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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,944 per month in Doha vs $1,479 in Manama, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,080 per month in Doha vs $2,410 in Manama, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,216 per month in Doha vs $3,340 in Manama, rent included.

Doha costs about 31% more than Manama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Doha and Manama sit above the global median – Doha by 46%, Manama by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.76 QAR 24.61

$6.57 BHD 2.48

2.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 QAR 197

$52.0 BHD 19.60

3.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 QAR 25.35

$7.56 BHD 2.85

-7.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.62 QAR 42.29

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.90 QAR 39.66

Cappuccino

$4.97 QAR 18.10

$5.46 BHD 2.06

-8.97%

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

$0.86 QAR 3.13

$0.79 BHD 0.30

8.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 QAR 1.20

$0.37 BHD 0.14

-10.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.01 BHD 3.02

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.46 BHD 3.94

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 QAR 7.44

$1.65 BHD 0.62

23.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 QAR 5.95

$1.33 BHD 0.50

23.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 QAR 8.01

$2.34 BHD 0.88

-5.98%

Eggs

$2.67 QAR 9.70

$2.40 BHD 0.90

11.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.57 QAR 42.12

$8.62 BHD 3.25

34.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 QAR 28.80

$7.50 BHD 2.83

5.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 QAR 39.04

$10.23 BHD 3.86

4.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 QAR 7.40

$2.45 BHD 0.92

-17.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 QAR 5.91

$2.10 BHD 0.79

-22.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 QAR 5.56

$1.70 BHD 0.64

-10.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 QAR 5.06

$1.17 BHD 0.44

18.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 QAR 3.77

$0.92 BHD 0.35

11.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 QAR 4.07

$1.08 BHD 0.41

3.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 QAR 4.86

$1.44 BHD 0.54

-6.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 QAR 1.75

$0.91 BHD 0.34

-47.25%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.16 QAR 37.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 QAR 6.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 QAR 10.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.35 QAR 23.12

$6.48 BHD 2.44

-2.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.75 BHD 7.07

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 BHD 1.26

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 BHD 1.18

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 QAR 2.08

$0.78 BHD 0.29

-26.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.81 QAR 119

$32.29 BHD 12.17

1.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 QAR 8.15

$4.66 BHD 1.76

-51.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 QAR 7.77

$4.00 BHD 1.51

-46.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 QAR 49.81

$26.04 BHD 9.81

-47.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 QAR 2.15

$0.53 BHD 0.20

11.32%

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

$22.2K QAR 80.9K

$37.7K BHD 14.2K

-41.07%

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

$20.4K QAR 74.3K

$20.7K BHD 7,813

-1.50%

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

$93.4 QAR 340

$122 BHD 46.06

-23.57%

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

$37.55 QAR 137

$26.99 BHD 10.17

39.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.7 QAR 323

$38.99 BHD 14.70

127.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 QAR 435

$71.4 BHD 26.90

67.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.64 QAR 115

$44.42 BHD 16.74

-28.77%

Cinema Ticket

$12.46 QAR 45.34

$10.53 BHD 3.97

18.33%

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

$802 QAR 2,918

$394 BHD 148

103.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K QAR 42.3K

$8,780 BHD 3,309

32.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 QAR 223

$46.27 BHD 17.44

32.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 QAR 200

$61.5 BHD 23.19

-10.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 QAR 365

$82.8 BHD 31.21

21.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.2 QAR 328

$89.4 BHD 33.71

0.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,638 QAR 5,963

$803 BHD 303

103.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 QAR 3,872

$548 BHD 207

94.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,901 QAR 10.6K

$1,794 BHD 676

61.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 QAR 7,636

$1,208 BHD 455

73.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,212 QAR 15.3K

$2,668 BHD 1,006

57.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,509 QAR 9,134

$1,960 BHD 739

28.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,128 QAR 11.4K

$2,276 BHD 858

37.45%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Manama: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,638 in Doha versus $803 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 37% 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 $52.0 in Manama. Groceries tell a different story – $212 in Doha vs $262 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 31%, 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 $2,916 per month in Doha and $2,218 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 2% less in Manama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $802 per month in Doha and $394 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 $1,479, than in Doha at $1,944. 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.