Moving to Kuwait from United States
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United States to Kuwait — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United States to Kuwait, you would find that Kuwait is 52.7% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly KWD11,000 in Kuwait to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Kuwait City averages 94°F vs 62°F in New York City, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Kuwait cheaper than United States?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 58.0% less
Groceries
pay 54.2% less
Transportation
pay 44.1% less
Housing
pay 58.7% less
Childcare
pay 78.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 18.2% 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.
What salary do you need in Kuwait?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → KWD11,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Kuwait
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Kuwait
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from United States to Kuwait, based on official data.
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
- · · ·
-
18.5,167
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United States to Kuwait.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Kuwait performs significantly 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
Kuwait generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
United States performs 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
United States 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
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
Kuwait generally does better on family life, though United States leads in infant mortality.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Internal Revenue Service (2016), Ministry of Finance, Kuwait (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Kuwait vs United States
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | New York City | Kuwait City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/30°F (6°/-1°C) | 73°/51°F (23°/11°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 104°/76°F (40°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/66°F (27°/19°C) | 114°/84°F (46°/29°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/41°F (12°/5°C) | 84°/60°F (29°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | New York City | Kuwait City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°/27°F (3.5°/-2.8°C) | 67°/47°F (19.5°/8.5°C) |
| Feb | 42°/29°F (5.3°/-1.7°C) | 71°/50°F (21.8°/10.0°C) |
| Mar | 50°/35°F (9.8°/1.8°C) | 80°/57°F (26.9°/14.0°C) |
| Apr | 61°/45°F (16.2°/7.1°C) | 93°/67°F (33.9°/19.5°C) |
| May | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.2°C) | 106°/78°F (40.9°/25.4°C) |
| Jun | 79°/64°F (26.3°/17.6°C) | 114°/84°F (45.5°/28.9°C) |
| Jul | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.4°C) | 116°/87°F (46.7°/30.7°C) |
| Aug | 83°/68°F (28.1°/19.9°C) | 116°/85°F (46.9°/29.5°C) |
| Sep | 75°/61°F (24.0°/16.0°C) | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.2°C) |
| Oct | 64°/50°F (17.7°/10.0°C) | 98°/71°F (36.6°/21.5°C) |
| Nov | 54°/42°F (12.1°/5.3°C) | 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.5°C) |
| Dec | 43°/32°F (6.1°/0.0°C) | 71°/50°F (21.9°/9.9°C) |
National Weather Service
Meteorological DepartmentCan you move from United States to Kuwait?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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 States passport holder visiting Kuwait
Visa on Arrival
Kuwait passport holder visiting United States
Visa RequiredData: 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 States?
Yes — Kuwait is on average about 53% cheaper than United States. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Kuwait?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly KWD2,750 in Kuwait on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Kuwait?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Kuwait has 1.0 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 United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Kuwait is 0.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.8 in United States.
How is healthcare in Kuwait compared to United States?
Kuwait generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 22.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Kuwait, compared to 36.8 in United States. Kuwait scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Kuwait compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Kuwait City is 94°F, compared to 62°F in New York City. Kuwait City receives around 4.6 in of rainfall per year, while New York City gets 49.9 in.
What language do they speak in Kuwait?
The official language in Kuwait is Arabic. In United States, the official language is English.
