Are you planning to relocate to Kuwait City? Here is your ultimate guide to living in Kuwait as an expat.
Highlights of Kuwait City
- Kuwait City is the capital of Kuwait and home to over 2.5 million people.
- The city is located in the Arabian Gulf and is known for its skyline, which includes the Kuwait Towers.
- Kuwait City is a bustling metropolis with various dining, outing, shopping, and entertainment options.
- The climate in Kuwait City is hot and humid, so be sure to pack light, loose-fitting clothing.
- English is widely spoken in Kuwait City, but it’s also a good idea to learn some basic Arabic phrases before you arrive.
- Kuwait City is a safe place to live. A highly-secured system mentors almost all areas.
- Public transportation in Kuwait City is efficient and affordable, so getting around town won’t be a problem.
Things You Need to Know Before Relocating to Kuwait City
Kuwait City will give You a chance to enjoy a stylish lifestyle. However, it would help if you considered the country’s norms.
Knowing Some Arabic
Generally, companies in Kuwait do not require or expect their foreign employees to speak Arabic.
Communication in English is standard in the business community in Kuwait. As a result, many Kuwaiti business owners have extensive international experience and command of the English language.
However, English is less common in everyday situations. While most Kuwaitis can communicate in English, it is helpful for foreigners to learn some Arabic. The ability to read Arabic numbers will help simplify your trips to the food store.
Neighbours, friends, and shopkeepers in Kuwait will appreciate it if you can respond to frequent phrases and greetings in the language. Modern Standard Arabic is the written and official language in Kuwait. While Arabic is the official language of Kuwait, most people use the local colloquial variety known as Kuwaiti Arabic.
Learning Standard Arabic, as opposed to the local Kuwaiti dialect, could be helpful for those who wish to travel to or reside in other Arab nations. You might appear overly formal, but that’s the price you pay for being understood worldwide and not worrying about offending anyone.
Culture and Religion
Islam is central to Kuwaiti culture and society. Never interfere with the right of locals to practice religious rites. Muslim worship occurs five times daily at set times. It’s not uncommon for prayer to be prioritized over even business matters. Dinner invitations may be likewise different here than where you’re from.
You may only eat at 22:00 or 23:00, even if you were invited for supper at 20:00. Guests are encouraged to mingle and unwind in the hours leading up to dinner.
Even now, some Arab households maintain their customary mealtime rituals. For example, you’ll be expected to eat while seated on cushions on the floor and use your hands to pick up and devour the food.
When eating a traditional meal, it is customary to use the right hand. The side on the left is the unclean side.
It may also seem to you that your Kuwaiti colleagues are never in a hurry. It takes time to achieve decisions, and patience is required throughout negotiations. Showing signs of haste in a business meeting, or any other social setting, is insulting.
Fortunately, punctuality is less of a priority, so there’s no hurry to rush off to your next appointment. However, in Kuwait, business attire should be sober.
The skirt length for women should reach at least the knee, and the sleeve length should extend past the elbow. More skin-baring clothes are generally frowned upon.
Always use a person’s proper academic or political title when addressing them in the future.
Doing Business in Kuwait City
Doing well in business in Kuwait requires investing time and energy into establishing strong personal connections. Until trust and friendship have been built, business problems should be avoided at all costs.
There are many investment opportunities in Kuwait, especially in the real estate market. First, however, you need to stay for a while in the country to get familiar with different aspects of society’s aspects.
Finding House in Kuwait City
Most expats moving to Kuwait City rent apartments because of the restrictions on foreigners acquiring property. Until recently, it was not permitted at all, and even now, there are several constraints, such as the land size, and the purchase is only open to foreign nationals who have lived and worked in Kuwait for several years.
A foreigner who stops to work in Kuwait is no longer authorized to live and work there. Thus if your employment is terminated in Kuwait City, you would need to sell your property immediately.
If you are permitted to buy a home in Kuwait City, you should engage a solicitor to help you through the acquisition procedure. Sakan can help you promote your house and get the best deal. Contact us for more information. There is a vast choice of property available to rent in Kuwait City. Most rental property is unfurnished.
Generally, flats have a services manager who performs some services, such as coordinating trash pickup.
If you work for a worldwide organization in Kuwait, you may find that they will arrange housing for you.
If you need to find your apartment, ask around and check notice boards at your employment, look for adverts in newspapers (publications published in English are accessible in Kuwait), or find a lettings agency that can help you. Also, use some reliable real estate websites in Kuwait, such as Sakan.
The Climate in Kuwait City
With daytime temperatures generally over 45°C and summer often soaring over 50°C, Kuwait City has scorching weather in the morning.
At night temperatures vary significantly by season.
During the summer, the temperature can be 30°C or more; however, in winter, it can fall below 10°C.
Suppose you are an expat moving to Kuwait City from a colder environment. In that case, you must alter your lifestyle to cope with the high heat, particularly in the summer, to prevent dehydration or sunstroke.
Sandstorms are infrequent but can be a nuisance, and if you walk outside during a storm, you should ensure you have appropriate face covering to avoid putting sand in your eyes or mouth.
They are more likely to occur in summer than in other seasons. However, there are occasionally sandstorms in autumn too.
Are you Looking for apartments for rent in Kuwait? Then, you’re in the right place; check out real estate listings in Sakan, and you will find an array of houses waiting for you.
