Cost of Living Comparison Between Doha and Manama Cost of Living Comparison Between Doha and Manama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,003 per month in Doha vs $1,496 in Manama, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,069 per month in Doha vs $2,408 in Manama, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,134 per month in Doha vs $3,319 in Manama, rent included.

Doha costs about 34% more than Manama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Doha and Manama sit above the global median – Doha by 49%, Manama by 12%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.77 QAR 24.64

$6.48 BHD 2.44

4.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 QAR 196

$53.5 BHD 20.16

0.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 QAR 24.69

$7.27 BHD 2.74

-6.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.76 QAR 42.80

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.10 QAR 40.40

Cappuccino

$4.98 QAR 18.14

$5.34 BHD 2.01

-6.74%

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

$0.84 QAR 3.07

$0.87 BHD 0.33

-3.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 QAR 1.13

$0.36 BHD 0.14

-13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 BHD 3.05

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.54 BHD 3.97

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 QAR 7.44

$1.71 BHD 0.64

19.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 QAR 5.92

$1.27 BHD 0.48

28.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 QAR 7.82

$2.43 BHD 0.91

-11.52%

Eggs

$2.62 QAR 9.55

$2.47 BHD 0.93

6.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.34 QAR 41.26

$8.59 BHD 3.24

32.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.55 QAR 27.48

$7.74 BHD 2.92

-2.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 QAR 37.97

$10.28 BHD 3.88

1.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 QAR 7.21

$2.36 BHD 0.89

-16.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 QAR 5.73

$2.11 BHD 0.79

-25.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 QAR 5.77

$1.77 BHD 0.67

-10.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 QAR 5.26

$1.18 BHD 0.44

22.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 QAR 3.57

$0.93 BHD 0.35

5.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 QAR 3.88

$1.09 BHD 0.41

-1.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 QAR 5.03

$1.46 BHD 0.55

-5.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 QAR 1.66

$0.86 BHD 0.32

-46.51%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.27 QAR 30.10

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 QAR 6.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 QAR 10.92

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 QAR 23.53

$6.58 BHD 2.48

-1.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 BHD 7.12

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.44 BHD 1.30

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 BHD 1.24

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 QAR 1.91

$0.83 BHD 0.31

-36.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.91 QAR 120

$31.28 BHD 11.79

5.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 QAR 8.11

$4.58 BHD 1.72

-51.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 QAR 8.07

$3.96 BHD 1.49

-43.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.60 QAR 49.50

$26.86 BHD 10.13

-49.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 QAR 2.16

$0.52 BHD 0.19

13.46%

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

$22.2K QAR 80.7K

$36.8K BHD 13.9K

-39.77%

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

$20.3K QAR 73.9K

$20.7K BHD 7,796

-1.82%

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

$93.5 QAR 340

$121 BHD 45.53

-22.60%

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

$37.48 QAR 136

$26.86 BHD 10.13

39.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 QAR 313

$38.52 BHD 14.52

123.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 QAR 436

$71.0 BHD 26.78

68.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.38 QAR 118

$45.13 BHD 17.01

-28.25%

Cinema Ticket

$12.20 QAR 44.41

$10.78 BHD 4.06

13.17%

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

$794 QAR 2,891

$382 BHD 144

107.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K QAR 42.7K

$8,953 BHD 3,375

31.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 QAR 227

$46.73 BHD 17.62

33.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 QAR 199

$63.8 BHD 24.03

-14.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.4 QAR 362

$84.8 BHD 31.98

17.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.2 QAR 328

$88.8 BHD 33.47

1.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,609 QAR 5,857

$818 BHD 308

96.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 QAR 3,983

$559 BHD 211

95.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,926 QAR 10.7K

$1,791 BHD 675

63.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,079 QAR 7,567

$1,244 BHD 469

67.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,471 QAR 16.3K

$2,629 BHD 991

70.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,709 QAR 9,860

$1,941 BHD 732

39.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,111 QAR 11.3K

$2,360 BHD 890

31.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

8.56

-28.97%

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

Last update for Doha: May 31, 2026

Last update for Manama: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,609 in Doha versus $818 in Manama. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 32% higher in Doha, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Doha versus $53.0 in Manama. Groceries tell a different story – $208 in Doha vs $265 in Manama – so Doha wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Doha vs Manama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Doha is pricier by about 34%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,004 per month in Doha and $2,243 in Manama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Manama, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Manama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $794 per month in Doha and $382 in Manama. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Manama, where all-in costs run around $1,496, than in Doha at $2,003. In Manama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Doha it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Manama – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Manama. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Doha makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.