Cost of Living Comparison Between Bahrain and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Bahrain and China

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,138 in Bahrain versus $712 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,806 in Bahrain versus $1,131 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,473 in Bahrain versus $1,549 in China.

Living in Bahrain is roughly 60% more expensive than in China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Bahrain 15% lower, China 47% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Bahrain: monthly costs span $62.0 to $1,975, compared to $533–$1,212 in China. City choice carries more weight in Bahrain.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 BHD 2.76

$2.77 ¥18.72

164.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 BHD 19.67

$24.05 ¥162

116.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.14 BHD 3.07

$4.73 ¥31.93

72.09%

Cappuccino

$5.08 BHD 1.91

$3.08 ¥20.78

64.94%

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

$0.83 BHD 0.31

$0.44 ¥3.00

88.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 BHD 0.14

$0.29 ¥1.98

31.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.78 BHD 2.93

$1.01 ¥6.80

670.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.58 BHD 3.99

$2.08 ¥14.03

408.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 BHD 0.64

$1.83 ¥12.39

-7.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 BHD 0.51

$1.62 ¥10.94

-15.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 BHD 0.98

$0.97 ¥6.58

168.04%

Eggs

$2.52 BHD 0.95

$1.61 ¥10.90

56.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 BHD 3.49

$13.34 ¥90.1

-30.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 BHD 2.89

$3.37 ¥22.75

127.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.23 BHD 4.23

$10.68 ¥72.2

5.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 BHD 0.95

$1.81 ¥12.26

39.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 BHD 0.82

$1.25 ¥8.44

74.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 BHD 0.80

$1.46 ¥9.88

44.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 BHD 0.51

$1.15 ¥7.73

16.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 BHD 0.35

$0.73 ¥4.92

26.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 BHD 0.41

$0.89 ¥5.99

22.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 BHD 0.62

$0.60 ¥4.05

175.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 BHD 0.24

$0.53 ¥3.59

22.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.44 BHD 2.43

$3.39 ¥22.93

89.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.34 BHD 8.04

$11.73 ¥79.3

81.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 BHD 1.16

$0.77 ¥5.23

298.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 BHD 1.29

$1.63 ¥10.98

109.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 BHD 0.31

$0.41 ¥2.77

102.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.88 BHD 12.02

$21.24 ¥143

50.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 BHD 1.98

$1.35 ¥9.13

288.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.94 BHD 1.49

$0.36 ¥2.40

994.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.24 BHD 12.53

$6.70 ¥45.26

396.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 BHD 0.20

$1.18 ¥7.98

-55.93%

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

$35.0K BHD 13.2K

$19.8K ¥133.4K

77.15%

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

$20.5K BHD 7,720

$16.5K ¥111.7K

23.84%

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

$123 BHD 46.48

$51.7 ¥349

138.29%

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

$26.50 BHD 9.99

$10.09 ¥68.2

162.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.60 BHD 15.31

$11.38 ¥76.9

256.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.7 BHD 29.66

$39.24 ¥265

100.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.4 BHD 19.75

$14.84 ¥100

252.96%

Cinema Ticket

$10.51 BHD 3.96

$6.30 ¥42.56

66.83%

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

$440 BHD 166

$414 ¥2,795

6.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,633 BHD 3,254

$17.4K ¥117.6K

-50.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.62 BHD 17.58

$46.77 ¥316

-0.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 BHD 20.85

$33.08 ¥223

67.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 BHD 33.37

$70.9 ¥479

24.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.0 BHD 32.41

$74.5 ¥503

15.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$870 BHD 328

$440 ¥2,972

97.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 BHD 227

$253 ¥1,707

138.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,716 BHD 647

$911 ¥6,153

88.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,137 BHD 429

$531 ¥3,584

114.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,610 BHD 984

$4,778 ¥32.3K

-45.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,862 BHD 702

$2,403 ¥16.2K

-22.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,177 BHD 821

$1,058 ¥7,144

105.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.97

4.06

96.31%

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

Last update for Bahrain: July 27, 2026

Last update for China: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $477 in Bahrain, $287 in China. Capital cities: $822 in Manama vs $909 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $2,234 in Bahrain, $857 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 66% higher in Bahrain.

Dining out costs 90% more in Bahrain.

Public transport is 29% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 161% higher in Bahrain, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Bahrain.

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

Bahrain vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,019 per month in Bahrain and $873 in China, there's a 17% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in China: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in Bahrain is consistently higher than in China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Bahrain it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: China wins on affordability; Bahrain may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.