Check and pay your Kuwait electricity and water (MEW) bill online at mew.gov.kw (e-services), in the MEW Pay app, in the Sahel app or on e.gov.kw, using the consumer number printed on your bill or your Civil ID, and pay by K-Net. Apartments in investment buildings pay 5 fils per kWh and private houses 2 fils per kWh, plus water per 1,000 gallons. Unpaid bills can be disconnected automatically after a 30-day notice, and you need an MEW clearance before final exit.
On this page
- Ways to check and pay the MEW bill
- How to pay your electricity bill online – step by step
- Electricity and water tariffs in Kuwait
- How much is a typical MEW bill for an apartment?
- How to read your MEW bill
- Moving into a new flat: putting the meter in your name
- Who pays the MEW bill in a rented flat?
- Meter readings and estimated bills
- Disconnection, instalments and outages
- MEW clearance certificate before final exit
- How to reduce your electricity bill
- Common problems and fixes
- Frequently asked questions
- Related guides
Ways to check and pay the MEW bill
| Channel | How | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| MEW e-services (mew.gov.kw) | E-services → Bill inquiry / Payment → enter consumer number or Civil ID → view → pay by K-Net | Pay one premise or all premises under your name |
| MEW Pay app | Register with Civil ID → add premises → view bills, submit meter reading, pay, “Pay for others” | Tariff calculator and request tracking |
| Sahel app | Services → Ministry of Electricity & Water → bills | Uses your Kuwait Mobile ID |
| e.gov.kw portal | E-services → MEW → online payment | English and Arabic |
| In person | MEW customer-service centres (South Surra HQ and governorate branches) | Bring Civil ID and a bill |
How to pay your electricity bill online – step by step
- Find your consumer (account) number on a paper bill or on the meter card. If you do not have it, you can search with your Civil ID in MEW Pay.
- Open mew.gov.kw → e-services → bill inquiry, or open the MEW Pay app.
- Enter the consumer number or Civil ID and the verification code. The outstanding amount for electricity and water appears.
- Choose the bills to pay and press Pay. Select your bank on the K-Net page, enter the card details and confirm with the OTP.
- Save the receipt. The balance usually updates within minutes; keep receipts until your next bill shows a zero balance.
MEW Pay lets you pay for other people’s premises – useful if you are paying the bill for a parent, a rented flat in someone else’s name or a company flat.
Electricity and water tariffs in Kuwait
| Property type | Electricity | Water |
|---|---|---|
| Private housing (villas) – citizens and tenants | 2 fils/kWh | KD 0.800 per 1,000 imperial gallons |
| Investment (apartment) buildings | 5 fils/kWh | KD 2 per 1,000 gallons |
| Commercial, shops, offices | 25 fils/kWh | KD 4 per 1,000 gallons |
The 2016 tariff law exempted citizens’ private homes from the increase. Expats living in apartments pay the investment-building rate of 5 fils per kWh, which has applied since August 2017. One fils is a thousandth of a dinar, so 1,000 kWh at 5 fils costs KD 5.
How much is a typical MEW bill for an apartment?
| Home | Typical monthly electricity | Typical monthly water |
|---|---|---|
| Studio or one-bedroom flat, winter | A few dinars | KD 1–3 |
| Two-bedroom flat with AC in summer | KD 15–40 | KD 2–6 |
| Large flat or villa floor with several split units in summer | Higher – depends on AC hours and insulation | Depends on household size |
Air-conditioning is by far the biggest cost. Summer bills (June–September) can be several times higher than winter bills. Older buildings with single glazing and window units use more power than newer ones with split units.
How to read your MEW bill
| Field on the bill | What it means |
|---|---|
| Consumer / account number | The unique number of your premise – use it to pay online |
| Previous and current reading | Meter readings at the start and end of the billing period |
| Consumption (kWh) | Electricity used: current reading minus previous reading |
| Water consumption (gallons) | Water used in the period, billed per 1,000 imperial gallons |
| Arrears | Unpaid amounts carried over from earlier bills |
| Total due | What you need to pay now, including any arrears |
If the consumption looks wrong, compare the “current reading” with the number on your meter. A large gap usually means the bill was estimated, and submitting a reading fixes it on the next bill.
