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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,794 in Al Hidd versus $900 in Sanaa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,230 in Al Hidd versus $1,466 in Sanaa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,667 in Al Hidd versus $2,032 in Sanaa.

Living in Al Hidd is roughly 99% more expensive than Sanaa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Hidd is 34% above, Sanaa is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.78 BHD 2.56

$6.11 YER 1,455

10.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.30 BHD 14.82

$22.83 YER 5,440

72.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 BHD 2.74

$10.15 YER 2,418

-28.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 YER 432

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 YER 430

Cappuccino

$2.60 BHD 0.98

$3.72 YER 888

-30.11%

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

$0.83 BHD 0.31

$1.14 YER 273

-27.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 BHD 0.05

$0.46 YER 110

-73.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.20 BHD 3.09

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.46 BHD 3.94

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 BHD 0.62

$1.91 YER 455

-14.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 BHD 0.48

$1.20 YER 287

6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 BHD 0.87

$2.47 YER 589

-6.88%

Eggs

$2.47 BHD 0.93

$4.03 YER 959

-38.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 BHD 3.32

$9.86 YER 2,350

-10.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.81 BHD 2.95

$6.82 YER 1,625

14.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.25 BHD 3.86

$19.15 YER 4,563

-46.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 BHD 0.90

$3.92 YER 933

-39.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 BHD 0.80

$1.44 YER 344

46.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 BHD 0.67

$2.41 YER 574

-26.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 BHD 0.46

$1.64 YER 391

-26.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 BHD 0.35

$1.70 YER 405

-44.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 BHD 0.41

$1.57 YER 374

-31.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 BHD 0.57

$0.64 YER 151

134.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 BHD 0.33

$0.74 YER 176

18.92%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.28 YER 782

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 YER 394

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 YER 772

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.52 BHD 2.46

$3.91 YER 932

66.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.80 BHD 7.09

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 BHD 1.25

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 BHD 1.21

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 BHD 0.60

$0.42 YER 101

280.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.4 BHD 19.77

$82.1 YER 19.6K

-36.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 BHD 1.72

$4.21 YER 1,004

8.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.08 BHD 1.54

$3.99 YER 952

2.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.02 BHD 9.81

$7.32 YER 1,745

255.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.40 BHD 0.15

$2.68 YER 640

-85.07%

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

$19.9K BHD 7,504

$16.4K YER 3.9M

21.11%

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

$20.5K BHD 7,715

$33.5K YER 8.0M

-38.94%

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

$123 BHD 46.31

$72.3 YER 17.2K

69.85%

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

$26.80 BHD 10.10

$13.70 YER 3,266

95.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.18 BHD 14.39

$38.45 YER 9,163

-0.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.6 YER 15.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.9 BHD 20.32

$16.68 YER 3,975

223.08%

Cinema Ticket

$10.75 BHD 4.05

$5.90 YER 1,405

82.20%

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

$393 BHD 148

$116 YER 27.5K

240.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,888 BHD 3,351

$1,808 YER 430.7K

391.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.74 BHD 17.25

$39.29 YER 9,363

16.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.7 BHD 23.27

$148 YER 35.2K

-58.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 BHD 31.34

$41.65 YER 9,924

99.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 BHD 33.49

$42.36 YER 10.1K

109.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$664 BHD 250

$167 YER 39.8K

297.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$925 BHD 349

$95.3 YER 22.7K

870.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$790 BHD 298

$410 YER 97.8K

92.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 BHD 304

$265 YER 63.2K

204.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 YER 982.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$819 YER 195.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,946 BHD 734

$191 YER 45.5K

918.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.56

11.25

-23.91%

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

Last update for Al Hidd: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sanaa: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $664 in Al Hidd and $167 in Sanaa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Hidd pays 919% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $39.00 in Al Hidd vs $23.00 in Sanaa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $264 vs $244 per month, with Sanaa 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

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

Sanaa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 99% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Al Hidd pays 919% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $664 in Al Hidd versus $167 in Sanaa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sanaa runs roughly 56% less than in Al Hidd. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $393 in Al Hidd versus $116 in Sanaa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $900 in Sanaa versus $1,794 in Al Hidd, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sanaa but tight or insufficient in Al Hidd. The gap between the two cities makes Sanaa 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 Sanaa 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 Sanaa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Al Hidd. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.