Moving to Kuwait from United Arab Emirates
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United Arab Emirates to Kuwait — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from United Arab Emirates to Kuwait, you would find that Kuwait is 24.9% cheaper than United Arab Emirates overall. A AED275,486 salary in United Arab Emirates would need to be roughly KWD15,737 in Kuwait to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from United Arab Emirates to Kuwait.
What does your salary buy?
AED275,486 → KWD15,737
To maintain the same standard of living in Kuwait
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 19.9% less
Groceries
pay 17.8% less
Transportation
pay 12.5% more
Housing
pay 54.1% less
Childcare
pay 38.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 21.7% less
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 United Arab Emirates to Kuwait, and how the trend has changed.
people born in United Arab Emirates live in Kuwait · UN DESA
Who's moving to Kuwait?
Top countries of origin for Kuwait's foreign-born residents.
- 1,152,175
- 421,025
- 380,046
- 339,033
- 196,910
- 107,953
- · · ·
-
11.26,760
United Arab Emirates
Key Indicator Comparison
How United Arab Emirates and Kuwait stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Arab Emirates generally does better on safety, though Kuwait leads in homicide rate.
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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
United Arab Emirates 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 Arab Emirates generally does better on environment, though Kuwait leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
United Arab Emirates generally does better on infrastructure, though Kuwait leads in electricity per capita.
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
United Arab Emirates generally does better on employment & economy, though Kuwait leads in unemployment rate.
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
percentage of adults who can read and write
United Arab Emirates generally does better on family life, though Kuwait leads in education spending.
Data: Ministry of Finance, 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 | Abu Dhabi | Kuwait City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 78°/56°F (26°/14°C) | 73°/51°F (23°/11°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 99°/72°F (37°/22°C) | 104°/76°F (40°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 106°/81°F (41°/27°C) | 114°/84°F (46°/29°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/64°F (31°/18°C) | 84°/60°F (29°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Abu Dhabi | Kuwait City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C) | 67°/47°F (19.5°/8.5°C) |
| Feb | 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C) | 71°/50°F (21.8°/10.0°C) |
| Mar | 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C) | 80°/57°F (26.9°/14.0°C) |
| Apr | 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C) | 93°/67°F (33.9°/19.5°C) |
| May | 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C) | 106°/78°F (40.9°/25.4°C) |
| Jun | 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C) | 114°/84°F (45.5°/28.9°C) |
| Jul | 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C) | 116°/87°F (46.7°/30.7°C) |
| Aug | 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C) | 116°/85°F (46.9°/29.5°C) |
| Sep | 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C) | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.2°C) |
| Oct | 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C) | 98°/71°F (36.6°/21.5°C) |
| Nov | 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C) | 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.5°C) |
| Dec | 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) | 71°/50°F (21.9°/9.9°C) |
Meteorological DepartmentVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Arab Emirates 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.
United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Kuwait
Visa Free
Kuwait passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates
Visa FreeData: 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 United Arab Emirates?
Generally yes: Kuwait runs about 32% cheaper than United Arab Emirates on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Kuwait?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a AED275,486 comparable salary, that's around KWD3,934 in Kuwait for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Kuwait?
With 1.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Kuwait can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.
Is Kuwait safe for expats?
United Arab Emirates generally does better on safety, though Kuwait leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Kuwait is 0.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in United Arab Emirates.
How is healthcare in Kuwait compared to United Arab Emirates?
United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kuwait leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 22.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Kuwait, compared to 29.1 in United Arab Emirates. Kuwait scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Arab Emirates: 82).
What's the weather like in Kuwait compared to United Arab Emirates?
The average high temperature in Kuwait City is 94°F, compared to 93°F in Abu Dhabi. Kuwait City receives around 4.6 in of rainfall per year, while Abu Dhabi gets 3.5 in.
What language do they speak in Kuwait?
Both United Arab Emirates and Kuwait share the same official language: Arabic.
