Cost of Living Comparison Between Manama and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Manama and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,555 in Manama versus $2,482 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,484 in Manama versus $3,548 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,413 in Manama versus $4,613 in Barcelona.

Living in Manama costs roughly 37% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Manama 13% above, Barcelona 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.78 BHD 2.56

$18.42 €15.88

-63.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 BHD 20.17

$69.4 €59.8

-22.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.59 BHD 2.86

$14.05 €12.11

-45.98%

Cappuccino

$4.88 BHD 1.84

$3.11 €2.68

56.91%

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

$0.88 BHD 0.33

$2.96 €2.55

-70.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 BHD 0.11

$1.95 €1.69

-84.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.80 BHD 2.56

$3.99 €3.44

70.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.22 BHD 3.85

$4.62 €3.98

121.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 BHD 0.55

$1.32 €1.14

10.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 BHD 0.41

$2.11 €1.82

-47.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 BHD 0.86

$1.83 €1.57

25.14%

Eggs

$2.31 BHD 0.87

$5.16 €4.45

-55.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 BHD 3.34

$17.56 €15.14

-49.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.60 BHD 2.49

$9.50 €8.19

-30.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.55 BHD 3.22

$19.93 €17.18

-57.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 BHD 0.90

$3.17 €2.73

-24.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 BHD 0.86

$2.21 €1.91

2.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 BHD 0.73

$2.61 €2.25

-25.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 BHD 0.55

$2.85 €2.46

-48.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 BHD 0.38

$2.17 €1.87

-53.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 BHD 0.54

$2.11 €1.81

-32.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 BHD 0.57

$1.62 €1.39

-6.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 BHD 0.29

$0.88 €0.76

-11.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.27 BHD 1.99

$7.17 €6.18

-26.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.59 BHD 7.01

$8.33 €7.18

123.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.50 BHD 1.32

$1.50 €1.29

133.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 BHD 0.97

$2.75 €2.37

-6.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 BHD 0.24

$3.14 €2.70

-79.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.84 BHD 14.26

$26.25 €22.63

44.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 BHD 1.98

$3.22 €2.78

62.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.52 BHD 1.33

$1.51 €1.30

133.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.09 BHD 6.06

$35.26 €30.39

-54.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 BHD 0.24

$1.75 €1.51

-63.43%

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

$36.4K BHD 13.7K

$36.7K €31.6K

-0.71%

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

$20.8K BHD 7,829

$31.7K €27.3K

-34.41%

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

$151 BHD 56.9

$187 €161

-19.34%

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

$24.64 BHD 9.29

$15.10 €13.01

63.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.82 BHD 13.12

$37.60 €32.41

-7.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.3 BHD 23.49

$55.5 €47.83

12.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.02 BHD 11.31

$16.74 €14.43

79.33%

Cinema Ticket

$10.59 BHD 3.99

$11.71 €10.09

-9.56%

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

$488 BHD 184

$1,011 €871

-51.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K BHD 4,059

$17.1K €14.7K

-36.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 BHD 19.21

$91.4 €78.8

-44.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 BHD 21.65

$41.00 €35.34

40.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 BHD 32.99

$111 €95.3

-20.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 BHD 34.13

$126 €109

-28.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$997 BHD 376

$1,704 €1,469

-41.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$649 BHD 245

$1,299 €1,120

-50.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,076 BHD 783

$2,588 €2,231

-19.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,387 BHD 523

$1,929 €1,663

-28.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,576 BHD 971

$7,732 €6,665

-66.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,960 BHD 739

$5,384 €4,641

-63.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,337 BHD 881

$2,374 €2,046

-1.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

3.16

96.52%

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

Last update for Manama: September 7, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $997 in Manama and $1,704 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 2% 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 $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $333 per month, with Manama 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 Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manama and Barcelona differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($1,555 vs $2,482 including rent). Manama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Barcelona. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $997 in Manama versus $1,704 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $488 in Manama versus $1,011 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,555 in Manama versus $2,482 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Manama but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Manama 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 Barcelona 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 Manama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.