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

Name: Bahrain
Address: BH

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $713 in China versus $1,139 in Bahrain.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,132 in China versus $1,802 in Bahrain.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,551 in China versus $2,464 in Bahrain.

Living in China costs about 37% less than in Bahrain on average.

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

Internal cost variation is higher in Bahrain: monthly costs span $62.0 to $1,993, compared to $535–$1,206 in China. City choice carries more weight in Bahrain.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 ¥19.36

$6.97 BHD 2.63

-58.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.29 ¥158

$53.5 BHD 20.15

-56.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 ¥32.66

$7.89 BHD 2.97

-38.78%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.52

$4.83 BHD 1.82

-37.06%

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

$0.45 ¥3.03

$0.83 BHD 0.31

-45.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$0.39 BHD 0.15

-30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ¥6.71

$8.04 BHD 3.03

-87.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥13.74

$10.59 BHD 3.99

-80.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.86

$1.67 BHD 0.63

4.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ¥11.31

$1.34 BHD 0.50

24.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.56

$2.60 BHD 0.98

-62.69%

Eggs

$1.54 ¥10.45

$2.62 BHD 0.99

-41.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.30 ¥89.9

$9.35 BHD 3.52

42.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 ¥21.69

$7.60 BHD 2.86

-57.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 ¥73.0

$11.25 BHD 4.24

-4.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.27

$2.57 BHD 0.97

-29.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ¥8.84

$2.16 BHD 0.82

-39.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.15

$2.11 BHD 0.80

-28.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.74

$1.35 BHD 0.51

-15.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.90

$1.00 BHD 0.38

-27.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 ¥5.86

$1.06 BHD 0.40

-17.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ¥3.85

$1.69 BHD 0.64

-66.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.70 BHD 0.26

-22.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.53 ¥23.88

$6.30 BHD 2.37

-43.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.71 ¥79.2

$20.90 BHD 7.88

-43.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥5.67

$3.18 BHD 1.20

-73.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.29

$3.38 BHD 1.28

-50.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.75

$0.83 BHD 0.31

-50.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.78 ¥141

$31.28 BHD 11.79

-33.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.21

$5.45 BHD 2.06

-75.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.21

$3.94 BHD 1.49

-91.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 ¥46.40

$33.79 BHD 12.74

-79.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.57

$0.52 BHD 0.19

115.38%

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

$19.2K ¥129.8K

$33.8K BHD 12.8K

-43.29%

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

$16.9K ¥114.4K

$21.1K BHD 7,951

-19.79%

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

$51.8 ¥350

$123 BHD 46.22

-57.76%

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

$9.85 ¥66.6

$27.30 BHD 10.29

-63.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.13 ¥75.3

$40.74 BHD 15.35

-72.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.10 ¥264

$78.7 BHD 29.65

-50.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.89 ¥101

$52.1 BHD 19.65

-71.44%

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 ¥42.24

$10.55 BHD 3.98

-40.76%

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

$404 ¥2,732

$449 BHD 169

-9.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ¥120.5K

$8,721 BHD 3,287

104.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.11 ¥312

$47.03 BHD 17.72

-1.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.27 ¥218

$56.7 BHD 21.36

-43.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 ¥491

$86.1 BHD 32.44

-15.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 ¥493

$87.7 BHD 33.05

-16.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥3,009

$860 BHD 324

-48.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 ¥1,727

$609 BHD 229

-58.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ¥6,266

$1,696 BHD 639

-45.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$532 ¥3,600

$1,133 BHD 427

-53.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,943 ¥33.4K

$2,630 BHD 991

87.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,492 ¥16.9K

$1,867 BHD 704

33.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,057 ¥7,148

$2,220 BHD 837

-52.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

7.97

-49.06%

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

Last update for China: June 6, 2026

Last update for Bahrain: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $286 in China, $476 in Bahrain. Capital cities: $913 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $801 in Manama.

National salary averages: $862 in China, $2,214 in Bahrain. 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 157% 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

China vs Bahrain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,028 per month in Bahrain and $871 in China, there's a 18% 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.