Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Hidd and Manama Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Hidd and Manama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,761 in Al Hidd versus $1,479 in Manama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,233 in Al Hidd versus $2,410 in Manama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,705 in Al Hidd versus $3,340 in Manama.

Living in Al Hidd is roughly 19% more expensive than in Manama, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Al Hidd 32% above, Manama 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.72 BHD 2.53

$6.57 BHD 2.48

2.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.33 BHD 14.82

$52.0 BHD 19.60

-24.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 BHD 2.81

$7.56 BHD 2.85

-1.32%

Cappuccino

$2.73 BHD 1.03

$5.46 BHD 2.06

-50.00%

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

$0.81 BHD 0.31

$0.79 BHD 0.30

2.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 BHD 0.05

$0.37 BHD 0.14

-64.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.08 BHD 3.05

$8.01 BHD 3.02

0.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.41 BHD 3.92

$10.46 BHD 3.94

-0.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 BHD 0.65

$1.65 BHD 0.62

4.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 BHD 0.49

$1.33 BHD 0.50

-3.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 BHD 0.87

$2.34 BHD 0.88

-0.85%

Eggs

$2.47 BHD 0.93

$2.40 BHD 0.90

2.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 BHD 3.31

$8.62 BHD 3.25

1.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.88 BHD 2.97

$7.50 BHD 2.83

5.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.07 BHD 3.79

$10.23 BHD 3.86

-1.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 BHD 0.93

$2.45 BHD 0.92

0.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 BHD 0.77

$2.10 BHD 0.79

-2.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 BHD 0.66

$1.70 BHD 0.64

2.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 BHD 0.46

$1.17 BHD 0.44

3.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 BHD 0.33

$0.92 BHD 0.35

-4.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 BHD 0.39

$1.08 BHD 0.41

-3.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 BHD 0.57

$1.44 BHD 0.54

4.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 BHD 0.35

$0.91 BHD 0.34

3.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 BHD 2.45

$6.48 BHD 2.44

0.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.37 BHD 6.92

$18.75 BHD 7.07

-2.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.47 BHD 1.31

$3.35 BHD 1.26

3.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 BHD 1.20

$3.14 BHD 1.18

1.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 BHD 0.59

$0.78 BHD 0.29

98.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 BHD 19.95

$32.29 BHD 12.17

63.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.67 BHD 1.76

$4.66 BHD 1.76

0.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.95 BHD 1.49

$4.00 BHD 1.51

-1.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.75 BHD 10.08

$26.04 BHD 9.81

2.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.37 BHD 0.14

$0.53 BHD 0.20

-30.19%

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

$19.7K BHD 7,422

$37.7K BHD 14.2K

-47.77%

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

$20.6K BHD 7,778

$20.7K BHD 7,813

-0.45%

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

$123 BHD 46.51

$122 BHD 46.06

0.97%

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

$27.16 BHD 10.24

$26.99 BHD 10.17

0.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.86 BHD 14.65

$38.99 BHD 14.70

-0.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 BHD 26.90

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 BHD 20.29

$44.42 BHD 16.74

21.16%

Cinema Ticket

$10.74 BHD 4.05

$10.53 BHD 3.97

1.99%

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

$384 BHD 145

$394 BHD 148

-2.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,780 BHD 3,309

0.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.44 BHD 17.13

$46.27 BHD 17.44

-1.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.3 BHD 23.47

$61.5 BHD 23.19

1.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 BHD 31.15

$82.8 BHD 31.21

-0.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.1 BHD 33.56

$89.4 BHD 33.71

-0.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$663 BHD 250

$803 BHD 303

-17.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$936 BHD 353

$548 BHD 207

70.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$808 BHD 305

$1,794 BHD 676

-54.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$783 BHD 295

$1,208 BHD 455

-35.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,668 BHD 1,006

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,960 BHD 739

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 BHD 733

$2,276 BHD 858

-14.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.56

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

Last update for Al Hidd: July 13, 2026

Last update for Manama: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $663 in Al Hidd and $803 in Manama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manama pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Al Hidd vs $52.0 in Manama. Groceries flip the comparison at $265 vs $262, with Manama cheaper for home cooking.

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

Al Hidd vs Manama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manama is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 17% lower in Manama. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $663 in Al Hidd versus $803 in Manama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Manama runs roughly 64% less than in Al Hidd. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $384 in Al Hidd versus $394 in Manama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,479 in Manama versus $1,761 in Al Hidd, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Manama but tight or insufficient in Al Hidd. The gap between the two cities makes Manama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Al Hidd and Manama 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 Manama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Al Hidd. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.