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: $1,479 in Manama versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,410 in Manama versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,340 in Manama versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Manama 11% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.57 BHD 2.48

$13.07 MX$229

-49.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.0 BHD 19.60

$53.8 MX$940

-3.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 BHD 2.85

$9.68 MX$169

-21.90%

Cappuccino

$5.46 BHD 2.06

$3.74 MX$65.4

45.99%

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

$0.79 BHD 0.30

$1.62 MX$28.25

-51.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 BHD 0.14

$1.16 MX$20.31

-68.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.01 BHD 3.02

$3.23 MX$56.4

147.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.46 BHD 3.94

$4.74 MX$82.9

120.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 BHD 0.62

$1.65 MX$28.80

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 BHD 0.50

$2.75 MX$48.15

-51.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 BHD 0.88

$1.87 MX$32.77

25.13%

Eggs

$2.40 BHD 0.90

$2.50 MX$43.72

-4.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.62 BHD 3.25

$10.20 MX$178

-15.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.50 BHD 2.83

$8.25 MX$144

-9.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.23 BHD 3.86

$11.82 MX$207

-13.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 BHD 0.92

$3.01 MX$52.6

-18.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 BHD 0.79

$1.81 MX$31.67

16.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 BHD 0.64

$2.00 MX$34.96

-15.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 BHD 0.44

$2.00 MX$34.89

-41.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 BHD 0.35

$2.08 MX$36.45

-55.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 BHD 0.41

$2.27 MX$39.72

-52.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 BHD 0.54

$1.46 MX$25.47

-1.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 BHD 0.34

$1.08 MX$18.82

-15.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.48 BHD 2.44

$4.35 MX$76.0

48.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.75 BHD 7.07

$16.99 MX$297

10.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 BHD 1.26

$1.73 MX$30.31

93.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 BHD 1.18

$3.58 MX$62.5

-12.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 BHD 0.29

$0.39 MX$6.77

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.29 BHD 12.17

$18.69 MX$327

72.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.66 BHD 1.76

$1.33 MX$23.18

250.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.00 BHD 1.51

$0.28 MX$4.89

1328.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.04 BHD 9.81

$5.25 MX$91.8

396.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 BHD 0.20

$1.34 MX$23.37

-60.45%

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

$37.7K BHD 14.2K

$19.4K MX$339.4K

94.23%

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

$20.7K BHD 7,813

$23.8K MX$416.7K

-13.02%

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

$122 BHD 46.06

$40.69 MX$712

200.34%

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

$26.99 BHD 10.17

$26.87 MX$470

0.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.99 BHD 14.70

$30.51 MX$534

27.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 BHD 26.90

$52.8 MX$923

35.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.42 BHD 16.74

$26.65 MX$466

66.68%

Cinema Ticket

$10.53 BHD 3.97

$6.51 MX$114

61.75%

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

$394 BHD 148

$428 MX$7,485

-8.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,780 BHD 3,309

$10.5K MX$183.6K

-16.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.27 BHD 17.44

$57.3 MX$1,001

-19.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 BHD 23.19

$45.50 MX$796

35.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.8 BHD 31.21

$104 MX$1,819

-20.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 BHD 33.71

$108 MX$1,885

-17.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 BHD 303

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-19.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 BHD 207

$623 MX$10.9K

-12.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,794 BHD 676

$2,109 MX$36.9K

-14.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 BHD 455

$1,218 MX$21.3K

-0.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,668 BHD 1,006

$3,885 MX$67.9K

-31.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,960 BHD 739

$2,033 MX$35.5K

-3.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,276 BHD 858

$1,038 MX$18.1K

119.29%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $803 in Manama and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manama pays 119% 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: $52.0 in Manama vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $262 vs $292 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.

Average pay runs 119% 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: $803 in Manama versus $1,003 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 73% less than in Manama. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $394 in Manama versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,479 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 $1,456 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.