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: $1,761 in Al Hidd versus $1,570 in Seef.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,233 in Al Hidd versus $2,421 in Seef.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,705 in Al Hidd versus $3,272 in Seef.

Living in Al Hidd is roughly 12% more expensive than in Seef, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Al Hidd 32% above, Seef 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.72 BHD 2.53

$10.82 BHD 4.08

-37.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.33 BHD 14.82

$39.72 BHD 14.97

-0.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 BHD 2.81

$9.27 BHD 3.49

-19.53%

Cappuccino

$2.73 BHD 1.03

$5.40 BHD 2.04

-49.44%

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

$0.81 BHD 0.31

$1.49 BHD 0.56

-45.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 BHD 0.05

$0.79 BHD 0.30

-83.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.08 BHD 3.05

$10.78 BHD 4.06

-25.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.41 BHD 3.92

$18.39 BHD 6.93

-43.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 BHD 0.65

$1.60 BHD 0.60

8.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 BHD 0.49

$1.35 BHD 0.51

-4.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 BHD 0.87

$3.17 BHD 1.19

-26.81%

Eggs

$2.47 BHD 0.93

$1.62 BHD 0.61

52.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 BHD 3.31

$10.52 BHD 3.96

-16.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.88 BHD 2.97

$7.61 BHD 2.87

3.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.07 BHD 3.79

$15.80 BHD 5.95

-36.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 BHD 0.93

$3.20 BHD 1.21

-23.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 BHD 0.77

$2.30 BHD 0.87

-10.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 BHD 0.66

$2.51 BHD 0.94

-30.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 BHD 0.46

$1.91 BHD 0.72

-36.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 BHD 0.33

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 BHD 0.39

$1.31 BHD 0.49

-20.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 BHD 0.57

$1.82 BHD 0.69

-17.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 BHD 0.35

$0.55 BHD 0.21

70.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 BHD 2.45

$2.66 BHD 1.00

144.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.37 BHD 6.92

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.47 BHD 1.31

$3.89 BHD 1.47

-10.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 BHD 1.20

$2.71 BHD 1.02

17.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 BHD 0.59

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 BHD 19.95

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.67 BHD 1.76

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.95 BHD 1.49

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.75 BHD 10.08

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.37 BHD 0.14

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

$19.7K BHD 7,422

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

$20.6K BHD 7,778

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

$123 BHD 46.51

$90.5 BHD 34.12

36.32%

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

$27.16 BHD 10.24

$24.15 BHD 9.10

12.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.86 BHD 14.65

$45.69 BHD 17.22

-14.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.0 BHD 27.53

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 BHD 20.29

Cinema Ticket

$10.74 BHD 4.05

$10.66 BHD 4.02

0.75%

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

$384 BHD 145

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,780 BHD 3,309

$7,916 BHD 2,984

10.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.44 BHD 17.13

$31.55 BHD 11.89

44.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.3 BHD 23.47

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 BHD 31.15

$117 BHD 44.12

-29.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.1 BHD 33.56

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$663 BHD 250

$970 BHD 366

-31.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$936 BHD 353

$739 BHD 279

26.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$808 BHD 305

$2,340 BHD 882

-65.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$783 BHD 295

$1,455 BHD 548

-46.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 BHD 733

$3,423 BHD 1,290

-43.20%

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 Seef: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $663 in Al Hidd and $970 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: $39.00 in Al Hidd vs $40.00 in Seef. Groceries flip the comparison at $265 vs $256, with Seef 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 Seef: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seef is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

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: $663 in Al Hidd versus $970 in Seef. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Al Hidd. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Seef – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $39.00 in Al Hidd. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,570 in Seef versus $1,761 in Al Hidd, a $2,000 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 12% less than in Al Hidd. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.