWD 0.51

15.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 KWD 0.56

$1.42 KWD 0.44

28.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 KWD 0.48

$1.63 KWD 0.50

-4.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 KWD 0.41

$1.25 KWD 0.39

4.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 KWD 0.46

$0.85 KWD 0.26

75.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 KWD 0.71

$1.71 KWD 0.53

33.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KWD 0.14

$0.56 KWD 0.17

-16.07%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.93 KWD 0.29

$3.51 KWD 1.08

-73.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 KWD 0.32

$0.99 KWD 0.31

4.04%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

$1.52 KWD 0.47

-7.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 KWD 0.87

$3.08 KWD 0.95

-8.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 KWD 0.35

$0.80 KWD 0.25

43.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.77 KWD 14.74

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 KWD 1.01

$3.05 KWD 0.94

7.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.30 KWD 1.02

$2.86 KWD 0.88

15.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.49 KWD 3.24

$14.56 KWD 4.49

-27.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 KWD 0.10

$0.34 KWD 0.10

-2.94%

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

$19.4K KWD 6,000

$22.8K KWD 7,035

-14.72%

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

$20.5K KWD 6,340

$20.4K KWD 6,285

0.86%

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

$49.47 KWD 15.26

$67.4 KWD 20.78

-26.57%

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

$22.42 KWD 6.92

$23.39 KWD 7.22

-4.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 KWD 9.16

$31.24 KWD 9.64

-4.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$155 KWD 47.83

$105 KWD 32.49

47.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.08 KWD 4.96

Cinema Ticket

$11.52 KWD 3.55

$12.41 KWD 3.83

-7.17%

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

$299 KWD 92.2

$292 KWD 90.2

2.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,556 KWD 2,331

$6,521 KWD 2,012

15.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.25 KWD 11.80

$35.92 KWD 11.08

6.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.73 KWD 12.26

$42.60 KWD 13.14

-6.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 KWD 30.89

$108 KWD 33.29

-7.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 KWD 27.28

$86.9 KWD 26.82

1.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 KWD 330

$734 KWD 226

45.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 KWD 256

$572 KWD 177

45.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,474 KWD 763

$1,913 KWD 590

29.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,330 KWD 410

$1,478 KWD 456

-9.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,114 KWD 652

$4,491 KWD 1,385

-52.91%

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 Salmiya: September 1, 2026

Last update for Hadiya: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Salmiya versus $734 in Hadiya. 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 112% higher in Hadiya, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Salmiya versus $63.0 in Hadiya. Groceries tell a different story – $178 in Salmiya vs $161 in Hadiya – so Hadiya 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

Salmiya vs Hadiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Salmiya is pricier by about 25%, 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 $2,431 per month in Salmiya and $1,948 in Hadiya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hadiya, 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 $48.00 in Salmiya and $63.0 in Hadiya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Salmiya, 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 Hadiya, where all-in costs run around $1,299, than in Salmiya at $1,621. In Hadiya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Salmiya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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