Cost of Living Comparison Between Manama and Juffair Cost of Living Comparison Between Manama and Juffair

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,555 in Manama versus $1,502 in Juffair.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,484 in Manama versus $2,202 in Juffair.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,413 in Manama versus $2,901 in Juffair.

Living in Manama is roughly 4% more expensive than in Juffair, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Manama 13% above, Juffair 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.78 BHD 2.56

$6.46 BHD 2.43

4.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 BHD 20.17

$32.44 BHD 12.23

65.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.59 BHD 2.86

$7.36 BHD 2.77

3.12%

Cappuccino

$4.88 BHD 1.84

$4.96 BHD 1.87

-1.61%

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

$0.88 BHD 0.33

$0.74 BHD 0.28

18.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 BHD 0.11

$0.26 BHD 0.10

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.80 BHD 2.56

$5.19 BHD 1.96

31.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.22 BHD 3.85

$5.25 BHD 1.98

94.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 BHD 0.55

$1.42 BHD 0.54

2.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 BHD 0.41

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 BHD 0.86

$1.65 BHD 0.62

38.79%

Eggs

$2.31 BHD 0.87

$2.32 BHD 0.87

-0.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 BHD 3.34

$6.82 BHD 2.57

30.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.60 BHD 2.49

$6.32 BHD 2.38

4.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.55 BHD 3.22

$8.54 BHD 3.22

0.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 BHD 0.90

$2.32 BHD 0.87

3.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 BHD 0.86

$2.35 BHD 0.88

-3.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 BHD 0.73

$1.88 BHD 0.71

3.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 BHD 0.55

$1.40 BHD 0.53

4.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 BHD 0.38

$1.00 BHD 0.38

2.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 BHD 0.54

$1.17 BHD 0.44

22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 BHD 0.57

$1.49 BHD 0.56

1.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 BHD 0.29

$0.84 BHD 0.32

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.27 BHD 1.99

$5.16 BHD 1.94

2.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.59 BHD 7.01

$18.48 BHD 6.97

0.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.50 BHD 1.32

$3.51 BHD 1.32

-0.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 BHD 0.97

$2.70 BHD 1.02

-4.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 BHD 0.24

$0.81 BHD 0.31

-19.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.84 BHD 14.26

$25.10 BHD 9.46

50.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 BHD 1.98

$3.52 BHD 1.33

48.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.52 BHD 1.33

$3.54 BHD 1.33

-0.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.09 BHD 6.06

$16.19 BHD 6.10

-0.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 BHD 0.24

$0.27 BHD 0.10

137.04%

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

$36.4K BHD 13.7K

$27.3K BHD 10.3K

33.39%

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

$20.8K BHD 7,829

$19.3K BHD 7,278

7.58%

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

$151 BHD 56.9

$112 BHD 42.09

35.16%

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

$24.64 BHD 9.29

$24.79 BHD 9.34

-0.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.82 BHD 13.12

$31.80 BHD 11.99

9.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.3 BHD 23.49

$52.1 BHD 19.62

19.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.02 BHD 11.31

$39.26 BHD 14.80

-23.54%

Cinema Ticket

$10.59 BHD 3.99

$9.27 BHD 3.49

14.24%

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

$488 BHD 184

$239 BHD 90.2

103.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K BHD 4,059

$11.0K BHD 4,151

-2.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 BHD 19.21

$42.77 BHD 16.12

19.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 BHD 21.65

$32.29 BHD 12.17

77.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 BHD 32.99

$65.4 BHD 24.64

33.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 BHD 34.13

$67.1 BHD 25.29

34.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$997 BHD 376

$970 BHD 365

2.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$649 BHD 245

$719 BHD 271

-9.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,076 BHD 783

$1,782 BHD 672

16.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,387 BHD 523

$1,203 BHD 454

15.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,576 BHD 971

$2,164 BHD 816

19.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,960 BHD 739

$1,580 BHD 596

24.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,337 BHD 881

$2,802 BHD 1,056

-16.60%

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: September 7, 2026

Last update for Juffair: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $997 in Manama and $970 in Juffair. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Juffair pays 20% 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 $32.00 in Juffair for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $240 per month, with Juffair 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 Juffair: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Juffair wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Manama. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Juffair the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 20% lower in Juffair. 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 $970 in Juffair. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,555 per month in Manama versus $1,502 in Juffair – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Juffair runs roughly 51% less than in Manama. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,502 in Juffair versus $1,555 in Manama, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Juffair but tight or insufficient in Manama. The gap between the two cities makes Juffair the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Juffair delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,502 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Juffair hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Manama and Juffair 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 Juffair gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Manama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.