Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Amwaj and Riffa

For one person, living is cheaper in Amwaj: $609 a month against $1,211 in Riffa, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Riffa
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Riffa Living Index

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Amwaj

🇧🇭 Bahrain

$609

/mo nomad

Riffa

🇧🇭 Bahrain

$1,211

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Amwaj and in Riffa

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 Riffa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $609 per month in Amwaj vs $1,211 in Riffa, rent included.

Amwaj $609
Riffa $1,211

A couple spends around $2,459 per month in Amwaj vs $1,868 in Riffa, rent included.

Amwaj $2,459
Riffa $1,868

A family of three spends $4,309 per month in Amwaj vs $2,525 in Riffa, rent included.

Amwaj $4,309
Riffa $2,525

Amwaj is about 50% cheaper than Riffa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Amwaj and Riffa are more affordable than the global median – Amwaj 55% lower, Riffa 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.70 BHD 4.04

$5.23 BHD 1.97

104.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.30 BHD 12.19

$38.96 BHD 14.70

-17.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.71 BHD 3.67

$6.08 BHD 2.30

59.70%

Cappuccino

$4.02 BHD 1.52

$4.04 BHD 1.52

-0.50%

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

$2.18 BHD 0.82

$0.68 BHD 0.26

220.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 BHD 0.24

$0.27 BHD 0.10

137.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.76 BHD 2.93

$6.43 BHD 2.43

20.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.73 BHD 4.05

$8.16 BHD 3.08

31.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 BHD 0.52

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 BHD 0.24

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 BHD 0.68

Eggs

$2.30 BHD 0.87

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 BHD 2.96

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 BHD 2.23

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.38 BHD 3.16

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 BHD 0.87

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 BHD 0.65

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 BHD 0.68

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 BHD 0.40

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 BHD 0.38

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 BHD 0.25

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 BHD 0.20

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 BHD 0.21

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.17 BHD 1.95

$5.43 BHD 2.05

-4.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.12 BHD 4.95

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 BHD 0.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 BHD 0.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 BHD 0.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.72 BHD 13.48

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.44 BHD 2.05

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.42 BHD 1.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.40 BHD 3.93

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 BHD 0.25

$0.49 BHD 0.19

34.69%

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

$22.5K BHD 8,506

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

$36.9K BHD 13.9K

$20.1K BHD 7,597

83.22%

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

$130 BHD 49.23

$133 BHD 50.3

-2.12%

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

$23.57 BHD 8.89

$24.43 BHD 9.22

-3.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.9 BHD 24.88

$34.66 BHD 13.08

90.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.9 BHD 27.51

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.45 BHD 5.08

Cinema Ticket

$10.52 BHD 3.97

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

$481 BHD 182

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K BHD 5,063

$5,589 BHD 2,109

140.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.9 BHD 24.51

$28.99 BHD 10.94

123.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.4 BHD 24.67

$21.34 BHD 8.06

206.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 BHD 35.47

$66.4 BHD 25.06

41.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 BHD 45.11

$39.70 BHD 14.98

201.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 BHD 346

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 BHD 162

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,393 BHD 903

$1,535 BHD 579

55.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,100 BHD 1,170

$862 BHD 325

259.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,991 BHD 1,506

$1,392 BHD 525

186.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

27.27%

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

Last update for Amwaj: October 17, 2026

Last update for Riffa: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Amwaj

–

Riffa

$429 35.5%

Groceries & Markets

Amwaj

–

Riffa

$203 16.7%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Amwaj

–

Riffa

$192 15.9%

Eating Out

Amwaj

–

Riffa

$161 13.3%

Sport & Entertainment

Amwaj

–

Riffa

$94 7.8%

Clothing & Footwear

Amwaj

–

Riffa

$70 5.8%

Getting Around

Amwaj

–

Riffa

$61 5.1%

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 187% 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 $39.00 in Riffa. Use this as a proxy for overall food spending across the two cities.

Good to know

🇧🇭 Amwaj

🇧🇭 Riffa

🕒 Local time

01:05 1:05 AM

Same time as Amwaj

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

121,566

💱 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

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Highest

Between locations

Amwaj Riffa 22 km

From you

Amwaj
Riffa

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 Riffa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riffa costs about 99% 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 $1,817 in Riffa. 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 $1,211 in Riffa. That's a gap of about 99%.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Amwaj and $39.00 in Riffa. 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 Riffa at $1,211. In Amwaj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riffa 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, Riffa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.