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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,479 in Manama versus $1,219 in Al Muharraq.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,410 in Manama versus $1,752 in Al Muharraq.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,340 in Manama versus $2,284 in Al Muharraq.

Living in Manama is roughly 21% more expensive than in Al Muharraq, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Manama is 11% above, Al Muharraq is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.57 BHD 2.48

$4.09 BHD 1.54

60.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.0 BHD 19.60

$26.83 BHD 10.11

93.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 BHD 2.85

$5.29 BHD 1.99

42.91%

Cappuccino

$5.46 BHD 2.06

$4.07 BHD 1.53

34.15%

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

$0.79 BHD 0.30

$0.85 BHD 0.32

-7.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 BHD 0.14

$0.36 BHD 0.14

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.01 BHD 3.02

$5.36 BHD 2.02

49.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.46 BHD 3.94

$7.82 BHD 2.95

33.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 BHD 0.62

$1.30 BHD 0.49

26.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 BHD 0.50

$0.52 BHD 0.20

155.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 BHD 0.88

$2.32 BHD 0.87

0.86%

Eggs

$2.40 BHD 0.90

$2.33 BHD 0.88

3.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.62 BHD 3.25

$4.62 BHD 1.74

86.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.50 BHD 2.83

$5.15 BHD 1.94

45.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.23 BHD 3.86

$7.93 BHD 2.99

29.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 BHD 0.92

$1.20 BHD 0.45

104.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 BHD 0.79

$1.59 BHD 0.60

32.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 BHD 0.64

$1.07 BHD 0.40

58.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 BHD 0.44

$1.22 BHD 0.46

-4.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 BHD 0.35

$0.76 BHD 0.29

21.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 BHD 0.41

$0.52 BHD 0.20

107.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 BHD 0.54

$1.16 BHD 0.44

24.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 BHD 0.34

$0.51 BHD 0.19

78.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.48 BHD 2.44

$5.27 BHD 1.99

22.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.75 BHD 7.07

$18.78 BHD 7.08

-0.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 BHD 1.26

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 BHD 1.18

$3.16 BHD 1.19

-0.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 BHD 0.29

$0.83 BHD 0.31

-6.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.29 BHD 12.17

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.66 BHD 1.76

$4.70 BHD 1.77

-0.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.00 BHD 1.51

$2.69 BHD 1.01

48.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.04 BHD 9.81

$5.23 BHD 1.97

397.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 BHD 0.20

$0.44 BHD 0.17

20.45%

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

$37.7K BHD 14.2K

$37.0K BHD 14.0K

1.79%

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

$20.7K BHD 7,813

$15.6K BHD 5,896

32.52%

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

$122 BHD 46.06

$105 BHD 39.71

16.00%

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

$26.99 BHD 10.17

$21.06 BHD 7.94

28.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.99 BHD 14.70

$39.15 BHD 14.76

-0.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 BHD 26.90

$52.3 BHD 19.72

36.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.42 BHD 16.74

Cinema Ticket

$10.53 BHD 3.97

$7.15 BHD 2.70

47.27%

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

$394 BHD 148

$387 BHD 146

1.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,780 BHD 3,309

$5,944 BHD 2,240

47.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.27 BHD 17.44

$26.95 BHD 10.16

71.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 BHD 23.19

$63.9 BHD 24.09

-3.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.8 BHD 31.21

$83.4 BHD 31.44

-0.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 BHD 33.71

$90.3 BHD 34.02

-0.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 BHD 303

$608 BHD 229

32.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 BHD 207

$504 BHD 190

8.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,794 BHD 676

$969 BHD 365

85.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 BHD 455

$790 BHD 298

52.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,668 BHD 1,006

$2,011 BHD 758

32.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,960 BHD 739

$1,612 BHD 608

21.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,276 BHD 858

$1,549 BHD 584

46.96%

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 Muharraq: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $803 in Manama and $608 in Al Muharraq. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manama pays 47% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Manama vs $27.00 in Al Muharraq for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $262 vs $201 per month, with Al Muharraq cheaper across the board.

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 Muharraq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manama and Al Muharraq differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,479 vs $1,219 including rent). Al Muharraq is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 47% 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 $608 in Al Muharraq. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Manama. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,479 per month in Manama versus $1,219 in Al Muharraq – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,219 in Al Muharraq versus $1,479 in Manama, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al Muharraq but tight or insufficient in Manama. The gap between the two cities makes Al Muharraq 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 Muharraq 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 Al Muharraq gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Manama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.