Cost of Living Comparison Between Manama and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Manama and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,496 in Manama versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,408 in Manama versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,319 in Manama versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Manama is roughly 2% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Manama 12% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.48 BHD 2.44

$13.18 MX$228

-50.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 BHD 20.16

$53.9 MX$932

-0.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 BHD 2.74

$9.42 MX$163

-22.82%

Cappuccino

$5.34 BHD 2.01

$3.55 MX$61.4

50.42%

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

$0.87 BHD 0.33

$1.62 MX$27.98

-46.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 BHD 0.14

$1.11 MX$19.27

-67.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 BHD 3.05

$3.12 MX$54.0

159.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.54 BHD 3.97

$4.63 MX$80.1

127.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 BHD 0.64

$1.70 MX$29.43

0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 BHD 0.48

$2.72 MX$47.02

-53.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 BHD 0.91

$1.91 MX$33.07

27.23%

Eggs

$2.47 BHD 0.93

$2.54 MX$43.86

-2.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.59 BHD 3.24

$10.03 MX$174

-14.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.74 BHD 2.92

$8.09 MX$140

-4.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 BHD 3.88

$11.62 MX$201

-11.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 BHD 0.89

$2.97 MX$51.3

-20.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 BHD 0.79

$1.81 MX$31.24

16.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 BHD 0.67

$2.01 MX$34.82

-11.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 BHD 0.44

$2.03 MX$35.20

-41.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 BHD 0.35

$2.12 MX$36.75

-56.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 BHD 0.41

$2.27 MX$39.25

-51.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 BHD 0.55

$1.40 MX$24.22

4.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 BHD 0.32

$1.13 MX$19.55

-23.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 BHD 2.48

$4.27 MX$73.9

54.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 BHD 7.12

$15.56 MX$269

21.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.44 BHD 1.30

$1.76 MX$30.39

95.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 BHD 1.24

$3.60 MX$62.2

-8.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 BHD 0.31

$0.38 MX$6.62

118.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.28 BHD 11.79

$19.18 MX$332

63.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 BHD 1.72

$1.38 MX$23.79

231.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.96 BHD 1.49

$0.28 MX$4.78

1314.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.86 BHD 10.13

$5.45 MX$94.2

392.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 BHD 0.19

$1.30 MX$22.55

-60.00%

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

$36.8K BHD 13.9K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

97.05%

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

$20.7K BHD 7,796

$23.1K MX$400.1K

-10.59%

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

$121 BHD 45.53

$40.86 MX$707

195.57%

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

$26.86 BHD 10.13

$26.81 MX$464

0.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.52 BHD 14.52

$29.96 MX$518

28.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.0 BHD 26.78

$52.0 MX$900

36.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.13 BHD 17.01

$26.84 MX$464

68.14%

Cinema Ticket

$10.78 BHD 4.06

$6.30 MX$109

71.11%

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

$382 BHD 144

$436 MX$7,544

-12.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,953 BHD 3,375

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-14.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.73 BHD 17.62

$56.7 MX$980

-17.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.8 BHD 24.03

$44.38 MX$768

43.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 BHD 31.98

$103 MX$1,780

-17.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 BHD 33.47

$106 MX$1,825

-15.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$818 BHD 308

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-19.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 BHD 211

$631 MX$10.9K

-11.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,791 BHD 675

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-16.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 BHD 469

$1,243 MX$21.5K

0.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,629 BHD 991

$3,903 MX$67.5K

-32.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,941 BHD 732

$2,064 MX$35.7K

-5.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,360 BHD 890

$1,115 MX$19.3K

111.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.56

11.34

-24.51%

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

Last update for Manama: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $818 in Manama and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manama pays 112% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $53.0 in Manama vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $265 vs $288 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Manama. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mexico City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Manama pays 112% 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 $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 63% less than in Manama. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $382 in Manama versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,496 in Manama, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Manama. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mexico City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,467 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mexico City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Manama and Mexico City 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Manama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.