KUWAIT: Many Kuwaitis usually face the assumption of being wealthy by non-Kuwaitis, whether inside or outside Kuwait. To uncover the mystery behind these superficial assumptions, Kuwait Times spoke to two Kuwaitis and two non-Kuwaitis, one an expat residing in Kuwait and the other living in Lebanon. Sara Al-Hendi, a Kuwaiti businesswoman, spoke about the Kuwaiti lifestyle that captures the attention of non-Kuwaiti people, highlighting that this façade is not solely a result of being born into wealth, but is a result of being supported by a welfare state that is tirelessly determined to uplift its citizens.
"Many believe that anyone from GCC countries, including Kuwait, is wealthy. This misconception arises from the perception of high living standards rather than actual wealth. For example, we don’t pay taxes, and even in GCC countries where taxes are imposed, they are relatively low and manageable based on the average income of the citizen,” Hendi said.
"Our cultural traditions that emphasize on generosity is another reason for this assumption, because even if an Arab has a small amount of money, they are likely to spend it on others as an act of kindness and generosity. Another main thing is that Kuwait has experienced considerable development since the introduction of the constitution, which grants Kuwaitis various rights and benefits, such as food, housing, marriage allowance, land, job opportunities, free education, healthcare, etc,” she added.
Thus, according to Hendi, these extensive benefits coupled with the culture of generosity may create the impression of affluence. "However, it is important to note that many Kuwaitis actually face financial challenges, often resulting in debt. Despite various benefits, some people struggle to maintain a luxurious lifestyle and pile up debt to afford luxury items or travel for fun.
If you wish to buy multiple expensive items that you cannot afford, stores in Kuwait will simply ask you for a salary certificate to pay for what you bought in instalments. Hence, you have all these fancy things that make others assume you are rich. The government takes good care of citizens’ needs, so they can enjoy spending their salaries on buying such things,” she explained.
Lama, a Kuwaiti college student, said: "One of my professors, who was new to Kuwait, expressed his astonishment at how students could afford expensive accessories and cars without jobs. He was speaking to one of my peers at that day and told her that in his country, the watch she is wearing would put her at serious risk of harm if she wore it in public.”
She further elaborated that she frequently encounters reactions from people during her travel that imply Kuwaitis are affluent. These reactions range from comments to instances where prices are increased simply because the individual is Kuwaiti or seems to be from a GCC county. Lama also experienced this issue inside Kuwait, where some vendors openly admitted they are raising prices for her based on her nationality, claiming that such a small price hike would not affect her budget.
According to an expat who did not wish to reveal her name, there are cultural differences in spending and highlighted that Kuwaitis seem to spend on items that expats would not prioritize, even if they had the means to do so. "As an expat with a decent income in Kuwait, I believe that I am more cautious and selective with my spending, even when I can afford to buy certain relatively high-priced stuff. I do not have the inclination like my Kuwaiti friends. For example, for gatherings, my Kuwaiti friends tend to buy sweets from bakeries and sweetshops, while I prefer to bake at home. It’s not that I can’t buy it or that they can’t bake, but it stems from what we are used to,” she pointed out.
Rabea Ali, a young man living in Lebanon, told Kuwait Times that Kuwaiti people are perceived as rich even if they do not fit the traditional definition of wealth. "Kuwaiti people have high living standards, even if we do not consider them as rich. I am not only speaking about cars, houses or travels; even about the small things such as buying a cup of coffee from famous coffeeshops is something I see them do very often. It can be daily and sometimes twice a day; however, this behavior is extremely rare to find among people like Lebanese or other nationalities. Therefore, we tend to assume that they are more comfortable with spending than others,” he remarked.