Moving into a new flat: putting the meter in your name
When you move into a flat where you will pay utilities yourself, ask the landlord or building management to transfer the premise to your Civil ID, or apply through MEW e-services or a customer-service centre with your lease and Civil ID. Once the premise is linked to you, it appears automatically in MEW Pay and Sahel. When you move out, pay the final bill and ask for the premise to be removed from your name, so that the next tenant’s consumption is not charged to you and your clearance certificate stays clean.
Who pays the MEW bill in a rented flat?
- Many landlords include electricity and water in the rent – check the contract. If it says “including electricity” (شامل الكهرباء), you should not receive a bill in your name.
- If you pay yourself, register the premise under your Civil ID so the bills and the clearance certificate are in your name.
- Tenants are responsible for consumption from the date in the lease. Before moving in, ask the landlord for the meter reading and confirmation that the previous balance is zero.
- Photograph the meter with the date when you move in and when you move out.
If the previous tenant left unpaid bills, do not accept them. Ask the landlord to settle the balance and give you a zero-balance statement before you sign or receive the keys.
Meter readings and estimated bills
MEW reads meters periodically. When a reading is missed, the bill is estimated from past consumption, which can lead to a large catch-up bill later. You can submit your own reading in MEW Pay – take a clear photo of the meter display and enter the number. Many newer buildings have smart meters that report consumption automatically.
Disconnection, instalments and outages
- Under the 2025 debt-collection decree, MEW can suspend electricity and water automatically for unpaid bills after a 30-day notice.
- Service is restored after payment; instalment plans exist for people facing hardship – ask at a customer-service centre.
- For a power cut or water outage that is not caused by an unpaid bill, call the MEW emergency line 152.
- Electricity demand peaks in July and August; in hot spells MEW may schedule temporary rolling cuts in some areas and publishes the schedule on its official channels.
MEW clearance certificate before final exit
Before you cancel your residency or leave Kuwait for good, you need an MEW clearance certificate (براءة ذمة) showing that there is nothing outstanding on premises in your name. Pay the final bill, then request the clearance through MEW e-services or Sahel. Some employers, banks and PACI address changes also ask for it. Allow a few days in case a final meter reading is needed.
How to reduce your electricity bill
- Set the AC to 24–25 °C instead of 18–20 °C – each degree makes a noticeable difference.
- Clean AC filters every few weeks in summer; dusty filters make units work harder.
- Close curtains on west-facing windows in the afternoon.
- Switch off water heaters in summer – tap water is warm enough for most of the year.
- Use timers so the AC cools the bedroom before bedtime instead of running all day.
- Report leaking taps and running toilets to the landlord quickly; water is billed per 1,000 gallons.
Common problems and fixes
- “No bills found”: the premise is registered under the landlord’s or previous tenant’s Civil ID. Use the consumer number instead.
- Very high bill: check whether it is an estimated bill. Submit a meter reading and ask MEW to recalculate.
- Payment failed: enable online payments for your debit card in your bank app and try again. Check the balance before paying a second time.
- Cannot find the consumer number: it is on the meter card in the meter room; the building watchman (haris) can usually show you.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check my MEW bill in Kuwait?
Use mew.gov.kw e-services, the MEW Pay app or Sahel. Enter your consumer number or Civil ID to see the amount due.
How do I find my MEW account number?
It is printed on the paper bill and on the meter card. In MEW Pay you can also add a premise by searching the PACI address.
Can I pay someone else’s electricity bill?
Yes. MEW Pay has a “Pay for others” option, and the website lets you pay by consumer number without logging in.
What is the electricity rate for expats in Kuwait?
5 fils per kWh in apartment buildings and 2 fils per kWh if you rent a private house.
What happens if I do not pay the MEW bill?
After a 30-day notice MEW can disconnect electricity and water. Service is restored after payment.
What is the MEW emergency number?
152 for power cuts and water outages.
Do I need an MEW clearance to leave Kuwait?
If premises are registered in your name, yes – pay the final bill and request the clearance certificate before final exit.