Moving to United Kingdom from Kuwait

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Kuwait to United Kingdom, you would find that United Kingdom is 2.6 times more expensive than Kuwait overall. A KWD23,156 salary in Kuwait would need to be roughly £87,080 in United Kingdom to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — London averages 60°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 United Kingdom.

What does your salary buy?

KWD23,156 £87,080

To maintain the same standard of living in United Kingdom

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 3.2 times more

Groceries

pay 66.7% more

Transportation

pay 2.6 times more

Housing

pay 2.4 times more

Childcare

pay 4.8 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.3 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 KWD = 2.41 GBP (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 United Kingdom, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2015
1,000

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

Who's moving to United Kingdom?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

per 100,000 people per year

KW
0.2
GB
1.0
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

KW
9.2
GB
2.4

Kuwait generally does better on safety, though United Kingdom 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
GB
$6,606
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

KW
22.9
GB
31.7

United Kingdom 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
GB
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

KW
23.7t
GB
4.2t

United Kingdom 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
GB
41.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

KW
3850.5%
GB
14.3%

Kuwait generally does better on infrastructure, though United Kingdom 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%
GB
4.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

KW
$50,800
GB
$54,100

Kuwait generally does better on employment & economy, though United Kingdom 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
GB
81.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

KW
7.4
GB
3.8

United Kingdom 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

London Rain: 22.0 in/yr (558 mm)
60° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kuwait City London
Jan–Mar 73°/51°F (23°/11°C) 49°/38°F (9°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 104°/76°F (40°/25°C) 64°/48°F (18°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 114°/84°F (46°/29°C) 72°/56°F (22°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 84°/60°F (29°/15°C) 53°/43°F (12°/6°C)
View all months
Month Kuwait City London
Jan 67°/47°F (19.5°/8.5°C) 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C)
Feb 71°/50°F (21.8°/10.0°C) 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C)
Mar 80°/57°F (26.9°/14.0°C) 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C)
Apr 93°/67°F (33.9°/19.5°C) 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C)
May 106°/78°F (40.9°/25.4°C) 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C)
Jun 114°/84°F (45.5°/28.9°C) 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C)
Jul 116°/87°F (46.7°/30.7°C) 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C)
Aug 116°/85°F (46.9°/29.5°C) 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C)
Sep 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.2°C) 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C)
Oct 98°/71°F (36.6°/21.5°C) 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C)
Nov 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.5°C) 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C)
Dec 71°/50°F (21.9°/9.9°C) 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C)

Data: Meteorological Department Meteorological Department, Met Office Met Office

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Kuwait passport

Kuwait passport holder visiting United Kingdom

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Kuwait passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United Kingdom.
United Kingdom passport

United Kingdom passport holder visiting Kuwait

Visa on Arrival
United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom than Kuwait?

Day-to-day costs in United Kingdom run about 56% higher than Kuwait on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to United Kingdom?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a KWD23,156 comparable salary, that's around £21,770 in United Kingdom for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from United Kingdom?

With 41.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom.

Is United Kingdom safe for expats?

Kuwait generally does better on safety, though United Kingdom leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in United Kingdom is 1.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Kuwait.

How is healthcare in United Kingdom compared to Kuwait?

United Kingdom generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kuwait leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 31.7 doctors per 10,000 people in United Kingdom, compared to 22.9 in Kuwait. United Kingdom scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Kuwait: 78).

What's the weather like in United Kingdom compared to Kuwait?

The average high temperature in London is 60°F, compared to 94°F in Kuwait City. London receives around 22.0 in of rainfall per year, while Kuwait City gets 4.6 in.

What language do they speak in United Kingdom?

The official language in United Kingdom is English. In Kuwait, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

KW GB
Population 3,068,155 67,791,400
Currency Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD) British Pound Sterling (£)
Languages Arabic English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +965 +44
Time zones 1 9
Emergency number 112 999