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: $1,555 in Manama versus $1,077 in Al Muharraq.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,484 in Manama versus $1,603 in Al Muharraq.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,413 in Manama versus $2,129 in Al Muharraq.

Living in Manama is roughly 44% more expensive than in Al Muharraq, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Manama is 13% above, Al Muharraq is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.78 BHD 2.56

$2.57 BHD 0.97

163.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 BHD 20.17

$26.31 BHD 9.92

103.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.59 BHD 2.86

$5.88 BHD 2.22

29.08%

Cappuccino

$4.88 BHD 1.84

$3.87 BHD 1.46

26.10%

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

$0.88 BHD 0.33

$0.82 BHD 0.31

7.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 BHD 0.11

$0.32 BHD 0.12

-6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.80 BHD 2.56

$6.70 BHD 2.52

1.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.22 BHD 3.85

$6.78 BHD 2.55

50.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 BHD 0.55

$1.31 BHD 0.49

11.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 BHD 0.41

$1.06 BHD 0.40

3.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 BHD 0.86

$2.35 BHD 0.88

-2.55%

Eggs

$2.31 BHD 0.87

$2.23 BHD 0.84

3.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 BHD 3.34

$3.60 BHD 1.36

146.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.60 BHD 2.49

$4.86 BHD 1.83

35.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.55 BHD 3.22

$8.68 BHD 3.27

-1.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 BHD 0.90

$1.08 BHD 0.41

122.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 BHD 0.86

$1.89 BHD 0.71

20.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 BHD 0.73

$1.04 BHD 0.39

86.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 BHD 0.55

$1.45 BHD 0.55

0.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 BHD 0.38

$1.00 BHD 0.38

2.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 BHD 0.54

$0.51 BHD 0.19

180.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 BHD 0.57

$0.50 BHD 0.19

202.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 BHD 0.29

$0.51 BHD 0.19

52.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.27 BHD 1.99

$5.39 BHD 2.03

-2.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.59 BHD 7.01

$18.90 BHD 7.12

-1.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.50 BHD 1.32

$3.65 BHD 1.38

-4.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 BHD 0.97

$2.68 BHD 1.01

-3.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 BHD 0.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.84 BHD 14.26

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 BHD 1.98

$5.19 BHD 1.96

0.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.52 BHD 1.33

$1.36 BHD 0.51

158.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.09 BHD 6.06

$5.32 BHD 2.00

202.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 BHD 0.24

$0.51 BHD 0.19

25.49%

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

$36.4K BHD 13.7K

$37.2K BHD 14.0K

-2.27%

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

$20.8K BHD 7,829

$20.1K BHD 7,582

3.26%

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

$151 BHD 56.9

$154 BHD 58.0

-1.99%

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

$24.64 BHD 9.29

$20.94 BHD 7.89

17.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.82 BHD 13.12

$34.50 BHD 13.00

0.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.3 BHD 23.49

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.02 BHD 11.31

Cinema Ticket

$10.59 BHD 3.99

$10.54 BHD 3.97

0.47%

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

$488 BHD 184

$496 BHD 187

-1.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K BHD 4,059

$11.0K BHD 4,132

-1.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 BHD 19.21

$51.7 BHD 19.47

-1.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 BHD 21.65

$57.0 BHD 21.50

0.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 BHD 32.99

$88.4 BHD 33.33

-1.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 BHD 34.13

$90.5 BHD 34.11

0.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$997 BHD 376

$460 BHD 173

116.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$649 BHD 245

$365 BHD 138

77.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,076 BHD 783

$1,014 BHD 382

104.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,387 BHD 523

$725 BHD 273

91.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,576 BHD 971

$1,997 BHD 753

28.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,960 BHD 739

$1,592 BHD 600

23.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,337 BHD 881

$1,763 BHD 664

32.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

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

Last update for Manama: September 7, 2026

Last update for Al Muharraq: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $997 in Manama and $460 in Al Muharraq. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manama pays 33% 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: $54.0 in Manama vs $26.00 in Al Muharraq for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $205 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 44% in total monthly costs ($1,555 vs $1,077 including rent). Al Muharraq is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 33% 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: $997 in Manama versus $460 in Al Muharraq. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Manama. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,555 per month in Manama versus $1,077 in Al Muharraq – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,077 in Al Muharraq versus $1,555 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 44% less than in Manama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.