Cost of Living Comparison Between 'ali and Seef Cost of Living Comparison Between 'ali and Seef

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $835 in 'ali versus $1,660 in Seef.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,311 in 'ali versus $2,623 in Seef.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,786 in 'ali versus $3,586 in Seef.

Living in 'ali costs roughly 50% less than in Seef, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: 'ali is 39% below, Seef is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.70 BHD 2.53

$8.39 BHD 3.16

-20.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 BHD 20.28

$52.1 BHD 19.65

3.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 BHD 2.84

$8.34 BHD 3.14

-9.71%

Cappuccino

$4.84 BHD 1.83

$5.03 BHD 1.90

-3.78%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 BHD 0.31

$1.56 BHD 0.59

-46.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 BHD 0.11

$0.83 BHD 0.31

-63.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.48 BHD 2.44

$10.57 BHD 3.98

-38.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.97 BHD 3.76

$18.21 BHD 6.86

-45.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 BHD 0.56

$2.23 BHD 0.84

-33.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 BHD 0.40

$1.36 BHD 0.51

-21.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 BHD 0.87

$3.21 BHD 1.21

-28.35%

Eggs

$2.33 BHD 0.88

$1.52 BHD 0.57

53.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 BHD 3.28

$10.66 BHD 4.02

-18.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.42 BHD 2.42

$5.85 BHD 2.21

9.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.79 BHD 3.31

$16.08 BHD 6.06

-45.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 BHD 0.91

$3.14 BHD 1.18

-23.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 BHD 0.84

$2.04 BHD 0.77

9.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 BHD 0.70

$2.59 BHD 0.97

-27.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 BHD 0.52

$1.91 BHD 0.72

-27.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 BHD 0.38

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 BHD 0.53

$1.05 BHD 0.40

35.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 BHD 0.58

$1.82 BHD 0.69

-15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 BHD 0.32

$0.39 BHD 0.15

115.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.41 BHD 2.04

$3.83 BHD 1.44

41.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 BHD 7.07

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.49 BHD 1.32

$3.73 BHD 1.41

-6.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 BHD 1.01

$2.71 BHD 1.02

-1.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 BHD 0.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 BHD 25.49

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.17 BHD 1.95

$3.56 BHD 1.34

45.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.47 BHD 1.31

$3.39 BHD 1.28

2.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.67 BHD 5.91

$6.28 BHD 2.37

149.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 BHD 0.26

$0.60 BHD 0.23

16.67%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.5K BHD 13.8K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.9K BHD 7,894

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$151 BHD 57.1

$97.7 BHD 36.82

54.97%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$24.86 BHD 9.37

$27.35 BHD 10.31

-9.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.36 BHD 13.33

$46.00 BHD 17.34

-23.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.8 BHD 27.07

Cinema Ticket

$10.71 BHD 4.04

$10.73 BHD 4.04

-0.19%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$480 BHD 181

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K BHD 4,063

$8,073 BHD 3,043

33.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 BHD 18.94

$68.8 BHD 25.93

-26.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 BHD 22.05

$52.0 BHD 19.61

12.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 BHD 33.77

$93.0 BHD 35.06

-3.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 BHD 34.37

$79.6 BHD 29.98

14.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 BHD 347

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 BHD 257

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,138 BHD 806

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,381 BHD 520

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,759 BHD 1,417

$3,380 BHD 1,274

11.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for 'ali: September 7, 2026

Last update for Seef: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

'ali pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in 'ali vs $52.0 in Seef for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $250 per month, with Seef cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

'ali vs Seef: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

'ali is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 99% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 11% higher in 'ali, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Seef pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in 'ali – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $52.0 in Seef. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $835 in 'ali versus $1,660 in Seef, a $1,500 budget is realistic in 'ali but tight or insufficient in Seef. The gap between the two cities makes 'ali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, 'ali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seef, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, 'ali and Seef are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find 'ali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Seef. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.