The Pros and Cons of Living in Kuwait

Moving to a new country is a little like riding a rollercoaster. There are highs, there are lows and sometimes it’s so intense that you feel like you want to be violently sick. I knew that there would be pros and cons of living in Kuwait, just like anywhere else, but I had no idea what those would be. Now that I’ve been on this white-knuckle ride for nine months, I want to share some of the pros and cons I’ve experienced during my time in Kuwait.

Pros of Living in Kuwait

• It’s a Travel Hub

When Dubai is on your doorstep and Southeast Asia is just a hop, skip and a jump away, the world really is your oyster. From Kuwait I’ve quickly and inexpensively flown to places I’d only ever dreamed of visiting from the UK. It’s a perfectly situated base for travel-lovers.

• There’s Money to be Made

The Kuwaiti Dinar is the strongest currency in the world and there’s no tax here. It’s no wonder 70% of the population is made up of expats as you can make considerably more money here than you can in other countries.

• It’s a Cultural Experience

Part of the beauty of moving to a new country is experiencing a different culture. While Kuwait is considered to be fairly ‘western’ by many standards, living in the Middle East is an excellent opportunity to learn something new by encountering a way of life that’s very different from your own.

• Shopping

One thing Kuwait certainly doesn’t lack is shops. You’d be hard pressed to think of a popular UK High Street brand that you can’t find in Kuwait. Add to that the abundance of mega luxury stores and you can easily while away an entire day pursuing all the shops the malls have the offer.

• Weather

Honestly, I can’t decide if the weather in Kuwait is a pro or a con. Born and raised amid the permanent puddles of South Wales, it still amazes me that Kuwait has less than 20 rainy days a year. The flip-side is the temperature can rise to a torturous 54 degrees celsius and stepping outside during the summer months feels like walking into an oven.

Cons

• It’s a Little Dull

One of the main gripes you’ll hear from expats living in Kuwait is that there’s nothing to do. That’s not strictly true. There are an abundance of shops and restaurants, but it’s not long before you’ve filled your wardrobe to bursting and gained 8lbs. Once the novelty of The Avenues and Talabat wear off, it really can become a little boring.

• Simple Things Aren’t Quite so Simple

Any time you move to a new country you’re going to initially struggle to adjust to the way things are done there. I never stopped struggling to adjust to the ways things are done in Kuwait. Things that would be simple at home such as getting a doctor’s note or making a bank transfer can take hours and sometimes even end in tears. I’ve bought faulty electronics that I couldn’t return, even though they were sold to me broken and were well within the warranty. I’ve had the bank massively breach data protection procedures and give out my personal information to random people. I never managed to get a single online order delivered because I didn’t have an official address. As in I lived somewhere that had no address! Running errands in Kuwait can really test your patience.

• The Roads are a Danger-Zone

Every time you jump in a taxi or attempt to cross the road in Kuwait, you take your life into your hands. Nearly 500 people die in traffic accidents every year in Kuwait and it’s very easy to see why. Getting from Point A to Point B can be a hair-raising experience!

• The Cost of Living is High

Yes, the pay in Kuwait is fantastic, but with that comes a high cost of living. Even without tax you often find yourself paying significantly more for products than you would in the UK.

• Questionable Work Practices

I can only speak from my own experiences here. I’m certainly not saying that there are no fair or reputable employers in Kuwait. I know from speaking to other expats that that’s simply not the case! But I’ve experienced some practices here that employees are better guarded against in the UK. In my place of work, racism is rampant. A lot of employees don’t have contracts or are working in the country illegally. Pay is often withheld indefinitely and sometimes docked without warning. I’ve had friends turn up for work one day only to be told they no longer have a job…or a place to live. I learned very quickly to expect the unexpected.

• It’s a Struggle of Eco-Warriors

My biggest bugbear about Kuwait is that there’s no regard for the environment here. It’s like people here are on a mission to go through as much single-use plastic as humanly possible and recycling facilities are very hard to come by. All we can do is hope that Kuwait will look at the huge progress other countries around the world are making and will step up to the mark soon.

All places have their pros and cons. Even the world’s most idilic paradise island is going to have its problems (mostly spider-related I’d imagine). Moving to a new country is about experiencing a different culture and adapting to the way of life there. That means taking the good with the bad, making the best of what you’ve got and putting your energy into creating some awesome lifelong memories.