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: $1,140 in Bahrain versus $711 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,809 in Bahrain versus $1,131 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,477 in Bahrain versus $1,550 in China.

Living in Bahrain is roughly 60% more expensive than 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 $2,025, compared to $525–$1,220 in China. City choice carries more weight in Bahrain.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.09 BHD 2.66

$2.75 ¥18.83

157.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 BHD 20.11

$24.03 ¥165

122.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.14 BHD 3.06

$4.96 ¥33.95

64.11%

Cappuccino

$4.84 BHD 1.82

$3.12 ¥21.37

55.13%

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

$0.85 BHD 0.32

$0.48 ¥3.26

77.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 BHD 0.14

$0.27 ¥1.84

40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.91 BHD 2.98

$0.98 ¥6.73

707.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.48 BHD 3.94

$2.15 ¥14.69

387.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 BHD 0.63

$1.83 ¥12.53

-7.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 BHD 0.53

$1.68 ¥11.54

-16.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 BHD 0.98

$0.91 ¥6.21

185.71%

Eggs

$2.61 BHD 0.98

$1.56 ¥10.66

67.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.24 BHD 3.48

$12.97 ¥88.9

-28.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.47 BHD 2.81

$3.25 ¥22.23

129.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.17 BHD 4.20

$10.51 ¥72.0

6.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 BHD 0.94

$1.81 ¥12.41

38.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 BHD 0.80

$1.30 ¥8.90

63.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 BHD 0.77

$1.50 ¥10.26

36.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 BHD 0.51

$1.15 ¥7.87

17.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 BHD 0.37

$0.76 ¥5.20

28.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 BHD 0.41

$0.89 ¥6.07

22.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 BHD 0.62

$0.58 ¥3.97

182.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BHD 0.27

$0.58 ¥3.95

22.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.18 BHD 2.32

$3.50 ¥23.95

76.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.91 BHD 7.86

$11.55 ¥79.1

81.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.15 BHD 1.18

$0.78 ¥5.31

303.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 BHD 1.27

$1.61 ¥11.03

110.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 BHD 0.31

$0.44 ¥3.01

86.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.02 BHD 12.04

$21.15 ¥145

51.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.21 BHD 1.96

$1.36 ¥9.35

283.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.09 BHD 1.54

$0.36 ¥2.44

1036.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.50 BHD 12.22

$6.61 ¥45.28

391.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 BHD 0.18

$1.13 ¥7.74

-57.52%

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

$34.4K BHD 12.9K

$19.7K ¥135.2K

74.37%

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

$20.4K BHD 7,671

$17.1K ¥117.0K

19.42%

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

$123 BHD 46.33

$50.9 ¥349

142.03%

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

$27.29 BHD 10.26

$10.03 ¥68.7

172.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.75 BHD 15.32

$11.33 ¥77.6

259.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.7 BHD 29.58

$40.13 ¥275

96.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.3 BHD 19.66

$14.97 ¥103

249.37%

Cinema Ticket

$10.62 BHD 3.99

$6.09 ¥41.74

74.38%

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

$435 BHD 163

$418 ¥2,860

4.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,644 BHD 3,250

$17.3K ¥118.2K

-49.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.83 BHD 17.98

$46.40 ¥318

3.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 BHD 20.86

$32.92 ¥226

68.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.5 BHD 32.54

$71.1 ¥487

21.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.2 BHD 33.17

$72.9 ¥499

21.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$851 BHD 320

$438 ¥3,003

94.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$614 BHD 231

$259 ¥1,775

136.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 BHD 644

$926 ¥6,341

84.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 BHD 424

$548 ¥3,754

105.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,612 BHD 982

$5,047 ¥34.6K

-48.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,874 BHD 705

$2,666 ¥18.3K

-29.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,232 BHD 839

$1,074 ¥7,357

107.80%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for China: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $478 in Bahrain, $286 in China. Capital cities: $822 in Manama vs $886 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $2,250 in Bahrain, $834 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 67% higher in Bahrain.

Dining out costs 90% more in Bahrain.

Public transport is 29% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 170% higher in Bahrain, giving Bahrain stronger purchasing power.

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 $1,044 per month in Bahrain and $873 in China, there's a 20% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

China is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 works in regional areas but 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.