Moving to Canada from Kuwait

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Kuwait to Canada — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Kuwait to Canada, you would find that Canada is 2.0 times more expensive than Kuwait overall. A KWD23,156 salary in Kuwait would need to be roughly CA$148,945 in Canada to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and French. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ottawa averages 52°F vs 94°F in Kuwait City, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Kuwait to Canada.

What does your salary buy?

KWD23,156 CA$148,945

To maintain the same standard of living in Canada

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 3.0 times more

Groceries

pay 2.1 times more

Transportation

pay 65.5% more

Housing

pay 96.4% more

Childcare

pay 2.5 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 70.1% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 KWD = 4.54 CAD (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Kuwait to Canada, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
40

people moved from Kuwait to Canada · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Canada?

Top countries of origin for Canada's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Kuwait and Canada stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

KW
0.2
CA
2.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

KW
9.2
CA
4.7

Kuwait generally does better on safety, though Canada leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

KW
$2,567
CA
$7,646
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

KW
22.9
CA
25.0

Canada generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kuwait leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

KW
45.0
CA
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

KW
23.7t
CA
14.0t

Canada performs significantly better than Kuwait across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

KW
1.5
CA
42.6
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

KW
3850.5%
CA
3.7%

Kuwait generally does better on infrastructure, though Canada leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

KW
2.1%
CA
5.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

KW
$50,800
CA
$55,800

Kuwait generally does better on employment & economy, though Canada leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

KW
79.1 yrs
CA
83.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

KW
7.4
CA
4.4

Canada generally does better on family life, though Kuwait leads in education spending.

Data: Ministry of Finance, Kuwait, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Kuwait City Rain: 4.6 in/yr (116 mm)
94° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

Ottawa Rain: 37.1 in/yr (943 mm)
52° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kuwait City Ottawa
Jan–Mar 73°/51°F (23°/11°C) 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C)
Apr–Jun 104°/76°F (40°/25°C) 64°/45°F (18°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 114°/84°F (46°/29°C) 75°/55°F (24°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 84°/60°F (29°/15°C) 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C)
View all months
Month Kuwait City Ottawa
Jan 67°/47°F (19.5°/8.5°C) 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C)
Feb 71°/50°F (21.8°/10.0°C) 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C)
Mar 80°/57°F (26.9°/14.0°C) 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C)
Apr 93°/67°F (33.9°/19.5°C) 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C)
May 106°/78°F (40.9°/25.4°C) 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C)
Jun 114°/84°F (45.5°/28.9°C) 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C)
Jul 116°/87°F (46.7°/30.7°C) 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C)
Aug 116°/85°F (46.9°/29.5°C) 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C)
Sep 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.2°C) 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C)
Oct 98°/71°F (36.6°/21.5°C) 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C)
Nov 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.5°C) 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C)
Dec 71°/50°F (21.9°/9.9°C) 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C)

Data: Meteorological Department Meteorological Department, Meteorological Service of Canada Meteorological Service of Canada

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Kuwait and Canada. To live, work, or study long-term in Canada, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Canada's immigration authority.

Kuwait passport

Kuwait passport holder visiting Canada

Visa Required
Kuwait passport holders need a visa to enter Canada.
Canada passport

Canada passport holder visiting Kuwait

Visa on Arrival
Canada passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Kuwait.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Canada than Kuwait?

Day-to-day costs in Canada run about 42% higher than Kuwait on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to Canada?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a KWD23,156 comparable salary, that's around CA$37,236 in Canada for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Canada?

With 42.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Canada can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Kuwait and Canada.

Is Canada safe for expats?

Kuwait generally does better on safety, though Canada leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Canada is 2.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Kuwait.

How is healthcare in Canada compared to Kuwait?

Canada generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kuwait leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 25.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Canada, compared to 22.9 in Kuwait. Canada scores 91 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Kuwait: 78).

What's the weather like in Canada compared to Kuwait?

The average high temperature in Ottawa is 52°F, compared to 94°F in Kuwait City. Ottawa receives around 37.1 in of rainfall per year, while Kuwait City gets 4.6 in.

What language do they speak in Canada?

The official languages in Canada are English and French. In Kuwait, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

KW CA
Population 3,068,155 38,232,593
Currency Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD) Canadian Dollar (CA$)
Languages Arabic English, French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +965 +1
Time zones 1 6
Emergency number 112 911