Cost of Living Comparison Between Manama and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Manama and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,606 in Manama versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,517 in Manama versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,428 in Manama versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Manama costs roughly 4% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Manama 17% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.67 BHD 2.52

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-16.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.1 BHD 19.64

$47.87 COP 149.4K

8.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.30 BHD 2.75

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-26.19%

Cappuccino

$4.82 BHD 1.82

$3.13 COP 9,767

53.99%

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

$0.84 BHD 0.32

$1.91 COP 5,954

-56.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 BHD 0.12

$1.51 COP 4,712

-78.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.65 BHD 2.51

$3.12 COP 9,747

113.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.84 BHD 3.71

$5.75 COP 17.9K

71.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 BHD 0.54

$1.44 COP 4,509

-0.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 BHD 0.40

$2.49 COP 7,759

-57.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 BHD 0.87

$1.77 COP 5,535

29.94%

Eggs

$2.22 BHD 0.84

$2.96 COP 9,235

-25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.78 BHD 3.31

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-12.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 BHD 2.39

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-37.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.45 BHD 3.19

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-40.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 BHD 0.90

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-42.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 BHD 0.89

$1.61 COP 5,019

45.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 BHD 0.71

$2.25 COP 7,007

-16.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 BHD 0.54

$2.25 COP 7,028

-36.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 BHD 0.40

$2.04 COP 6,375

-48.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 BHD 0.54

$1.54 COP 4,790

-7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 BHD 0.59

$1.17 COP 3,651

32.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 BHD 0.29

$1.31 COP 4,077

-40.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 BHD 1.95

$3.90 COP 12.2K

32.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.37 BHD 6.92

$14.01 COP 43.7K

31.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.47 BHD 1.31

$1.74 COP 5,439

99.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 BHD 0.99

$2.87 COP 8,956

-8.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 BHD 0.24

$1.22 COP 3,792

-47.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.78 BHD 14.24

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-53.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 BHD 2.03

$1.31 COP 4,084

310.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.51 BHD 1.32

$2.19 COP 6,825

60.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.79 BHD 5.95

$8.71 COP 27.2K

81.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 BHD 0.24

$1.37 COP 4,260

-53.28%

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

$37.3K BHD 14.0K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

33.85%

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

$20.4K BHD 7,674

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-43.08%

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

$154 BHD 57.9

$177 COP 553.2K

-13.30%

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

$24.27 BHD 9.15

$13.88 COP 43.3K

74.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.61 BHD 13.04

$29.72 COP 92.8K

16.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 BHD 23.30

$44.88 COP 140.1K

37.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.54 BHD 11.51

$17.12 COP 53.4K

78.39%

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 BHD 4.06

$6.65 COP 20.7K

61.95%

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

$495 BHD 187

$813 COP 2.5M

-39.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K BHD 4,096

$9,187 COP 28.7M

18.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 BHD 19.05

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-43.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.7 BHD 21.74

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-2.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 BHD 32.85

$138 COP 431.2K

-36.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.0 BHD 34.29

$102 COP 318.7K

-10.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,002 BHD 378

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-5.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$643 BHD 242

$663 COP 2.1M

-3.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,079 BHD 783

$1,888 COP 5.9M

10.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,381 BHD 521

$1,027 COP 3.2M

34.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,652 BHD 1,000

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-36.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,959 BHD 738

$1,675 COP 5.2M

17.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,273 BHD 857

$678 COP 2.1M

235.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

10.94

-43.24%

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

Last update for Manama: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,002 in Manama and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manama pays 235% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Manama vs $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $248 vs $305, with Manama cheaper for home cooking.

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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manama wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Medellin. 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 235% 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: $1,002 in Manama versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Manama runs roughly 113% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $495 in Manama versus $813 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,606 in Manama versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Manama but tight or insufficient in Medellin. 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 $1,606 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Manama hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Manama and Medellin 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 5% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.