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: $1,496 in Manama versus $1,755 in Bratislava.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,408 in Manama versus $2,630 in Bratislava.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,319 in Manama versus $3,506 in Bratislava.

Living in Manama costs roughly 15% less than in Bratislava, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Manama 12% above, Bratislava 31% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.48 BHD 2.44

$11.51 €9.90

-43.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 BHD 20.16

$59.0 €50.7

-9.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 BHD 2.74

$10.48 €9.02

-30.63%

Cappuccino

$5.34 BHD 2.01

$3.11 €2.68

71.70%

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

$0.87 BHD 0.33

$2.11 €1.82

-58.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 BHD 0.14

$1.67 €1.44

-78.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 BHD 3.05

$2.93 €2.52

176.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.54 BHD 3.97

$3.51 €3.02

200.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 BHD 0.64

$1.28 €1.10

33.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 BHD 0.48

$1.83 €1.58

-30.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 BHD 0.91

$2.00 €1.72

21.50%

Eggs

$2.47 BHD 0.93

$3.64 €3.14

-32.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.59 BHD 3.24

$14.87 €12.79

-42.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.74 BHD 2.92

$8.06 €6.93

-3.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 BHD 3.88

$12.80 €11.01

-19.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 BHD 0.89

$2.02 €1.74

16.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 BHD 0.79

$1.99 €1.72

6.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 BHD 0.67

$2.56 €2.21

-30.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 BHD 0.44

$4.73 €4.06

-75.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 BHD 0.35

$1.88 €1.61

-50.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 BHD 0.41

$1.76 €1.51

-38.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 BHD 0.55

$1.56 €1.34

-6.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 BHD 0.32

$0.94 €0.81

-8.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 BHD 2.48

$6.23 €5.36

5.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 BHD 7.12

$6.82 €5.87

176.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.44 BHD 1.30

$1.14 €0.98

201.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 BHD 1.24

$1.94 €1.67

69.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 BHD 0.31

$1.30 €1.12

-36.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.28 BHD 11.79

$40.90 €35.18

-23.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 BHD 1.72

$5.81 €5.00

-21.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.96 BHD 1.49

$1.53 €1.31

158.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.86 BHD 10.13

$32.25 €27.74

-16.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 BHD 0.19

$1.74 €1.50

-70.11%

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

$36.8K BHD 13.9K

$27.3K €23.5K

34.75%

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

$20.7K BHD 7,796

$30.1K €25.9K

-31.31%

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

$121 BHD 45.53

$260 €224

-53.54%

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

$26.86 BHD 10.13

$24.39 €20.98

10.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.52 BHD 14.52

$20.39 €17.54

88.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.0 BHD 26.78

$51.6 €44.40

37.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.13 BHD 17.01

$18.37 €15.80

145.67%

Cinema Ticket

$10.78 BHD 4.06

$12.85 €11.05

-16.11%

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

$382 BHD 144

$656 €565

-41.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,953 BHD 3,375

$12.7K €10.9K

-29.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.73 BHD 17.62

$90.6 €78.0

-48.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.8 BHD 24.03

$40.02 €34.42

59.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 BHD 31.98

$90.0 €77.4

-5.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 BHD 33.47

$108 €93.1

-17.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$818 BHD 308

$972 €836

-15.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 BHD 211

$711 €612

-21.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,791 BHD 675

$1,536 €1,322

16.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 BHD 469

$1,149 €988

8.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,629 BHD 991

$6,740 €5,798

-60.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,941 BHD 732

$4,113 €3,538

-52.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,360 BHD 890

$1,741 €1,498

35.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.56

4.25

101.41%

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

Last update for Manama: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bratislava: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $818 in Manama and $972 in Bratislava. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manama pays 36% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Manama vs $59.0 in Bratislava for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $265 vs $283 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 17% 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.

Manama pays 36% more on average, 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: $818 in Manama versus $972 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 $53.0 versus $59.0 in Bratislava. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,496 per month in Manama versus $1,755 in Bratislava – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,496 in Manama versus $1,755 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 $1,496 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 17% less than in Bratislava. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.