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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,143 per month in Doha vs $1,606 in Manama, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,349 per month in Doha vs $2,517 in Manama, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,555 per month in Doha vs $3,428 in Manama, rent included.

Doha costs about 33% more than Manama, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Doha and Manama sit above the global median – Doha by 57%, Manama by 17%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.79 QAR 39.29

$6.67 BHD 2.52

61.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 QAR 259

$52.1 BHD 19.64

36.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 QAR 30.55

$7.30 BHD 2.75

14.93%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.36 QAR 44.99

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.32 QAR 48.49

Cappuccino

$5.88 QAR 21.41

$4.82 BHD 1.82

21.99%

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

$0.93 QAR 3.40

$0.84 BHD 0.32

10.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 QAR 1.60

$0.33 BHD 0.12

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.65 BHD 2.51

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.84 BHD 3.71

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 QAR 7.54

$1.43 BHD 0.54

44.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 QAR 5.13

$1.06 BHD 0.40

33.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 QAR 7.20

$2.30 BHD 0.87

-13.91%

Eggs

$3.46 QAR 12.60

$2.22 BHD 0.84

55.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 QAR 40.63

$8.78 BHD 3.31

27.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 QAR 29.96

$6.33 BHD 2.39

30.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.04 QAR 40.20

$8.45 BHD 3.19

30.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 QAR 7.81

$2.39 BHD 0.90

-10.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 QAR 6.71

$2.35 BHD 0.89

-21.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 QAR 5.56

$1.88 BHD 0.71

-18.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 QAR 4.48

$1.44 BHD 0.54

-14.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 QAR 3.39

$1.06 BHD 0.40

-12.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 QAR 3.71

$1.43 BHD 0.54

-28.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 QAR 5.18

$1.55 BHD 0.59

-8.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 QAR 1.89

$0.78 BHD 0.29

-33.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.61 QAR 34.97

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 QAR 6.72

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 QAR 8.46

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.32 QAR 22.99

$5.18 BHD 1.95

22.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.37 BHD 6.92

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.47 BHD 1.31

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 BHD 0.99

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 QAR 2.05

$0.64 BHD 0.24

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.68 QAR 101

$37.78 BHD 14.24

-26.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 QAR 7.16

$5.38 BHD 2.03

-63.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 QAR 7.42

$3.51 BHD 1.32

-41.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.92 QAR 50.7

$15.79 BHD 5.95

-11.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 QAR 2.14

$0.64 BHD 0.24

-7.81%

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

$27.6K QAR 100.4K

$37.3K BHD 14.0K

-25.98%

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

$21.9K QAR 79.9K

$20.4K BHD 7,674

7.75%

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

$87.1 QAR 317

$154 BHD 57.9

-43.35%

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

$35.75 QAR 130

$24.27 BHD 9.15

47.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.9 QAR 313

$34.61 BHD 13.04

148.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$130 QAR 473

$61.8 BHD 23.30

110.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.06 QAR 65.7

$30.54 BHD 11.51

-40.86%

Cinema Ticket

$12.31 QAR 44.81

$10.77 BHD 4.06

14.30%

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

$696 QAR 2,532

$495 BHD 187

40.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,952 QAR 36.2K

$10.9K BHD 4,096

-8.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 QAR 222

$50.5 BHD 19.05

20.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 QAR 185

$57.7 BHD 21.74

-11.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 QAR 384

$87.2 BHD 32.85

20.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.3 QAR 314

$91.0 BHD 34.29

-5.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 QAR 7,189

$1,002 BHD 378

97.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 QAR 4,381

$643 BHD 242

87.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,467 QAR 12.6K

$2,079 BHD 783

66.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,275 QAR 8,280

$1,381 BHD 521

64.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,080 QAR 14.9K

$2,652 BHD 1,000

53.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,451 QAR 8,923

$1,959 BHD 738

25.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,273 QAR 11.9K

$2,273 BHD 857

43.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

6.21

-5.31%

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

Last update for Doha: September 13, 2026

Last update for Manama: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,975 in Doha versus $1,002 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 44% 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 $71.0 in Doha versus $52.0 in Manama. Groceries tell a different story – $215 in Doha vs $248 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 33%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,214 per month in Doha and $2,410 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 36% less in Manama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $696 per month in Doha and $495 in Manama. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Manama, where all-in costs run around $1,606, than in Doha at $2,143. 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.