Moving to United States from Kuwait
What to Expect
Considering a move from Kuwait to United States? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Kuwait to United States, you would find that United States is 2.6 times more expensive than Kuwait overall. A KWD23,156 salary in Kuwait would need to be roughly $131,725 in United States to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Washington averages 66°F vs 94°F in Kuwait City, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Kuwait and United States.
What does your salary buy?
KWD23,156 → $131,725
To maintain the same standard of living in United States
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 3.6 times more
Groceries
pay 2.5 times more
Transportation
pay 61.1% more
Housing
pay 2.5 times more
Childcare
pay 4.8 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 62.8% more
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?
What the data shows about people moving from Kuwait to United States.
people moved from Kuwait to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
123.29,083
Kuwait
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in United States compared to Kuwait.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Kuwait performs better than United States across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
United States generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kuwait leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
United States performs significantly better than Kuwait across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Kuwait generally does better on infrastructure, though United States leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
Kuwait generally does better on employment & economy, though United States leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
United States 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Kuwait City | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 73°/51°F (23°/11°C) | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 104°/76°F (40°/25°C) | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 114°/84°F (46°/29°C) | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/60°F (29°/15°C) | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kuwait City | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 67°/47°F (19.5°/8.5°C) | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) |
| Feb | 71°/50°F (21.8°/10.0°C) | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) |
| Mar | 80°/57°F (26.9°/14.0°C) | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) |
| Apr | 93°/67°F (33.9°/19.5°C) | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) |
| May | 106°/78°F (40.9°/25.4°C) | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) |
| Jun | 114°/84°F (45.5°/28.9°C) | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) |
| Jul | 116°/87°F (46.7°/30.7°C) | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) |
| Aug | 116°/85°F (46.9°/29.5°C) | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) |
| Sep | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.2°C) | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) |
| Oct | 98°/71°F (36.6°/21.5°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) |
| Nov | 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.5°C) | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) |
| Dec | 71°/50°F (21.9°/9.9°C) | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) |
Meteorological Department
National Weather ServiceVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Kuwait and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Kuwait passport holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States passport holder visiting Kuwait
Visa on ArrivalData: 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 States than Kuwait?
On average United States is around 76% pricier than Kuwait, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to United States?
Budget about $32,931 for 3 months in United States (based on a KWD23,156 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from United States?
Connectivity is usually fine (United States: 37.8 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does United States offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is United States safe for expats?
Kuwait performs better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United States is 6.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Kuwait.
How is healthcare in United States compared to Kuwait?
United States generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kuwait leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United States, compared to 22.9 in Kuwait. United States scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Kuwait: 78).
What's the weather like in United States compared to Kuwait?
The average high temperature in Washington is 66°F, compared to 94°F in Kuwait City. Washington receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while Kuwait City gets 4.6 in.
What language do they speak in United States?
The official language in United States is English. In Kuwait, the official language is Arabic.
