Cost of Living Comparison Between Manama and Tubli Cost of Living Comparison Between Manama and Tubli

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,606 in Manama versus $1,591 in Tubli.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,517 in Manama versus $2,544 in Tubli.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,428 in Manama versus $3,497 in Tubli.

Living in Manama is roughly 1% more expensive than in Tubli, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Manama 17% above, Tubli 16% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.67 BHD 2.52

$6.55 BHD 2.47

1.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.1 BHD 19.64

$52.7 BHD 19.86

-1.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.30 BHD 2.75

$7.22 BHD 2.72

1.11%

Cappuccino

$4.82 BHD 1.82

$2.61 BHD 0.98

84.67%

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

$0.84 BHD 0.32

$0.83 BHD 0.31

1.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 BHD 0.12

$0.26 BHD 0.10

26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.65 BHD 2.51

$6.74 BHD 2.54

-1.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.84 BHD 3.71

$10.16 BHD 3.83

-3.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 BHD 0.54

$1.42 BHD 0.53

0.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 BHD 0.40

$1.08 BHD 0.41

-1.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 BHD 0.87

$2.27 BHD 0.86

1.32%

Eggs

$2.22 BHD 0.84

$2.31 BHD 0.87

-3.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.78 BHD 3.31

$8.69 BHD 3.27

1.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 BHD 2.39

$6.38 BHD 2.40

-0.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.45 BHD 3.19

$8.68 BHD 3.27

-2.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 BHD 0.90

$2.31 BHD 0.87

3.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 BHD 0.89

$2.32 BHD 0.87

1.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 BHD 0.71

$1.89 BHD 0.71

-0.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 BHD 0.54

$1.45 BHD 0.55

-0.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 BHD 0.40

$1.00 BHD 0.38

6.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 BHD 0.54

$1.41 BHD 0.53

1.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 BHD 0.59

$1.56 BHD 0.59

-0.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 BHD 0.29

$0.84 BHD 0.32

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 BHD 1.95

$5.41 BHD 2.04

-4.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.37 BHD 6.92

$18.33 BHD 6.91

0.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.47 BHD 1.31

$3.52 BHD 1.33

-1.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 BHD 0.99

$2.73 BHD 1.03

-4.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 BHD 0.24

$1.62 BHD 0.61

-60.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.78 BHD 14.24

$52.3 BHD 19.72

-27.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 BHD 2.03

$5.16 BHD 1.95

4.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.51 BHD 1.32

$3.40 BHD 1.28

3.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.79 BHD 5.95

$16.11 BHD 6.07

-1.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 BHD 0.24

$0.70 BHD 0.26

-8.57%

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

$37.3K BHD 14.0K

$37.1K BHD 14.0K

0.35%

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

$20.4K BHD 7,674

$20.4K BHD 7,700

-0.33%

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

$154 BHD 57.9

$92.3 BHD 34.77

66.62%

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

$24.27 BHD 9.15

$24.28 BHD 9.15

-0.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.61 BHD 13.04

$34.52 BHD 13.01

0.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 BHD 23.30

$161 BHD 60.7

-61.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.54 BHD 11.51

$197 BHD 74.2

-84.48%

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 BHD 4.06

$10.44 BHD 3.93

3.16%

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

$495 BHD 187

$485 BHD 183

2.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K BHD 4,096

$3,903 BHD 1,471

178.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 BHD 19.05

$52.0 BHD 19.59

-2.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.7 BHD 21.74

$57.5 BHD 21.69

0.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 BHD 32.85

$86.2 BHD 32.48

1.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.0 BHD 34.29

$78.0 BHD 29.40

16.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,002 BHD 378

$992 BHD 374

1.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$643 BHD 242

$671 BHD 253

-4.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,079 BHD 783

$1,599 BHD 603

30.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,381 BHD 521

$1,190 BHD 449

16.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,652 BHD 1,000

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,959 BHD 738

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,273 BHD 857

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 12, 2026

Last update for Tubli: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,002 in Manama and $992 in Tubli. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Manama vs $53.0 in Tubli for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $248 vs $249 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 Tubli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tubli wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Manama. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tubli the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,410 in Manama and $2,386 in Tubli to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,002 in Manama versus $992 in Tubli. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tubli runs roughly 39% less than in Manama. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $495 in Manama versus $485 in Tubli. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,591 in Tubli versus $1,606 in Manama, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tubli but tight or insufficient in Manama. The gap between the two cities makes Tubli the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Manama and Tubli 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 Tubli gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Manama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.