Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bahrain and the United Kingdom

For one person, living is cheaper in Bahrain: $1,592 a month against $2,462 in the United Kingdom, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bahrain
United Kingdom
🇧🇭 Bahrain
$1,592
/mo nomad
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,462
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bahrain and in the United Kingdom

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,592 in Bahrain versus $2,462 in the United Kingdom.

  • Bahrain $1,592
  • United Kingdom $2,462

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,414 in Bahrain versus $3,600 in the United Kingdom.

  • Bahrain $2,414
  • United Kingdom $3,600

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,236 in Bahrain versus $4,738 in the United Kingdom.

  • Bahrain $3,236
  • United Kingdom $4,738

Internal cost variation is higher in the United Kingdom: monthly costs span $1,126 to $4,646, compared to $126–$1,997 in Bahrain. City choice carries more weight in the United Kingdom.

Living in Bahrain costs about 35% less than in the United Kingdom on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: Bahrain 17% above, the United Kingdom 81% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bahrain
United Kingdom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.13 BHD 2.69
$21.48 £16.12
-66.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.71 BHD 14.98
$85.7 £64.3
-53.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.08 BHD 3.05
$10.61 £7.96
-23.85%
Cappuccino
$4.85 BHD 1.83
$4.91 £3.68
-1.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.96 BHD 0.36
$2.66 £2.00
-63.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.32 BHD 0.12
$1.87 £1.40
-82.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.48 BHD 2.44
$6.63 £4.97
-2.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.13 BHD 3.44
$6.84 £5.13
33.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bahrain
United Kingdom
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 BHD 0.59
$1.68 £1.26
-7.14%
White Bread (500g)
$1.26 BHD 0.47
$1.72 £1.29
-26.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.60 BHD 0.98
$2.17 £1.63
19.82%
Eggs
$2.63 BHD 0.99
$4.00 £3.00
-34.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.61 BHD 3.63
$9.42 £7.07
2.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.31 BHD 2.38
$9.19 £6.89
-31.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.43 BHD 3.93
$14.77 £11.08
-29.38%
Apples (1kg)
$2.62 BHD 0.99
$2.97 £2.22
-11.78%
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 BHD 0.83
$1.62 £1.22
35.80%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.20 BHD 0.83
$2.85 £2.14
-22.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.64 BHD 0.62
$3.52 £2.64
-53.41%
Potato (1kg)
$1.21 BHD 0.46
$1.83 £1.37
-33.88%
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 BHD 0.43
$1.61 £1.21
-29.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.61 BHD 0.61
$1.25 £0.94
28.80%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.70 BHD 0.26
$1.66 £1.24
-57.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.81 BHD 2.19
$23.65 £17.75
-75.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$24.33 BHD 9.18
$10.50 £7.88
131.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.59 BHD 1.35
$2.98 £2.24
20.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17 BHD 1.20
$3.51 £2.63
-9.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Bahrain
United Kingdom
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.76 BHD 0.29
$3.98 £2.99
-80.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$36.45 BHD 13.75
$107 £80.6
-66.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 BHD 2.02
$5.18 £3.89
3.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.41 BHD 1.29
$2.35 £1.76
45.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.09 BHD 6.07
$26.84 £20.14
-40.05%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.64 BHD 0.24
$1.99 £1.49
-67.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K BHD 9,910
$39.4K £29.6K
-33.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.0K BHD 7,529
$40.5K £30.4K
-50.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bahrain
United Kingdom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$134 BHD 50.4
$327 £245
-59.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.34 BHD 9.56
$18.21 £13.66
39.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.43 BHD 15.25
$43.60 £32.72
-7.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bahrain
United Kingdom
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$78.9 BHD 29.76
$42.36 £31.78
86.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.73 BHD 13.85
$18.22 £13.67
101.59%
Cinema Ticket
$10.55 BHD 3.98
$13.85 £10.39
-23.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bahrain
United Kingdom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$605 BHD 228
$1,868 £1,402
-67.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,560 BHD 3,606
$22.6K £17.0K
-57.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bahrain
United Kingdom
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 BHD 20.14
$92.9 £69.7
-42.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.3 BHD 19.73
$45.92 £34.45
13.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.1 BHD 32.85
$102 £76.3
-14.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.8 BHD 33.12
$102 £76.7
-14.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bahrain
United Kingdom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$962 BHD 363
$1,342 £1,007
-28.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$631 BHD 238
$1,073 £805
-41.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,830 BHD 690
$2,231 £1,674
-17.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,185 BHD 447
$1,742 £1,307
-32.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,611 BHD 985
$5,601 £4,203
-53.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,865 BHD 703
$4,265 £3,200
-56.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bahrain
United Kingdom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,294 BHD 865
$3,349 £2,513
-31.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.33
5.32
18.98%

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

Last update for Bahrain: October 25, 2026

Last update for the United Kingdom: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bahrain
$631
United Kingdom
$1.1K 70.1% $442
Groceries & Markets
Bahrain
$278
United Kingdom
$307 10.6% $30
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bahrain
$199
United Kingdom
$389 95.1% $190
Eating Out
Bahrain
$195
United Kingdom
$328 67.8% $132
Clothing & Footwear
Bahrain
$126
United Kingdom
$154 22.2% $28
Sport & Entertainment
Bahrain
$100
United Kingdom
$70 29.9% $30
Getting Around
Bahrain
$62
United Kingdom
$140 127% $78

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $830 in Bahrain, $1,287 in the United Kingdom. Capital cities: $1,004 in Manama vs $2,811 in London.

National salary averages: $2,201 in Bahrain, $3,251 in the United Kingdom. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 55% higher in the United Kingdom.

Dining out costs 84% more in the United Kingdom.

Public transport is 159% more expensive in the United Kingdom.

Salaries are 48% higher in the United Kingdom.

Good to know
🇧🇭 Bahrain
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
🕒 Local time
05:55 5:55 AM
02:55 2:55 AM
3 h behind Bahrain
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,569,666
67,326,569
💱 Currency
Bahraini Dinar BHD .د.ب
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to BHD – Bahraini Dinar Converter

Bahraini Dinar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.377 BHD (1 BHD = 2.65 USD). 1 EUR = 0.42 BHD (1 BHD = 2.38 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.835 GBP (1 GBP = 1.2 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bahrain United Kingdom 5,070 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bahrain
  • United Kingdom

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
Bahrain vs United Kingdom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Bahrain and the United Kingdom?
At $1,592 per month in Bahrain and $2,462 in the United Kingdom, Bahrain comes out about 35% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in Bahrain: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,287 in the United Kingdom and $830 in Bahrain. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Bahrain or in the United Kingdom?
In Bahrain, $2,500 covers most cities easily; in the United Kingdom it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you’ll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Bahrain or to the United Kingdom?
It depends on what you’re after: Bahrain wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.

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