Cost of Living Comparison Between Manama and Doha Cost of Living Comparison Between Manama and Doha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,479 per month in Manama vs $1,944 in Doha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,410 per month in Manama vs $3,080 in Doha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,340 per month in Manama vs $4,216 in Doha, rent included.

Manama is about 24% cheaper than Doha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Manama and Doha sit above the global median – Manama by 11%, Doha by 46%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.57 BHD 2.48

$6.76 QAR 24.61

-2.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.0 BHD 19.60

$54.0 QAR 197

-3.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 BHD 2.85

$6.96 QAR 25.35

8.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.62 QAR 42.29

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.90 QAR 39.66

Cappuccino

$5.46 BHD 2.06

$4.97 QAR 18.10

9.86%

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

$0.79 BHD 0.30

$0.86 QAR 3.13

-8.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 BHD 0.14

$0.33 QAR 1.20

12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.01 BHD 3.02

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.46 BHD 3.94

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 BHD 0.62

$2.04 QAR 7.44

-19.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 BHD 0.50

$1.64 QAR 5.95

-18.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 BHD 0.88

$2.20 QAR 8.01

6.36%

Eggs

$2.40 BHD 0.90

$2.67 QAR 9.70

-10.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.62 BHD 3.25

$11.57 QAR 42.12

-25.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.50 BHD 2.83

$7.91 QAR 28.80

-5.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.23 BHD 3.86

$10.73 QAR 39.04

-4.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 BHD 0.92

$2.03 QAR 7.40

20.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 BHD 0.79

$1.62 QAR 5.91

29.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 BHD 0.64

$1.53 QAR 5.56

11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 BHD 0.44

$1.39 QAR 5.06

-15.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 BHD 0.35

$1.03 QAR 3.77

-10.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 BHD 0.41

$1.12 QAR 4.07

-3.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 BHD 0.54

$1.34 QAR 4.86

7.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 BHD 0.34

$0.48 QAR 1.75

89.58%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.16 QAR 37.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 QAR 6.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 QAR 10.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.48 BHD 2.44

$6.35 QAR 23.12

2.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.75 BHD 7.07

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 BHD 1.26

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 BHD 1.18

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 BHD 0.29

$0.57 QAR 2.08

36.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.29 BHD 12.17

$32.81 QAR 119

-1.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.66 BHD 1.76

$2.24 QAR 8.15

108.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.00 BHD 1.51

$2.13 QAR 7.77

87.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.04 BHD 9.81

$13.68 QAR 49.81

90.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 BHD 0.20

$0.59 QAR 2.15

-10.17%

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

$37.7K BHD 14.2K

$22.2K QAR 80.9K

69.68%

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

$20.7K BHD 7,813

$20.4K QAR 74.3K

1.53%

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

$122 BHD 46.06

$93.4 QAR 340

30.83%

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

$26.99 BHD 10.17

$37.55 QAR 137

-28.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.99 BHD 14.70

$88.7 QAR 323

-56.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 BHD 26.90

$120 QAR 435

-40.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.42 BHD 16.74

$31.64 QAR 115

40.39%

Cinema Ticket

$10.53 BHD 3.97

$12.46 QAR 45.34

-15.49%

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

$394 BHD 148

$802 QAR 2,918

-50.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,780 BHD 3,309

$11.6K QAR 42.3K

-24.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.27 BHD 17.44

$61.1 QAR 223

-24.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 BHD 23.19

$55.1 QAR 200

11.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.8 BHD 31.21

$100 QAR 365

-17.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 BHD 33.71

$90.2 QAR 328

-0.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 BHD 303

$1,638 QAR 5,963

-50.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 BHD 207

$1,064 QAR 3,872

-48.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,794 BHD 676

$2,901 QAR 10.6K

-38.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 BHD 455

$2,098 QAR 7,636

-42.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,668 BHD 1,006

$4,212 QAR 15.3K

-36.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,960 BHD 739

$2,509 QAR 9,134

-21.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,276 BHD 858

$3,128 QAR 11.4K

-27.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.56

6.08

40.79%

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

Last update for Manama: July 14, 2026

Last update for Doha: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $803 in Manama versus $1,638 in Doha. 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 37% higher in Doha, 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 $52.0 in Manama versus $54.0 in Doha. Groceries tell a different story – $262 in Manama vs $212 in Doha – so Doha wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Doha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Doha is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,218 per month in Manama and $2,916 in Doha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Manama, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Manama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $394 per month in Manama and $802 in Doha. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Manama, where all-in costs run around $1,479, than in Doha at $1,944. In Manama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Doha it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Manama – 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 Manama. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Doha makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.