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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,756 in Al Hidd versus $1,683 in Seef.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,145 in Al Hidd versus $2,629 in Seef.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,535 in Al Hidd versus $3,575 in Seef.

Living in Al Hidd is roughly 4% more expensive than in Seef, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Al Hidd 28% above, Seef 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.73 BHD 2.54

$8.15 BHD 3.07

-17.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.33 BHD 15.20

$52.6 BHD 19.83

-23.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.57 BHD 2.85

$8.27 BHD 3.12

-8.46%

Cappuccino

$3.78 BHD 1.43

$5.23 BHD 1.97

-27.72%

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

$0.82 BHD 0.31

$1.49 BHD 0.56

-44.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 BHD 0.06

$0.83 BHD 0.31

-81.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.81 BHD 2.57

$10.59 BHD 3.99

-35.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.18 BHD 3.84

$18.80 BHD 7.09

-45.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 BHD 0.53

$2.31 BHD 0.87

-38.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 BHD 0.40

$1.31 BHD 0.49

-19.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 BHD 0.89

$3.10 BHD 1.17

-24.19%

Eggs

$2.29 BHD 0.86

$1.54 BHD 0.58

48.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.82 BHD 3.32

$10.59 BHD 3.99

-16.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 BHD 2.01

$6.01 BHD 2.27

-11.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.38 BHD 2.03

$15.79 BHD 5.95

-65.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 BHD 0.86

$3.15 BHD 1.19

-27.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 BHD 0.84

$2.08 BHD 0.79

7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 BHD 0.71

$2.57 BHD 0.97

-26.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 BHD 0.53

$1.88 BHD 0.71

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 BHD 0.38

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 BHD 0.51

$1.07 BHD 0.40

27.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 BHD 0.57

$1.81 BHD 0.68

-16.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 BHD 0.31

$0.38 BHD 0.14

118.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.21 BHD 1.96

$3.75 BHD 1.41

38.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.75 BHD 7.07

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 BHD 1.34

$3.82 BHD 1.44

-7.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 BHD 1.01

$2.60 BHD 0.98

2.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.62 BHD 0.61

$0.63 BHD 0.24

157.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.1 BHD 19.62

$65.4 BHD 24.64

-20.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 BHD 2.01

$3.48 BHD 1.31

53.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.47 BHD 1.31

$3.30 BHD 1.24

5.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.82 BHD 5.96

$6.54 BHD 2.46

141.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 BHD 0.24

$0.60 BHD 0.23

8.33%

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

$19.7K BHD 7,434

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

$20.8K BHD 7,835

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

$154 BHD 58.1

$98.1 BHD 36.96

57.17%

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

$24.76 BHD 9.33

$26.44 BHD 9.97

-6.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.48 BHD 13.37

$46.30 BHD 17.45

-23.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.2 BHD 27.21

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.1 BHD 19.64

Cinema Ticket

$10.67 BHD 4.02

$10.65 BHD 4.02

0.19%

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

$493 BHD 186

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K BHD 4,118

$8,018 BHD 3,022

36.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 BHD 19.50

$68.9 BHD 25.95

-24.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 BHD 21.63

$53.3 BHD 20.08

7.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 BHD 33.35

$92.7 BHD 34.92

-4.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 BHD 33.53

$79.1 BHD 29.80

12.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$675 BHD 255

$936 BHD 353

-27.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$942 BHD 355

$676 BHD 255

39.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$789 BHD 298

$2,136 BHD 805

-63.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 BHD 245

$1,402 BHD 528

-53.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,916 BHD 722

$3,376 BHD 1,272

-43.23%

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 Al Hidd: September 13, 2026

Last update for Seef: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $675 in Al Hidd and $936 in Seef. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seef pays 76% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Al Hidd vs $53.0 in Seef for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $250 per month, with Al Hidd 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 Seef: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Hidd and Seef differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,756 vs $1,683 including rent). Seef is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 76% lower in Seef. 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: $675 in Al Hidd versus $936 in Seef. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Al Hidd pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,756 per month in Al Hidd versus $1,683 in Seef – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,683 in Seef versus $1,756 in Al Hidd, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Seef but tight or insufficient in Al Hidd. The gap between the two cities makes Seef the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Al Hidd 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 Seef gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Al Hidd. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.