Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manama and Isa Town

For one person, living is cheaper in Isa Town: $747 a month against $1,554 in Manama, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Manama
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Manama Living Index

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Manama

🇧🇭 Bahrain

$1,554

/mo nomad

Isa Town

🇧🇭 Bahrain

$747

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manama and in Isa Town

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

A single person spends $1,554 per month in Manama vs $747 in Isa Town, rent included.

Manama $1,554
Isa Town $747

A couple spends around $2,478 per month in Manama vs $1,771 in Isa Town, rent included.

Manama $2,478
Isa Town $1,771

A family of three spends $3,403 per month in Manama vs $2,794 in Isa Town, rent included.

Manama $3,403
Isa Town $2,794

Manama costs about 108% more than Isa Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Manama sits 15% above the global median, while Isa Town is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 BHD 2.02

$8.00 BHD 3.02

-33.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 BHD 20.39

$26.34 BHD 9.94

105.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 BHD 2.74

$6.48 BHD 2.45

11.88%

Cappuccino

$5.03 BHD 1.90

$4.59 BHD 1.73

9.59%

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

$0.84 BHD 0.32

$0.90 BHD 0.34

-6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 BHD 0.11

$0.27 BHD 0.10

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.51 BHD 2.46

$6.63 BHD 2.50

-1.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.82 BHD 3.71

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 BHD 0.53

$1.36 BHD 0.51

2.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 BHD 0.40

$1.35 BHD 0.51

-20.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 BHD 0.85

$5.19 BHD 1.96

-56.65%

Eggs

$2.21 BHD 0.83

$3.16 BHD 1.19

-30.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.70 BHD 3.28

$10.39 BHD 3.92

-16.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 BHD 2.47

$8.00 BHD 3.02

-18.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.85 BHD 3.34

$21.52 BHD 8.12

-58.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 BHD 0.86

$2.68 BHD 1.01

-14.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 BHD 0.85

$2.71 BHD 1.02

-16.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 BHD 0.74

$2.58 BHD 0.97

-24.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 BHD 0.52

$2.60 BHD 0.98

-46.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 BHD 0.38

$2.69 BHD 1.01

-62.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 BHD 0.53

$1.57 BHD 0.59

-10.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 BHD 0.57

$0.55 BHD 0.21

174.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 BHD 0.30

$1.08 BHD 0.41

-26.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.40 BHD 2.04

Wine (Bottle)

$18.59 BHD 7.02

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.66 BHD 1.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 BHD 0.97

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 BHD 0.24

$1.03 BHD 0.39

-38.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.50 BHD 13.77

$13.28 BHD 5.01

174.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.34 BHD 2.02

$5.38 BHD 2.03

-0.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.40 BHD 1.28

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.00 BHD 6.04

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 BHD 0.26

$0.76 BHD 0.29

-9.21%

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

$25.6K BHD 9,660

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

$19.7K BHD 7,442

$13.3K BHD 5,002

48.77%

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

$150 BHD 56.7

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

$24.82 BHD 9.37

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.16 BHD 13.27

$39.36 BHD 14.86

-10.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.1 BHD 23.82

$105 BHD 39.50

-39.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.87 BHD 11.65

Cinema Ticket

$10.57 BHD 3.99

$10.53 BHD 3.97

0.38%

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

$497 BHD 188

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K BHD 4,159

$8,078 BHD 3,049

36.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 BHD 19.58

$39.42 BHD 14.88

31.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.6 BHD 21.35

$13.07 BHD 4.93

332.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 BHD 33.62

$79.2 BHD 29.89

12.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.2 BHD 33.68

$107 BHD 40.37

-16.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 BHD 381

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 BHD 241

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,072 BHD 782

$1,308 BHD 493

58.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 BHD 525

$1,067 BHD 403

30.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,572 BHD 971

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,940 BHD 732

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,318 BHD 875

$1,078 BHD 407

115.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

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

Last update for Manama: October 17, 2026

Last update for Isa Town: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Manama

$638 41%

Isa Town

–

Groceries & Markets

Manama

$250 16.1%

Isa Town

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manama

$210 13.5%

Isa Town

–

Eating Out

Manama

$182 11.7%

Isa Town

–

Clothing & Footwear

Manama

$129 8.3%

Isa Town

–

Sport & Entertainment

Manama

$84 5.4%

Isa Town

–

Getting Around

Manama

$61 4%

Isa Town

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 115% 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 $54.0 in Manama versus $26.00 in Isa Town. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Manama vs $276 in Isa Town – so Manama wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇧🇭 Manama

🇧🇭 Isa Town

🕒 Local time

06:18 6:18 AM

Same time as Manama

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

157,474 Capital

36,876

💱 Currency

Bahraini Dinar BHD .د.ب

📈 Exchange rate

1 BHD = 2.65 USD

1 BHD = 2.36 EUR

1 BHD = 2.65 USD

1 BHD = 2.36 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Manama Isa Town 6 km

From you

Manama
Isa Town

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 Isa Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Manama is pricier by about 108%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,331 per month in Manama and $1,121 in Isa Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,554 in Manama and $747 in Isa Town. That's a gap of about 108%.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Manama and $26.00 in Isa Town. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Isa Town, where all-in costs run around $747, than in Manama at $1,554. In Isa Town it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manama it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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