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: $1,496 in Manama versus $1,213 in Al Muharraq.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,408 in Manama versus $1,756 in Al Muharraq.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,319 in Manama versus $2,299 in Al Muharraq.

Living in Manama is roughly 23% more expensive than Al Muharraq, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Manama is 12% above, Al Muharraq is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.48 BHD 2.44

$4.00 BHD 1.51

62.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 BHD 20.16

$26.62 BHD 10.04

100.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 BHD 2.74

$5.19 BHD 1.96

40.08%

Cappuccino

$5.34 BHD 2.01

$3.90 BHD 1.47

36.92%

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

$0.87 BHD 0.33

$0.84 BHD 0.32

3.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 BHD 0.14

$0.39 BHD 0.15

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 BHD 3.05

$5.44 BHD 2.05

48.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.54 BHD 3.97

$8.05 BHD 3.04

30.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 BHD 0.64

$1.34 BHD 0.51

27.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 BHD 0.48

$0.55 BHD 0.21

130.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 BHD 0.91

$2.31 BHD 0.87

5.19%

Eggs

$2.47 BHD 0.93

$2.45 BHD 0.92

0.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.59 BHD 3.24

$4.45 BHD 1.68

93.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.74 BHD 2.92

$5.05 BHD 1.90

53.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 BHD 3.88

$8.17 BHD 3.08

25.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 BHD 0.89

$1.22 BHD 0.46

93.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 BHD 0.79

$1.67 BHD 0.63

26.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 BHD 0.67

$1.10 BHD 0.41

60.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 BHD 0.44

$1.16 BHD 0.44

1.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 BHD 0.35

$0.81 BHD 0.31

14.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 BHD 0.41

$0.53 BHD 0.20

105.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 BHD 0.55

$1.21 BHD 0.46

20.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 BHD 0.32

$0.51 BHD 0.19

68.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 BHD 2.48

$5.20 BHD 1.96

26.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 BHD 7.12

$18.50 BHD 6.97

2.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.44 BHD 1.30

$3.34 BHD 1.26

2.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 BHD 1.24

$3.19 BHD 1.20

3.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 BHD 0.31

$0.84 BHD 0.31

-1.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.28 BHD 11.79

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 BHD 1.72

$4.57 BHD 1.72

0.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.96 BHD 1.49

$2.59 BHD 0.98

52.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.86 BHD 10.13

$5.19 BHD 1.96

417.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 BHD 0.19

$0.43 BHD 0.16

20.93%

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

$36.8K BHD 13.9K

0.04%

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

$20.7K BHD 7,796

$15.9K BHD 5,976

30.46%

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

$121 BHD 45.53

$105 BHD 39.57

15.05%

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

$26.86 BHD 10.13

$21.38 BHD 8.06

25.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.52 BHD 14.52

$38.44 BHD 14.49

0.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.0 BHD 26.78

$52.1 BHD 19.63

36.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.13 BHD 17.01

Cinema Ticket

$10.78 BHD 4.06

$7.50 BHD 2.83

43.73%

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

$382 BHD 144

$388 BHD 146

-1.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,953 BHD 3,375

$5,915 BHD 2,230

51.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.73 BHD 17.62

$27.00 BHD 10.18

73.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.8 BHD 24.03

$62.6 BHD 23.59

1.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 BHD 31.98

$82.9 BHD 31.24

2.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 BHD 33.47

$88.9 BHD 33.51

-0.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$818 BHD 308

$612 BHD 231

33.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 BHD 211

$502 BHD 189

11.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,791 BHD 675

$964 BHD 363

85.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 BHD 469

$801 BHD 302

55.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,629 BHD 991

$1,998 BHD 753

31.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,941 BHD 732

$1,617 BHD 610

20.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,360 BHD 890

$1,574 BHD 593

49.99%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al Muharraq: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $818 in Manama and $612 in Al Muharraq. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manama pays 50% 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: $53.0 in Manama vs $27.00 in Al Muharraq for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $265 vs $202 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 23% in total monthly costs ($1,496 vs $1,213 including rent). Al Muharraq is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Manama pays 50% more on average, 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: $818 in Manama versus $612 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 $1,496 per month in Manama versus $1,213 in Al Muharraq – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,213 in Al Muharraq versus $1,496 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 23% less than in Manama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.