Kuwait second most affordable city in Gulf for cost of living

• Numbeo’s Cost of Living Index measures consumer prices in 139 countries worldwide, covering groceries, restaurants, transportation, and utilities, but excluding accommodation expenses like rent or mortgage.

• Kuwait was ranked 118th globally with a score of 43.3 points in its cost of living index for the first half of 2024, according to Numbeo.

• Kuwait ranked fifth in Gulf rental rates, following Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh. Among the most expensive Gulf cities, Dubai led, followed by Abu Dhabi, Doha, Riyadh, Jeddah, Kuwait, and Muscat.

Numbeo, a leading global database on living costs, ranked Kuwait as the second most affordable Gulf city after Muscat in its cost of living index for the first half of 2024. According to a report in Al Rai newspaper, Kuwait was ranked 118th globally with a score of 43.3 points.

Numbeo publishes the Cost of Living Index every six months, a relative index that measures consumer prices in 139 countries worldwide, covering groceries, restaurants, transportation, and utilities, but excluding accommodation expenses like rent or mortgage.

Regarding the most expensive Gulf cities, Dubai ranked first, followed by Abu Dhabi, then Doha, Riyadh, Jeddah, Kuwait, and Muscat.

On the other hand, Kuwait ranked fifth in the Gulf in terms of rental rates, following Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh.

In terms of restaurant prices, Kuwait ranked fourth in the Gulf, following Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha.

In the Purchasing Power Index, Kuwait outperformed Dubai but placed fifth in the Gulf after Abu Dhabi, Doha, Riyadh, and Jeddah. This index measures relative purchasing power in New York City based on average net salary, with New York serving as the benchmark for comparison by Numbeo.

In the Quality of Living Index, Kuwait City ranked last in the Gulf and 113th globally, scoring 134.9 points. Abu Dhabi topped the list, followed by Muscat, then Doha, Dubai, Riyadh, Jeddah, and Kuwait.

Regarding property price-to-income levels, Kuwait was the most expensive in the Gulf, followed by Abu Dhabi, Doha, Dubai, Muscat, Jeddah, and Riyadh.