Low-income Expats Live In 'partitioned' Rooms Due To High Rent

Expat workers worry about renting apartments because the average rent accounts for about 30 percent of the total income, due to the varying value of salary, spending, and rental rates.

Based on the latest real estate data, an average room and hall rental costs 180 dinars, two rooms and a hall 230 dinars, and a studio 120 dinars. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, 62 percent of expatriate workers receive salaries less than 125 dinars, and 33 percent have salaries between 325 and 400 dinars.

Expats with limited income are forced to seek cheap housing options in narrow spaces that suit their budget. Consequently, they resort to living collectively in one room, sometimes with as many as five individuals sharing the same room, to reduce the burden of rent by distributing it equally among them, but thousands of expatriates live in uncomfortable rooms, which are referred to as “partitions” to save money.

A Real Estate Union report indicates that at the end of 2021, there will be about 12,994 investment properties in Kuwait, containing 396,000 apartments, of which 61,000 are vacant, with an average occupancy rate of 84.6 percent, according to the report.

According to the latest statistics released by the Public Authority for Civil Information, a large segment of expatriates have a limited income that encourages them to save on housing.

There are thousands of expatriates who live in "partitions" in Kuwait, according to real estate agents. Some people rent apartments with two rooms and a hall or three halls and sublease them with the partition system to earn two incomes. A sublessor receives double profits according to the number of Participants and rent prices, but at the same time, it provides a cheap housing option for this large segment of expatriates.

The rental value varies according to the region and the area of the partition, and ranges between 15 and 70 dinars. This phenomenon seems to be prevalent in areas where expatriates live.

According to the Real Estate Union, Salmiya topped the Kuwaiti region in terms of concentration of investment properties, with 2,911 buildings, making it the most densely populated region with expatriates, while Hawalli ranked second, with 1,811 buildings.

In third place were Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh with 1,181 investment properties, Farwaniya with 1,152 and Khaitan with 882.

Mahboula ranked sixth with 799 buildings, followed by Al-Mangaf with 743, Al-Fahaheel with 578, Al-Jabriya with 511, and Al-Jahra with 439.

In order, Abu Halifa ranked 11th with 359 buildings, followed by Sabah Al-Salem with 315, the Sharq region with 313, Al-Fintas with 305, Al-Raqi with 254, followed by Bneid Al-Qar with 198, then Al-Shaab with 131, then Al-Mirqab with 71, and finally Al-Qibla with 41.

Real estate sources report that many Asian families live in shared apartments and are separated by temporary partitions in order to save money, despite the fact that this means sacrificing comfort and stability.

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