Cost of Living Comparison Between Manama and Bratislava Cost of Living Comparison Between Manama and Bratislava

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,595 in Manama versus $1,983 in Bratislava.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,515 in Manama versus $2,928 in Bratislava.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,435 in Manama versus $3,873 in Bratislava.

Living in Manama costs roughly 20% less than in Bratislava, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Manama 16% above, Bratislava 44% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 BHD 2.56

$11.76 €10.14

-42.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 BHD 20.22

$68.9 €59.4

-22.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.61 BHD 2.87

$11.72 €10.11

-35.07%

Cappuccino

$4.88 BHD 1.84

$3.64 €3.14

34.07%

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

$0.88 BHD 0.33

$2.54 €2.19

-65.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 BHD 0.11

$1.77 €1.52

-83.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.53 BHD 2.46

$3.57 €3.08

82.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.04 BHD 3.78

$3.45 €2.97

191.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 BHD 0.55

$1.18 €1.02

23.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 BHD 0.40

$2.24 €1.93

-53.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 BHD 0.86

$2.13 €1.84

7.51%

Eggs

$2.34 BHD 0.88

$4.63 €3.99

-49.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.83 BHD 3.33

$16.62 €14.34

-46.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 BHD 2.46

$9.18 €7.92

-28.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.79 BHD 3.31

$15.70 €13.54

-44.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 BHD 0.90

$2.35 €2.02

2.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 BHD 0.85

$1.99 €1.71

12.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BHD 0.73

$2.98 €2.57

-35.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 BHD 0.54

$5.17 €4.46

-72.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BHD 0.39

$1.72 €1.48

-39.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 BHD 0.53

$1.66 €1.43

-15.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 BHD 0.58

$1.83 €1.58

-15.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 BHD 0.29

$0.99 €0.86

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.25 BHD 1.98

$7.05 €6.08

-25.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 BHD 6.97

$6.83 €5.89

170.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 BHD 1.33

$1.13 €0.97

211.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 BHD 0.98

$2.02 €1.74

29.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 BHD 0.24

$1.41 €1.22

-53.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.34 BHD 14.08

$46.51 €40.12

-19.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 BHD 2.04

$7.35 €6.34

-26.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 BHD 1.32

$1.78 €1.53

96.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.94 BHD 6.01

$35.34 €30.48

-54.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 BHD 0.26

$1.87 €1.62

-62.57%

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

$36.9K BHD 13.9K

$27.1K €23.3K

36.32%

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

$20.4K BHD 7,676

$27.8K €24.0K

-26.70%

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

$154 BHD 58.0

$272 €234

-43.34%

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

$24.04 BHD 9.06

$22.54 €19.44

6.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.64 BHD 13.44

$19.52 €16.84

82.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.9 BHD 23.33

$59.4 €51.2

4.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.03 BHD 11.32

$23.57 €20.33

27.41%

Cinema Ticket

$10.56 BHD 3.98

$12.54 €10.81

-15.79%

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

$493 BHD 186

$841 €726

-41.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K BHD 4,093

$19.3K €16.6K

-43.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 BHD 19.20

$104 €89.7

-51.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.6 BHD 21.34

$41.75 €36.01

35.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 BHD 32.49

$105 €90.7

-18.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 BHD 33.51

$114 €97.9

-21.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$990 BHD 373

$1,102 €951

-10.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 BHD 240

$836 €721

-23.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,078 BHD 783

$1,864 €1,608

11.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 BHD 524

$1,368 €1,180

1.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,636 BHD 994

$6,573 €5,669

-59.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,954 BHD 736

$4,125 €3,557

-52.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,346 BHD 885

$1,737 €1,498

35.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

3.48

78.45%

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

Last update for Manama: August 30, 2026

Last update for Bratislava: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $990 in Manama and $1,102 in Bratislava. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manama pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Manama vs $69.0 in Bratislava for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $317 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 Bratislava: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manama wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Bratislava. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Manama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 35% higher in Manama, 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: $990 in Manama versus $1,102 in Bratislava. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Manama – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $69.0 in Bratislava. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,595 per month in Manama versus $1,983 in Bratislava – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,595 in Manama versus $1,983 in Bratislava, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Manama but tight or insufficient in Bratislava. The gap between the two cities makes Manama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Manama delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,595 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Manama hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Manama and Bratislava 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 24% less than in Bratislava. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.