Moving to Kuwait from Sri Lanka

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Sri Lanka to Kuwait — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Sri Lanka to Kuwait, you would find that Kuwait is 3.2 times more expensive than Sri Lanka overall. A LKR25,141,027 salary in Sri Lanka would need to be roughly KWD34,286 in Kuwait to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Sri Lanka to Kuwait.

What does your salary buy?

LKR25,141,027 KWD34,286

To maintain the same standard of living in Kuwait

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 27.2% more

Groceries

pay 1.7% more

Transportation

pay 3.2 times more

Housing

pay 2.5 times more

Childcare

pay 10.1 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.8 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 LKR = 0.0009 KWD (June 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?

How many people actually move from Sri Lanka to Kuwait, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
39,667 ↑ 9% vs 2015

people born in Sri Lanka live in Kuwait · UN DESA

Who's moving to Kuwait?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Sri Lanka to Kuwait.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

per 100,000 people per year

LK
3.4
KW
0.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

LK
11.5
KW
9.2

Kuwait performs significantly better than Sri Lanka across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

LK
$507
KW
$2,567
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

LK
11.9
KW
22.9

Kuwait generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sri Lanka 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

LK
37.0
KW
45.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

LK
1.1t
KW
23.7t

Sri Lanka performs 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

LK
10.1
KW
1.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

LK
90.8%
KW
3850.5%

Sri Lanka generally does better on infrastructure, though Kuwait leads in electricity per capita.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

LK
6.4%
KW
2.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

LK
$13,000
KW
$50,800

Kuwait performs significantly better than Sri Lanka across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

LK
77.5 yrs
KW
79.1 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

LK
8.2
KW
7.4

Kuwait performs significantly better than Sri Lanka across all family life metrics.

Data: Sri Lanka Inland Revenue Department, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Colombo Rain: 99.4 in/yr (2524 mm)
87° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Colombo Kuwait City
Jan–Mar 88°/73°F (31°/23°C) 73°/51°F (23°/11°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/77°F (31°/25°C) 104°/76°F (40°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/77°F (30°/25°C) 114°/84°F (46°/29°C)
Oct–Dec 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) 84°/60°F (29°/15°C)
View all months
Month Colombo Kuwait City
Jan 88°/72°F (30.9°/22.3°C) 67°/47°F (19.5°/8.5°C)
Feb 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.6°C) 71°/50°F (21.8°/10.0°C)
Mar 89°/75°F (31.7°/23.7°C) 80°/57°F (26.9°/14.0°C)
Apr 89°/76°F (31.8°/24.6°C) 93°/67°F (33.9°/19.5°C)
May 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.5°C) 106°/78°F (40.9°/25.4°C)
Jun 87°/78°F (30.4°/25.5°C) 114°/84°F (45.5°/28.9°C)
Jul 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.2°C) 116°/87°F (46.7°/30.7°C)
Aug 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.1°C) 116°/85°F (46.9°/29.5°C)
Sep 86°/77°F (30.2°/24.8°C) 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.2°C)
Oct 86°/75°F (30.0°/24.0°C) 98°/71°F (36.6°/21.5°C)
Nov 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C) 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.5°C)
Dec 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.8°C) 71°/50°F (21.9°/9.9°C)

Data: National Meteorological Centre National Meteorological Centre, Meteorological Department Meteorological Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Sri Lanka passport

Sri Lanka passport holder visiting Kuwait

Visa Required
Sri Lanka passport holders need a visa to enter Kuwait.
Kuwait passport

Kuwait passport holder visiting Sri Lanka

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

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 Kuwait than Sri Lanka?

No — Kuwait is on average about 48% more expensive than Sri Lanka. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Kuwait?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly KWD8,572 in Kuwait on a LKR25,141,027 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Kuwait?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Kuwait has 1.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Kuwait safe for expats?

Kuwait performs significantly better than Sri Lanka across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Kuwait is 0.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.4 in Sri Lanka.

How is healthcare in Kuwait compared to Sri Lanka?

Kuwait generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sri Lanka leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 22.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Kuwait, compared to 11.9 in Sri Lanka. Kuwait scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sri Lanka: 67).

What's the weather like in Kuwait compared to Sri Lanka?

The average high temperature in Kuwait City is 94°F, compared to 87°F in Colombo. Kuwait City receives around 4.6 in of rainfall per year, while Colombo gets 99.4 in.

What language do they speak in Kuwait?

The official language in Kuwait is Arabic. In Sri Lanka, the official languages are Sinhala and Tamil.

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At a Glance

LK KW
Population 23,187,516 3,068,155
Currency Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR) Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD)
Languages Sinhala, Tamil Arabic
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +94 +965
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 119 112