Kuwait City: Based on the ranking of the 2021 Mercer cost of living city index, Kuwait City ranked the second cheapest city compared to the other cities in the GCC in terms of cost of living for expats.
Compared to 2020, Kuwait City dropped two points in the past year as it was ranked 113 last year and now it ranks 115 out of 206 cities.
Kuwait City ranks second after Doha, which is considered the cheapest city as it ranked 130 on the list.
Riyadh was ranked the most expensive Gulf city as it was placed 29 on the list in 2021, a slight increase from 2020, where it ranked 31 on the list.
Dubai is ranked the second most expensive in the Gulf, after Riyadh, as it was 41 on the list. Dubai has become cheaper, according to Mercer, as it was ranked 23 back a year ago.
After Dubai, Manama is considered the third most expensive city as it was placed 71 on the index.
The Omani capital Muscat is the third most affordable in the Gulf, and it became cheaper to live there in the past year as it was ranked 108, a decrease from 2020 where it was placed 96 on the index.
The index’s ranking was based on more than 200 factors that included housing, transportation, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment.
