Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Amwaj and Manama

For one person, living is cheaper in Amwaj: $609 a month against $1,554 in Manama, rent and utilities included – about $11,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Manama
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Manama Living Index

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Amwaj

🇧🇭 Bahrain

$609

/mo nomad

Manama

🇧🇭 Bahrain

$1,554

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Amwaj and in Manama

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Amwaj and in Manama actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $609 per month in Amwaj vs $1,554 in Manama, rent included.

Amwaj $609
Manama $1,554

A couple spends around $2,459 per month in Amwaj vs $2,478 in Manama, rent included.

Amwaj $2,459
Manama $2,478

A family of three spends $4,309 per month in Amwaj vs $3,403 in Manama, rent included.

Amwaj $4,309
Manama $3,403

Amwaj is about 61% cheaper than Manama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Amwaj sits 55% below the global median, while Manama is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.70 BHD 4.04

$5.34 BHD 2.02

100.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.30 BHD 12.19

$54.0 BHD 20.39

-40.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.71 BHD 3.67

$7.25 BHD 2.74

33.93%

Cappuccino

$4.02 BHD 1.52

$5.03 BHD 1.90

-20.08%

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

$2.18 BHD 0.82

$0.84 BHD 0.32

159.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 BHD 0.24

$0.30 BHD 0.11

113.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.76 BHD 2.93

$6.51 BHD 2.46

19.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.73 BHD 4.05

$9.82 BHD 3.71

9.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 BHD 0.53

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 BHD 0.40

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 BHD 0.85

Eggs

$2.21 BHD 0.83

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.70 BHD 3.28

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 BHD 2.47

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.85 BHD 3.34

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 BHD 0.86

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 BHD 0.85

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 BHD 0.74

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 BHD 0.52

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 BHD 0.38

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 BHD 0.53

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 BHD 0.57

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 BHD 0.30

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.17 BHD 1.95

$5.40 BHD 2.04

-4.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.59 BHD 7.02

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.66 BHD 1.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 BHD 0.97

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 BHD 0.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.50 BHD 13.77

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.34 BHD 2.02

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.40 BHD 1.28

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.00 BHD 6.04

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 BHD 0.25

$0.69 BHD 0.26

-4.35%

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

$25.6K BHD 9,660

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

$36.9K BHD 13.9K

$19.7K BHD 7,442

87.03%

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

$130 BHD 49.23

$150 BHD 56.7

-13.22%

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

$23.57 BHD 8.89

$24.82 BHD 9.37

-5.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.9 BHD 24.88

$35.16 BHD 13.27

87.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.1 BHD 23.82

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.87 BHD 11.65

Cinema Ticket

$10.57 BHD 3.99

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

$497 BHD 188

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K BHD 5,063

$11.0K BHD 4,159

21.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.9 BHD 24.51

$51.9 BHD 19.58

25.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.4 BHD 24.67

$56.6 BHD 21.35

15.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 BHD 35.47

$89.1 BHD 33.62

5.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 BHD 45.11

$89.2 BHD 33.68

33.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 BHD 381

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 BHD 241

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,393 BHD 903

$2,072 BHD 782

15.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,100 BHD 1,170

$1,390 BHD 525

123.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,572 BHD 971

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,940 BHD 732

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,991 BHD 1,506

$2,318 BHD 875

72.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

12.72%

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

Last update for Amwaj: October 17, 2026

Last update for Manama: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Amwaj

–

Manama

$638 41%

Groceries & Markets

Amwaj

–

Manama

$250 16.1%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Amwaj

–

Manama

$210 13.5%

Eating Out

Amwaj

–

Manama

$182 11.7%

Clothing & Footwear

Amwaj

–

Manama

$129 8.3%

Sport & Entertainment

Amwaj

–

Manama

$84 5.4%

Getting Around

Amwaj

–

Manama

$61 4%

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 72% higher in Amwaj, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Amwaj versus $54.0 in Manama. Use this as a proxy for overall food spending across the two cities.

Good to know

🇧🇭 Amwaj

🇧🇭 Manama

🕒 Local time

16:19 4:19 PM

Same time as Amwaj

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

157,474 Capital

💱 Currency

Bahraini Dinar BHD .د.ب

📈 Exchange rate

1 BHD = 2.65 USD

1 BHD = 2.36 EUR

1 BHD = 2.65 USD

1 BHD = 2.36 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Amwaj Manama 12 km

From you

Amwaj
Manama

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Amwaj vs Manama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manama costs about 155% more than Amwaj, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $914 per month in Amwaj and $2,331 in Manama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $609 in Amwaj and $1,554 in Manama. That's a gap of about 155%.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Amwaj and $54.0 in Manama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Amwaj, where all-in costs run around $609, than in Manama at $1,554. In Amwaj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manama it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Amwaj – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Amwaj. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manama makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.