Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manama and 'ali

For one person, living is cheaper in 'ali: $818 a month against $1,552 in Manama, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

76

Cost of Living Index in Manama
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Manama Living Index
40

Cost of Living Index in 'ali
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'ali Living Index

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Manama

🇧🇭 Bahrain

$1,552

/mo nomad

'ali

🇧🇭 Bahrain

$818

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manama and in 'ali

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Manama and in 'ali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,552 per month in Manama vs $818 in 'ali, rent included.

Manama $1,552
'ali $818

A couple spends around $2,482 per month in Manama vs $1,299 in 'ali, rent included.

Manama $2,482
'ali $1,299

A family of three spends $3,412 per month in Manama vs $1,779 in 'ali, rent included.

Manama $3,412
'ali $1,779

Manama costs about 90% more than 'ali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Manama sits 15% above the global median, while 'ali is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.36 BHD 2.02

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.4 BHD 20.15

$53.3 BHD 20.13

0.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.39 BHD 2.79

$7.44 BHD 2.81

-0.67%

Cappuccino

$4.91 BHD 1.85

$5.01 BHD 1.89

-2.00%

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

$0.90 BHD 0.34

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 BHD 0.11

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.44 BHD 2.43

$6.73 BHD 2.54

-4.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.13 BHD 3.82

$10.18 BHD 3.84

-0.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 BHD 0.53

$1.42 BHD 0.54

-2.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 BHD 0.41

$1.07 BHD 0.40

1.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 BHD 0.85

Eggs

$2.32 BHD 0.87

$2.22 BHD 0.84

4.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.46 BHD 3.19

$8.64 BHD 3.26

-2.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 BHD 2.47

$6.45 BHD 2.44

1.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 BHD 3.21

$8.86 BHD 3.34

-3.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 BHD 0.90

$2.30 BHD 0.87

3.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 BHD 0.84

$2.31 BHD 0.87

-3.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 BHD 0.72

$1.92 BHD 0.73

-1.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 BHD 0.52

$1.40 BHD 0.53

-0.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 BHD 0.38

$1.04 BHD 0.39

-2.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 BHD 0.53

$1.35 BHD 0.51

4.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 BHD 0.58

$1.50 BHD 0.57

2.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 BHD 0.30

$0.78 BHD 0.30

1.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.44 BHD 2.05

$5.32 BHD 2.01

2.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.64 BHD 7.03

$18.80 BHD 7.10

-0.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 BHD 1.34

$3.61 BHD 1.36

-1.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 BHD 0.99

$2.57 BHD 0.97

2.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 BHD 0.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.77 BHD 14.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 BHD 2.02

$5.42 BHD 2.05

-1.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.51 BHD 1.33

$3.46 BHD 1.31

1.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.94 BHD 6.02

$15.80 BHD 5.96

0.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 BHD 0.26

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

$36.6K BHD 13.8K

$36.7K BHD 13.9K

-0.41%

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

$20.6K BHD 7,776

$20.1K BHD 7,592

2.42%

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

$154 BHD 58.1

$151 BHD 57.0

2.07%

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

$24.90 BHD 9.40

$24.17 BHD 9.12

3.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.92 BHD 13.18

$35.75 BHD 13.49

-2.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.0 BHD 23.41

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.30 BHD 11.44

Cinema Ticket

$10.66 BHD 4.02

$10.67 BHD 4.03

-0.09%

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

$480 BHD 181

$495 BHD 187

-2.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K BHD 4,089

$11.2K BHD 4,228

-3.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 BHD 19.10

$51.9 BHD 19.58

-2.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.6 BHD 22.11

$57.3 BHD 21.62

2.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 BHD 33.31

$89.2 BHD 33.66

-1.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 BHD 33.55

$89.2 BHD 33.67

-0.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 BHD 382

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 BHD 239

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 BHD 763

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,402 BHD 529

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,620 BHD 989

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,970 BHD 744

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,308 BHD 871

$3,823 BHD 1,443

-39.63%

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: October 11, 2026

Last update for 'ali: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Manama

$633 40.8%

'ali

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Manama

$248 16%

'ali

$250 30.5% 0.5% $1.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manama

$214 13.8%

'ali

$211 25.8% 1.4% $3

Eating Out

Manama

$181 11.7%

'ali

$184 22.5% 1.6% $2.9

Clothing & Footwear

Manama

$129 8.3%

'ali

$129 15.8% 0.4% $0.5

Sport & Entertainment

Manama

$83 5.4%

'ali

$21 * 2.6% 74.4% $62

Getting Around

Manama

$63 4.1%

'ali

$23 * 2.8% 64.1% $41

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 66% higher in 'ali, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Manama versus $53.0 in 'ali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $248 vs $250 – making Manama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇭 Manama

🇧🇭 'ali

🕒 Local time

03:11 3:11 AM

Same time as Manama

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

157,474 Capital

100,553

💱 Currency

Bahraini Dinar BHD .د.ب

📈 Exchange rate

1 BHD = 2.65 USD

1 BHD = 2.37 EUR

1 BHD = 2.65 USD

1 BHD = 2.37 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Manama 'ali 9 km

From you

Manama
'ali

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 'ali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Manama is pricier by about 90%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,328 per month in Manama and $1,227 in 'ali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Manama and $53.0 in 'ali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Manama – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in 'ali, where all-in costs run around $818, than in Manama at $1,552. In 'ali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manama it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward 'ali – 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 'ali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manama makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.