Cost of Living Comparison Between Manama and Al Hidd Cost of Living Comparison Between Manama and Al Hidd

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,479 in Manama versus $1,761 in Al Hidd.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,410 in Manama versus $2,233 in Al Hidd.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,340 in Manama versus $2,705 in Al Hidd.

Living in Manama costs roughly 16% less than in Al Hidd, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Manama 11% above, Al Hidd 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.57 BHD 2.48

$6.72 BHD 2.53

-2.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.0 BHD 19.60

$39.33 BHD 14.82

32.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 BHD 2.85

$7.46 BHD 2.81

1.34%

Cappuccino

$5.46 BHD 2.06

$2.73 BHD 1.03

100.00%

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

$0.79 BHD 0.30

$0.81 BHD 0.31

-2.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 BHD 0.14

$0.13 BHD 0.05

184.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.01 BHD 3.02

$8.08 BHD 3.05

-0.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.46 BHD 3.94

$10.41 BHD 3.92

0.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 BHD 0.62

$1.73 BHD 0.65

-4.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 BHD 0.50

$1.29 BHD 0.49

3.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 BHD 0.88

$2.32 BHD 0.87

0.86%

Eggs

$2.40 BHD 0.90

$2.47 BHD 0.93

-2.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.62 BHD 3.25

$8.77 BHD 3.31

-1.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.50 BHD 2.83

$7.88 BHD 2.97

-4.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.23 BHD 3.86

$10.07 BHD 3.79

1.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 BHD 0.92

$2.46 BHD 0.93

-0.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 BHD 0.79

$2.05 BHD 0.77

2.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 BHD 0.64

$1.74 BHD 0.66

-2.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 BHD 0.44

$1.21 BHD 0.46

-3.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 BHD 0.35

$0.88 BHD 0.33

4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 BHD 0.41

$1.04 BHD 0.39

3.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 BHD 0.54

$1.50 BHD 0.57

-4.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 BHD 0.34

$0.94 BHD 0.35

-3.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.48 BHD 2.44

$6.51 BHD 2.45

-0.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.75 BHD 7.07

$18.37 BHD 6.92

2.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 BHD 1.26

$3.47 BHD 1.31

-3.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 BHD 1.18

$3.18 BHD 1.20

-1.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 BHD 0.29

$1.55 BHD 0.59

-49.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.29 BHD 12.17

$52.9 BHD 19.95

-39.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.66 BHD 1.76

$4.67 BHD 1.76

-0.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.00 BHD 1.51

$3.95 BHD 1.49

1.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.04 BHD 9.81

$26.75 BHD 10.08

-2.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 BHD 0.20

$0.37 BHD 0.14

43.24%

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

$37.7K BHD 14.2K

$19.7K BHD 7,422

91.45%

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

$20.7K BHD 7,813

$20.6K BHD 7,778

0.45%

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

$122 BHD 46.06

$123 BHD 46.51

-0.96%

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

$26.99 BHD 10.17

$27.16 BHD 10.24

-0.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.99 BHD 14.70

$38.86 BHD 14.65

0.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 BHD 26.90

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.42 BHD 16.74

$53.8 BHD 20.29

-17.47%

Cinema Ticket

$10.53 BHD 3.97

$10.74 BHD 4.05

-1.96%

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

$394 BHD 148

$384 BHD 145

2.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,780 BHD 3,309

-0.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.27 BHD 17.44

$45.44 BHD 17.13

1.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 BHD 23.19

$62.3 BHD 23.47

-1.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.8 BHD 31.21

$82.6 BHD 31.15

0.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 BHD 33.71

$89.1 BHD 33.56

0.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 BHD 303

$663 BHD 250

21.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 BHD 207

$936 BHD 353

-41.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,794 BHD 676

$808 BHD 305

122.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 BHD 455

$783 BHD 295

54.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,668 BHD 1,006

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,960 BHD 739

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,276 BHD 858

$1,944 BHD 733

17.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.56

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

Last update for Manama: July 14, 2026

Last update for Al Hidd: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $803 in Manama and $663 in Al Hidd. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manama pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Manama vs $39.00 in Al Hidd. Groceries flip the comparison at $262 vs $265, with Manama cheaper for home cooking.

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

Manama vs Al Hidd: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manama is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 17% higher in Manama, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $803 in Manama versus $663 in Al Hidd. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Manama runs roughly 64% less than in Al Hidd. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $394 in Manama versus $384 in Al Hidd. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,479 in Manama versus $1,761 in Al Hidd, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Manama but tight or insufficient in Al Hidd. The gap between the two cities makes Manama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Manama and Al Hidd are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Manama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Al Hidd. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.