The short answer
You can save in Kuwait by using the right card, comparing supermarket flyers and checking pay later apps before you split a payment. PwC's tax summary says VAT has not yet been introduced in Kuwait. This page links to our detailed guides.
Quick facts
- Pay later apps covered
- Tabby and Tamara (source: Tabby help: about Tabby)
What to know about prices and VAT
PwC's Worldwide Tax Summaries (last reviewed 22 July 2026) says VAT has not yet been introduced in Kuwait. It says the GCC framework agreement is under discussion in Parliament while the government prepares a draft law. This could change, so check current rules.
For shoppers this means the shelf price normally has no VAT added today, but check the final receipt for service charges or delivery fees.
Cards and cashback
Most savings in Kuwait come from using the right card for the right shop. Many cards give a higher cashback rate or points on groceries, fuel, dining or online shopping, and some have a minimum monthly spend before the higher rate applies. Others cap the cashback you can earn in a month.
The details change often, so read your card's current terms from your bank. Look for four things: the categories that earn more, the minimum monthly spend, the monthly cap in KWD, and what the card excludes, such as rent, fees or utility bills. If you hold two or three cards, write down which one is best for which kind of shop.
Our Visa offers and Mastercard offers guides explain how to find card offers and how to read their small print. An offer usually has an end date and a list of shops that qualify, so check both before you pay.
Think about timing too. Some cards count spending from the statement date, not the calendar month, so a purchase at the end of the month may land in the next cycle. Keep a note of your statement date and of how much you have spent so far in KWD, so you know whether you are near a minimum or a cap before a big purchase.
Do not spend more just to earn a reward. Cashback of a few percent is only worth it on money you would have spent anyway. Pay the card balance in full each month, because interest on an unpaid balance can cost more than the cashback earns.
Memberships, loyalty cards and discounts
Besides bank cards, shops in Kuwait run their own loyalty cards, and some employers, clubs or banks offer discount schemes. Each one has its own rules about who can join, which shops take part and how long points last. Always check the current terms from the scheme itself. Memberships that are only for people in the UAE, such as Fazaa, Esaad or Homat Al Watan, do not apply in Kuwait.
If you carry several cards, the easy mistake is forgetting one at the till. Keep the digital version on your phone where the scheme allows it. Fawz keeps your membership cards on your phone, and only sends them to us if you choose.
At the till, ask which discount applies. Sometimes a loyalty discount and a card offer can be combined, and sometimes only one counts. The cashier or the shop's terms will tell you.
Supermarket offers and flyers
Groceries are the shop most people visit every week, so small differences add up. Supermarkets in Kuwait publish flyers with weekly deals, and the same item can have a different price at each chain. A flyer price is only valid for the dates printed on it, and often only while stock lasts.
Our guide to supermarket flyers in Kuwait explains how the weekly deals work, and our Lulu and Carrefour guides explain how to read their offers and loyalty schemes. Compare unit prices, such as the price per kilo or per litre, rather than the headline price on a pack. A larger pack is not always cheaper per unit.
Loyalty cards at supermarkets can add small extras, such as points or member prices. Ask at the till what a card gives you, and check how long points stay valid. Prices in the flyer may already include the discount, so do not count it twice. A simple habit helps. Before the weekly shop, check the flyers for the three or four items you buy most, then pay with the card that earns the most on groceries.
Pay later with Tabby and Tamara
Tabby's help page says Tabby is active in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait. Tamara's Kuwait page lists Kuwait among the countries it operates in. Plans, limits and approval rules are set by each company, and a shop may accept only one of them.
We have not confirmed Kuwait-specific fee rules for either company. Read the terms shown at checkout, and see our Tabby and Tamara guides for what each company says in general. Tamara's FAQ says applicants can be rejected if they are flagged by Ci-Net, the credit bureau it names for Kuwait.
Pay later spreads the cost. It does not lower the price.
A simple saving routine
- Know which card earns the most for groceries, fuel and dining.
- Check your monthly spend against any minimum your card needs.
- Check supermarket flyers before the weekly shop.
- Compare unit prices, not pack prices.
- Ask at the till which discount applies.
- Plan big purchases ahead, so you can check offers and spend caps first.
- Check the total on the receipt before you leave the till.
How Fawz helps
Fawz is not released yet, and you can join the waiting list. When it is out, it suggests which of your cards or memberships to use at the till, tracks minimum monthly spend and caps so you hit the higher cashback rate, and compares supermarket flyer prices so you see where an item is cheapest.
Fawz also plans big purchases across your cards. It never stores card numbers or bank logins and never reads SMS.
Join the waiting listQuestions people ask
Is there VAT in Kuwait?
PwC's Worldwide Tax Summaries says VAT has not yet been introduced in Kuwait, and that the GCC framework agreement is under discussion in Parliament. Check current rules.
Is Tabby available in Kuwait?
Tabby's help page says it is active in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait.
Is Tamara available in Kuwait?
Tamara's Kuwait page lists Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain.
How can I save on groceries in Kuwait?
Compare weekly flyers for the items you buy most, check unit prices, and use the card that earns most on groceries. See our Kuwait supermarket flyers guide.
Where do I find Visa and Mastercard offers?
Our Visa offers and Mastercard offers guides explain how to find them. Confirm the current terms in your bank's app.
Do pay later apps save money?
No. They split the payment, but the price stays the same.
Sources
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: Kuwait other taxestaxsummaries.pwc.com
- Tabby help: about Tabbytabby.ai
- Tamara Kuwait (list of countries)tamara.co
Last checked . Terms change, so check the current terms before you rely on an offer.
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