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: $1,794 in Al Hidd versus $1,563 in Seef.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,230 in Al Hidd versus $2,472 in Seef.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,667 in Al Hidd versus $3,382 in Seef.

Living in Al Hidd is roughly 15% more expensive than Seef, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Al Hidd 34% above, Seef 17% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.78 BHD 2.56

$10.67 BHD 4.02

-36.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.30 BHD 14.82

$39.23 BHD 14.79

0.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 BHD 2.74

$9.47 BHD 3.57

-23.23%

Cappuccino

$2.60 BHD 0.98

$5.41 BHD 2.04

-51.94%

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

$0.83 BHD 0.31

$1.50 BHD 0.57

-44.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 BHD 0.05

$0.77 BHD 0.29

-84.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.20 BHD 3.09

$10.66 BHD 4.02

-23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.46 BHD 3.94

$18.69 BHD 7.04

-44.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 BHD 0.62

$1.58 BHD 0.60

3.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 BHD 0.48

$1.31 BHD 0.49

-2.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 BHD 0.87

$3.14 BHD 1.19

-26.75%

Eggs

$2.47 BHD 0.93

$1.56 BHD 0.59

58.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 BHD 3.32

$10.66 BHD 4.02

-17.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.81 BHD 2.95

$7.49 BHD 2.82

4.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.25 BHD 3.86

$15.94 BHD 6.01

-35.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 BHD 0.90

$3.27 BHD 1.23

-27.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 BHD 0.80

$2.26 BHD 0.85

-6.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 BHD 0.67

$2.59 BHD 0.98

-31.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 BHD 0.46

$1.89 BHD 0.71

-35.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 BHD 0.35

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 BHD 0.41

$1.30 BHD 0.49

-16.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 BHD 0.57

$1.91 BHD 0.72

-21.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 BHD 0.33

$0.51 BHD 0.19

72.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.52 BHD 2.46

$2.62 BHD 0.99

148.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.80 BHD 7.09

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 BHD 1.25

$3.86 BHD 1.46

-13.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 BHD 1.21

$2.69 BHD 1.01

19.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 BHD 0.60

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.4 BHD 19.77

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 BHD 1.72

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.08 BHD 1.54

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.02 BHD 9.81

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.40 BHD 0.15

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

$19.9K BHD 7,504

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

$20.5K BHD 7,715

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

$123 BHD 46.31

$90.7 BHD 34.19

35.46%

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

$26.80 BHD 10.10

$24.21 BHD 9.13

10.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.18 BHD 14.39

$46.51 BHD 17.54

-17.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.2 BHD 27.97

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.9 BHD 20.32

Cinema Ticket

$10.75 BHD 4.05

$10.69 BHD 4.03

0.56%

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

$393 BHD 148

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,888 BHD 3,351

$8,027 BHD 3,026

10.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.74 BHD 17.25

$31.51 BHD 11.88

45.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.7 BHD 23.27

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 BHD 31.34

$118 BHD 44.49

-29.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 BHD 33.49

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$664 BHD 250

$983 BHD 371

-32.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$925 BHD 349

$734 BHD 277

26.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$790 BHD 298

$2,330 BHD 878

-66.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 BHD 304

$1,454 BHD 548

-44.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,946 BHD 734

$3,342 BHD 1,260

-41.76%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Seef: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $664 in Al Hidd and $983 in Seef. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seef pays 72% 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 $39.00 in Seef. Groceries flip the comparison at $264 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 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Seef earns 72% less. 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: $664 in Al Hidd versus $983 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 $39.00 versus $39.00 in Al Hidd. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,563 in Seef versus $1,794 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 15% less than in Al Hidd. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.