Kuwait City, Kuwait Report of what it's like to live there - 06/09/15
Personal Experiences from Kuwait City, Kuwait
Background:
1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?
First experience
2. What is your home city/country? How long is the trip to post from there, with what connections? How easy/difficult is it to travel to this city/country?
Washington DC - 14 hours via direct flight, also flight through London which takes longer.
3. How long have you lived here?
2012-2014
4. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
Government
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
Large variety of housing options. Being with the embassy there are apartments on the compound, villas, town houses and apartments in the city. We had an apartment in the city with an ocean view. Not much in walking distance but most apartments have a small gym, pool and often limited playground equipment for the kids.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
Great availability, but the cost is generally higher. Especially if you buy American brands.
3. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
Most American fast food and sit down restaurant chains are here....from McDonald's, Burger King, KFC to Chili's, Cheesecake Factory, Texas Roadhouse. It is generally more expensive than the U.S. Entrees usually start around US$16 us and go up from there.
4. Are there any unusual problems with insects or other infestations in housing?
No real bug problems. There are crickets part of the year. But they aren't dangerous, might hurt your sleep patterns if you aren't used to it...it felt like a piece of home for me.
Daily Life:
1. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
Readily available and pretty affordable. Average part-time help is 2kd an hour.
2. Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
Cards are accepted most places and we never had a problem using ours.
3. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
Very little. A few pleasantries are nice though. English is spoken almost everywhere.
Transportation:
1. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
Taxis are safe/ish. Often No seat belts, and driving in Kuwait is in and of itself slightly dangerous given the price of fuel. Taxis are kind of expensive. A typical cost to work from home was US$12 for 8km distance.
2. What kind of car do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car do you advise not to bring?
We brought a small SUV. Most people choose to go with something larger but no problems with a small car. Gas is so cheap.
Health & Safety:
1. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
No real security concerns. You should always be aware of your surroundings but that is anywhere. Driving is a bit tricky. My rule of thumb was to think of the most dangerous things someone could do while driving and expect it to happen.
2. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
Good private healthcare. Particular experiences with OBGYN were good. Nice hospitals for birthing etc.
3. What is the air quality like at post (good/moderate/bad)? Are there seasonal air quality issues? Does the air quality have an impact on health?
It's the desert and as such it's dusty. Especially during the summer.
4. What do people who suffer from environmental or food allergies need to know?
Dust dust and more dust. If you're allergic you will have troubles. You'll likely need to dust and vacuum daily or at least every other day.
5. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
Summer is hot. It is generally dry which does make it more bearable. There are a few weeks of humidity usually on August that makes it miserable and those are the days you go outside as little as possible. The winter is fabulous though with mostly sunny days around 70F. There were a few days it got into the 40'sF at night, but generally I never needed more than a light sweater in the winter. Though indoors in the summer you may need something a bit warmer.
Schools & Children:
1. Are preschools available? Day care? Are these expensive? What has been your experience with them, if any? Do the schools provide before- and/or after-school care?
They are available but fairly expensive and we chose not to use any.
Expat Life:
1. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
Very good for families. I can see how it would be challenging for singles and young couples. There is obviously not a club scene. The biggest past times are going out to a restaurant, the mall or a movie.
2. Is this a good city for LGBT expatriates? Why or why not?
No experience but I'd say not given local laws and customs.
3. What have been the highlights of your time in this country? Best trips or experiences?
Our daughter was only 6 months when we moved to Kuwait. It's a great city for children. Everyone is so friendly towards them and you never feel like a burden when bringing your kids out and about.
The beaches aren't the cleanest but it's better than nothing. One of my favorite activities was visiting the mirror house, a very quirky tour through an artist's home that she has covered in shards of mirror.
4. What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
Shopping in one of the many malls, the souks are all worth a visit, we enjoyed the mirror house. Lebnanai was the best Lebanese food we found. Located off of 30 in Al-Shaab.
5. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
Great food and spices, dates, lots of carpets, wood workings from region though little is made in Kuwait.
6. What are the particular advantages of living in this city?
There is amazing food in Kuwait. Great Lebanese food, more burgers than you can shake a stick at, the best Indian food I've ever had to name a few. You can buy most any Western product you could want or need. There is a plethora of stores to shop in and generally speaking the people are friendly. Winter weather is awesome, sunny and 70F most days from November-March.
Words of Wisdom:
1. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
Yes
2. But don't forget your:
Sense of humor, remember to roll with the punches and know that things will be different. Accept and enjoy it.
3. Do you have any other comments?
Kuwait is the kind of place that is what you make it. Go in with a positive attitude, expect things to take a long time particularly during Ramadan.
