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: $712 in China versus $1,138 in Bahrain.

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

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,549 in China versus $2,473 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 $1,975, compared to $533–$1,212 in China. City choice carries more weight in Bahrain.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.77 ¥18.72

$7.33 BHD 2.76

-62.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.05 ¥162

$52.2 BHD 19.67

-53.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 ¥31.93

$8.14 BHD 3.07

-41.89%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥20.78

$5.08 BHD 1.91

-39.37%

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

$0.44 ¥3.00

$0.83 BHD 0.31

-46.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.38 BHD 0.14

-23.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ¥6.80

$7.78 BHD 2.93

-87.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ¥14.03

$10.58 BHD 3.99

-80.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ¥12.39

$1.70 BHD 0.64

7.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ¥10.94

$1.37 BHD 0.51

18.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.58

$2.60 BHD 0.98

-62.69%

Eggs

$1.61 ¥10.90

$2.52 BHD 0.95

-36.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 ¥90.1

$9.27 BHD 3.49

43.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 ¥22.75

$7.67 BHD 2.89

-56.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 ¥72.2

$11.23 BHD 4.23

-4.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.26

$2.52 BHD 0.95

-28.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 ¥8.44

$2.18 BHD 0.82

-42.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.88

$2.11 BHD 0.80

-30.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.73

$1.34 BHD 0.51

-14.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.92

$0.92 BHD 0.35

-20.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 ¥5.99

$1.09 BHD 0.41

-18.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ¥4.05

$1.65 BHD 0.62

-63.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.59

$0.65 BHD 0.24

-18.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ¥22.93

$6.44 BHD 2.43

-47.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.73 ¥79.3

$21.34 BHD 8.04

-45.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥5.23

$3.07 BHD 1.16

-74.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥10.98

$3.42 BHD 1.29

-52.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.77

$0.83 BHD 0.31

-50.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.24 ¥143

$31.88 BHD 12.02

-33.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ¥9.13

$5.25 BHD 1.98

-74.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.40

$3.94 BHD 1.49

-90.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.70 ¥45.26

$33.24 BHD 12.53

-79.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.98

$0.52 BHD 0.20

126.92%

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

$19.8K ¥133.4K

$35.0K BHD 13.2K

-43.55%

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

$16.5K ¥111.7K

$20.5K BHD 7,720

-19.25%

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

$51.7 ¥349

$123 BHD 46.48

-58.03%

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

$10.09 ¥68.2

$26.50 BHD 9.99

-61.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.38 ¥76.9

$40.60 BHD 15.31

-71.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.24 ¥265

$78.7 BHD 29.66

-50.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.84 ¥100

$52.4 BHD 19.75

-71.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 ¥42.56

$10.51 BHD 3.96

-40.06%

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

$414 ¥2,795

$440 BHD 166

-5.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K ¥117.6K

$8,633 BHD 3,254

101.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.77 ¥316

$46.62 BHD 17.58

0.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.08 ¥223

$55.3 BHD 20.85

-40.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.9 ¥479

$88.5 BHD 33.37

-19.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 ¥503

$86.0 BHD 32.41

-13.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 ¥2,972

$870 BHD 328

-49.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 ¥1,707

$602 BHD 227

-58.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$911 ¥6,153

$1,716 BHD 647

-46.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ¥3,584

$1,137 BHD 429

-53.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,778 ¥32.3K

$2,610 BHD 984

83.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,403 ¥16.2K

$1,862 BHD 702

29.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,058 ¥7,144

$2,177 BHD 821

-51.41%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Bahrain: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

National salary averages: $857 in China, $2,234 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 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

China vs Bahrain: 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.