Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manama and Bansko

For one person, living is cheaper in Bansko: $968 a month against $1,566 in Manama, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 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
46

Cost of Living Index in Bansko
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Bansko Living Index

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Manama

🇧🇭 Bahrain

$1,566

/mo nomad

Bansko

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$968

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manama and in Bansko

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

A single person spends $1,566 per month in Manama vs $968 in Bansko, rent included.

Manama $1,566
Bansko $968

A couple spends around $2,442 per month in Manama vs $1,479 in Bansko, rent included.

Manama $2,442
Bansko $1,479

A family of three spends $3,319 per month in Manama vs $1,989 in Bansko, rent included.

Manama $3,319
Bansko $1,989

Manama costs about 62% more than Bansko, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Manama sits 16% above the global median, while Bansko is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.22 BHD 1.97

$8.83 BGN 15.37

-40.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 BHD 20.16

$45.43 BGN 79.1

17.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 BHD 2.97

$8.92 BGN 15.52

-11.77%

Cappuccino

$4.67 BHD 1.76

$2.33 BGN 4.06

100.43%

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

$0.85 BHD 0.32

$1.49 BGN 2.60

-42.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 BHD 0.11

$0.83 BGN 1.44

-63.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.75 BHD 2.54

$1.75 BGN 3.05

285.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.22 BHD 3.85

$2.01 BGN 3.49

408.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 BHD 0.53

$1.72 BGN 3.00

-18.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 BHD 0.42

$0.86 BGN 1.49

29.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 BHD 0.86

$1.46 BGN 2.55

56.16%

Eggs

$2.31 BHD 0.87

$2.33 BGN 4.06

-0.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.81 BHD 3.32

$9.54 BGN 16.60

-7.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 BHD 2.43

$6.30 BGN 10.96

2.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.45 BHD 3.19

$8.64 BGN 15.04

-2.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 BHD 0.86

$1.32 BGN 2.29

73.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 BHD 0.84

$1.65 BGN 2.86

35.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BHD 0.73

$1.74 BGN 3.02

10.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 BHD 0.52

$1.94 BGN 3.38

-28.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 BHD 0.38

$0.95 BGN 1.66

6.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 BHD 0.54

$0.72 BGN 1.26

97.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 BHD 0.58

$0.55 BGN 0.96

181.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 BHD 0.32

$0.59 BGN 1.03

42.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.39 BHD 2.03

$3.33 BGN 5.79

61.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.82 BHD 7.10

$5.08 BGN 8.84

270.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.63 BHD 1.37

$1.12 BGN 1.95

224.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 BHD 0.99

$1.73 BGN 3.01

52.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 BHD 0.29

$0.89 BGN 1.55

-13.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.68 BHD 13.83

$27.08 BGN 47.11

35.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.26 BHD 1.98

$1.64 BGN 2.85

220.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.52 BHD 1.33

$0.91 BGN 1.59

286.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.84 BHD 5.97

$10.00 BGN 17.39

58.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 BHD 0.26

$1.50 BGN 2.61

-53.33%

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

$26.3K BHD 9,926

$28.6K BGN 49.7K

-7.83%

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

$19.8K BHD 7,465

$21.2K BGN 36.9K

-6.78%

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

$154 BHD 58.0

$92.5 BGN 161

66.37%

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

$24.50 BHD 9.24

$14.59 BGN 25.39

67.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.60 BHD 13.05

$12.13 BGN 21.11

185.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 BHD 25.80

$31.84 BGN 55.4

114.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.54 BHD 11.52

$8.46 BGN 14.72

260.99%

Cinema Ticket

$10.73 BHD 4.05

$5.51 BGN 9.59

94.74%

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

$614 BHD 231

$227 BGN 395

170.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K BHD 4,302

$2,311 BGN 4,021

393.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 BHD 19.05

$30.56 BGN 53.2

65.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 BHD 21.69

$18.95 BGN 32.97

203.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 BHD 32.91

$45.80 BGN 79.7

90.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.2 BHD 33.25

$48.28 BGN 84.0

82.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 BHD 381

$510 BGN 887

98.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 BHD 242

$364 BGN 634

76.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,120 BHD 799

$624 BGN 1,085

239.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,300 BHD 490

$566 BGN 985

129.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,588 BHD 976

$1,166 BGN 2,028

122.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,992 BHD 751

$969 BGN 1,686

105.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,384 BHD 899

$1,680 BGN 2,923

41.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

2.99

107.69%

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

Last update for Manama: October 31, 2026

Last update for Bansko: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Manama

$642 41%

Bansko

$364 37.6% 43.3% $278

Groceries & Markets

Manama

$250 16%

Bansko

$193 19.9% 22.8% $57

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manama

$213 13.6%

Bansko

$119 12.3% 44% $94

Eating Out

Manama

$180 11.5%

Bansko

$147 15.2% 18.2% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Manama

$128 8.2%

Bansko

$65 6.7% 49.3% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Manama

$90 5.7%

Bansko

$43 4.4% 52.3% $47

Getting Around

Manama

$63 4%

Bansko

$37 3.8% 41.2% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,010 in Manama versus $510 in Bansko. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 42% higher in Manama, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53 in Manama versus $45 in Bansko. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $193 – making Bansko the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇭 Manama

🇧🇬 Bansko

🕒 Local time

03:39 3:39 AM

02:39 2:39 AM

1 h behind Manama

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

157,474 Capital

8,000

💱 Currency

Bahraini Dinar BHD .د.ب

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

1 BHD = 2.65 USD

1 BHD = 2.36 EUR

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.512 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to BHD – Bahraini Dinar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇭 Bahraini Dinar (.د.ب)

Bahraini Dinar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.377 BHD (1 BHD = 2.65 USD). 1 EUR = 0.423 BHD (1 BHD = 2.36 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.95 BGN (1 BGN = 0.512 EUR).

USD to BHD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Manama Bansko 3,020 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Manama
Bansko

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 Bansko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,566 in Manama, $968 in Bansko – Bansko comes out roughly 38% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,348 per month in Manama and $1,452 in Bansko. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bansko, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $510 there versus $1,010 in Manama.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53 in Manama and $45 in Bansko. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,566 in Manama and $968 in Bansko. That makes Bansko about 38% cheaper.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Bansko, where all-in costs run around $968, than in Manama at $1,566. In Bansko it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manama it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bansko – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Bansko. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manama makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.