Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bratislava and Manama

For one person, living is cheaper in Manama: $1,561 a month against $1,876 in Bratislava, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bratislava, Slovakia
Manama, Bahrain
Bratislava
🇸🇰 Slovakia
$1,876
/mo nomad
Manama
🇧🇭 Bahrain
$1,561
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bratislava 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 Bratislava and in Manama actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,876 in Bratislava versus $1,561 in Manama.

  • Bratislava $1,876
  • Manama $1,561

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,844 in Bratislava versus $2,442 in Manama.

  • Bratislava $2,844
  • Manama $2,442

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,812 in Bratislava versus $3,323 in Manama.

  • Bratislava $3,812
  • Manama $3,323

Living in Bratislava is roughly 20% more expensive than in Manama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bratislava 38% above, Manama 15% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bratislava
Manama
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.26 €10.09
$5.17 BHD 1.93
117.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.9 €60.9
$53.4 BHD 19.97
27.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.58 €9.48
$7.22 BHD 2.70
46.54%
Cappuccino
$3.46 €3.10
$5.01 BHD 1.88
-30.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 €2.15
$0.88 BHD 0.33
172.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 €1.55
$0.32 BHD 0.12
440.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.29 €2.95
$6.48 BHD 2.42
-49.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33 €2.98
$10.09 BHD 3.78
-67.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bratislava
Manama
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 €1.00
$1.39 BHD 0.52
-20.14%
White Bread (500g)
$1.96 €1.75
$1.05 BHD 0.39
86.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 €2.00
$2.33 BHD 0.87
-3.86%
Eggs
$4.55 €4.07
$2.22 BHD 0.83
104.95%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.11 €13.54
$8.62 BHD 3.22
75.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.28 €8.31
$6.58 BHD 2.46
41.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.32 €12.83
$8.38 BHD 3.13
70.88%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.03
$2.39 BHD 0.89
-5.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.88 €1.69
$2.31 BHD 0.86
-18.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.78 €2.49
$1.94 BHD 0.73
43.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.93 €4.42
$1.38 BHD 0.52
257.25%
Potato (1kg)
$1.60 €1.43
$1.01 BHD 0.38
58.42%
Onion (1kg)
$1.46 €1.30
$1.36 BHD 0.51
7.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.77 €1.59
$1.56 BHD 0.58
13.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.95 €0.85
$0.84 BHD 0.32
13.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.70 €6.00
$5.26 BHD 1.97
27.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.06 €6.33
$18.18 BHD 6.80
-61.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.06 €0.95
$3.63 BHD 1.36
-70.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 €1.76
$2.66 BHD 1.00
-26.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Bratislava
Manama
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.22
$0.78 BHD 0.29
74.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.38 €39.77
$36.65 BHD 13.71
21.09%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.12 €6.38
$5.18 BHD 1.94
37.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 €1.49
$3.42 BHD 1.28
-51.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.03 €29.60
$15.82 BHD 5.92
108.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.86 €1.67
$0.66 BHD 0.25
181.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K €23.4K
$25.9K BHD 9,671
0.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K €23.5K
$19.3K BHD 7,234
35.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bratislava
Manama
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$257 €230
$153 BHD 57.1
68.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.39 €20.06
$24.67 BHD 9.23
-9.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.35 €17.34
$35.29 BHD 13.20
-45.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bratislava
Manama
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.3 €50.5
$68.9 BHD 25.77
-18.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.02 €20.63
$30.13 BHD 11.27
-23.60%
Cinema Ticket
$12.09 €10.84
$10.78 BHD 4.03
12.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bratislava
Manama
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$813 €729
$622 BHD 233
30.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.8K €16.9K
$10.9K BHD 4,091
72.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bratislava
Manama
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 €90.8
$50.1 BHD 18.74
102.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.09 €35.93
$58.0 BHD 21.71
-30.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 €91.8
$89.1 BHD 33.32
14.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 €97.4
$88.7 BHD 33.16
22.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bratislava
Manama
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,038 €930
$1,004 BHD 376
3.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$770 €690
$638 BHD 239
20.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 €1,709
$2,052 BHD 767
-7.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,369 €1,227
$1,303 BHD 487
5.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,240 €5,591
$2,590 BHD 969
140.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,056 €3,634
$1,974 BHD 738
105.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bratislava
Manama
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,647 €1,475
$2,384 BHD 892
-30.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.51
6.21
-43.48%

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

Last update for Bratislava: October 26, 2026

Last update for Manama: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bratislava
$770
Manama
$638 17.2% $132
Groceries & Markets
Bratislava
$301
Manama
$249 17.2% $52
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bratislava
$299
Manama
$213 28.8% $86
Eating Out
Bratislava
$203
Manama
$181 11% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Bratislava
$159
Manama
$129 18.9% $30
Sport & Entertainment
Bratislava
$81
Manama
$90 12.3% $9.9
Getting Around
Bratislava
$65
Manama
$62 4.9% $3.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,038 in Bratislava and $1,004 in Manama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manama pays 45% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68 in Bratislava vs $53 in Manama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $301 vs $249 per month, with Manama cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇸🇰 Bratislava
🇧🇭 Manama
🕒 Local time
14:05 2:05 PM
16:05 4:05 PM
2 h ahead of Bratislava
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
432,801 Capital
157,474 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Bahraini Dinar BHD .د.ب
Exchange rates and currency converter

BHD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Bahraini Dinar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.374 BHD (1 BHD = 2.67 USD). 1 EUR = 0.417 BHD (1 BHD = 2.4 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bratislava Manama 3,790 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bratislava
  • 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
Bratislava vs Manama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Bratislava or Manama?
Manama wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Bratislava. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Manama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Bratislava or in Manama?
On paper, salaries run 31% lower in Bratislava. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Bratislava compared to Manama?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,038 in Bratislava versus $1,004 in Manama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Bratislava and in Manama?
Dining out is cheaper in Manama – a meal for two runs $53 versus $68 in Bratislava. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Bratislava compared to Manama?
All in, you’ll spend $1,876 per month in Bratislava versus $1,561 in Manama – Manama is about 17% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Bratislava or in Manama?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Manama is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Bratislava or Manama?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
How safe is Bratislava compared to Manama?
Safety-wise, Bratislava and Manama are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Manama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Bratislava. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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