Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manama and Amwaj

For one person, living is cheaper in Amwaj: $609 a month against $1,554 in Manama, rent and utilities included – about $11,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Manama
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Manama Living Index

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Manama

🇧🇭 Bahrain

$1,554

/mo nomad

Amwaj

🇧🇭 Bahrain

$609

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manama and in Amwaj

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 Amwaj actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,554 per month in Manama vs $609 in Amwaj, rent included.

Manama $1,554
Amwaj $609

A couple spends around $2,478 per month in Manama vs $2,459 in Amwaj, rent included.

Manama $2,478
Amwaj $2,459

A family of three spends $3,403 per month in Manama vs $4,309 in Amwaj, rent included.

Manama $3,403
Amwaj $4,309

Manama costs about 155% more than Amwaj, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Manama sits 15% above the global median, while Amwaj is 55% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 BHD 2.02

$10.70 BHD 4.04

-50.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 BHD 20.39

$32.30 BHD 12.19

67.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 BHD 2.74

$9.71 BHD 3.67

-25.33%

Cappuccino

$5.03 BHD 1.90

$4.02 BHD 1.52

25.12%

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

$0.84 BHD 0.32

$2.18 BHD 0.82

-61.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 BHD 0.11

$0.64 BHD 0.24

-53.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.51 BHD 2.46

$7.76 BHD 2.93

-16.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.82 BHD 3.71

$10.73 BHD 4.05

-8.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 BHD 0.53

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 BHD 0.40

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 BHD 0.85

Eggs

$2.21 BHD 0.83

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.70 BHD 3.28

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 BHD 2.47

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.85 BHD 3.34

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 BHD 0.86

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 BHD 0.85

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 BHD 0.74

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 BHD 0.52

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 BHD 0.38

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 BHD 0.53

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 BHD 0.57

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 BHD 0.30

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.40 BHD 2.04

$5.17 BHD 1.95

4.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.59 BHD 7.02

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.66 BHD 1.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 BHD 0.97

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 BHD 0.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.50 BHD 13.77

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.34 BHD 2.02

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.40 BHD 1.28

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.00 BHD 6.04

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 BHD 0.26

$0.66 BHD 0.25

4.55%

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

$25.6K BHD 9,660

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

$19.7K BHD 7,442

$36.9K BHD 13.9K

-46.53%

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

$150 BHD 56.7

$130 BHD 49.23

15.24%

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

$24.82 BHD 9.37

$23.57 BHD 8.89

5.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.16 BHD 13.27

$65.9 BHD 24.88

-46.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.1 BHD 23.82

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.87 BHD 11.65

Cinema Ticket

$10.57 BHD 3.99

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

$497 BHD 188

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K BHD 4,159

$13.4K BHD 5,063

-17.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 BHD 19.58

$64.9 BHD 24.51

-20.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.6 BHD 21.35

$65.4 BHD 24.67

-13.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 BHD 33.62

$94.0 BHD 35.47

-5.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.2 BHD 33.68

$120 BHD 45.11

-25.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 BHD 381

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 BHD 241

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,072 BHD 782

$2,393 BHD 903

-13.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 BHD 525

$3,100 BHD 1,170

-55.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,572 BHD 971

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,940 BHD 732

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,318 BHD 875

$3,991 BHD 1,506

-41.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

-11.29%

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

Last update for Manama: October 17, 2026

Last update for Amwaj: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Manama

$638 41%

Amwaj

–

Groceries & Markets

Manama

$250 16.1%

Amwaj

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manama

$210 13.5%

Amwaj

–

Eating Out

Manama

$182 11.7%

Amwaj

–

Clothing & Footwear

Manama

$129 8.3%

Amwaj

–

Sport & Entertainment

Manama

$84 5.4%

Amwaj

–

Getting Around

Manama

$61 4%

Amwaj

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 72% higher in Amwaj, 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 $54.0 in Manama versus $32.00 in Amwaj. Use this as a proxy for overall food spending across the two cities.

Good to know

🇧🇭 Manama

🇧🇭 Amwaj

🕒 Local time

13:48 1:48 PM

Same time as Manama

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

157,474 Capital

💱 Currency

Bahraini Dinar BHD .د.ب

📈 Exchange rate

1 BHD = 2.65 USD

1 BHD = 2.36 EUR

1 BHD = 2.65 USD

1 BHD = 2.36 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Manama Amwaj 12 km

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Manama
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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 Amwaj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manama costs about 155% more than Amwaj, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,331 per month in Manama and $914 in Amwaj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,554 in Manama and $609 in Amwaj. That's a gap of about 155%.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Manama and $32.00 in Amwaj. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Amwaj, where all-in costs run around $609, than in Manama at $1,554. In Amwaj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manama it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Amwaj – 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 Amwaj. 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.