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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 2% less than in Manama, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$6.48 BHD 2.44

103.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$53.5 BHD 20.16

0.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$7.27 BHD 2.74

29.57%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$5.34 BHD 2.01

-33.52%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.87 BHD 0.33

86.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.36 BHD 0.14

208.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$8.09 BHD 3.05

-61.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$10.54 BHD 3.97

-56.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.71 BHD 0.64

-0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.27 BHD 0.48

114.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$2.43 BHD 0.91

-21.40%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.47 BHD 0.93

2.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$8.59 BHD 3.24

16.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$7.74 BHD 2.92

4.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$10.28 BHD 3.88

13.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.36 BHD 0.89

25.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$2.11 BHD 0.79

-14.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.77 BHD 0.67

13.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.18 BHD 0.44

72.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$0.93 BHD 0.35

127.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.09 BHD 0.41

108.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$1.46 BHD 0.55

-4.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.86 BHD 0.32

31.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$6.58 BHD 2.48

-35.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$18.88 BHD 7.12

-17.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$3.44 BHD 1.30

-48.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$3.29 BHD 1.24

9.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.83 BHD 0.31

-54.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$31.28 BHD 11.79

-38.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$4.58 BHD 1.72

-69.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$3.96 BHD 1.49

-92.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$26.86 BHD 10.13

-79.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$0.52 BHD 0.19

150.00%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$36.8K BHD 13.9K

-49.25%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$20.7K BHD 7,796

11.85%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$121 BHD 45.53

-66.17%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$26.86 BHD 10.13

-0.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$38.52 BHD 14.52

-22.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$71.0 BHD 26.78

-26.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$45.13 BHD 17.01

-40.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$10.78 BHD 4.06

-41.56%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$382 BHD 144

14.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$8,953 BHD 3,375

16.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$46.73 BHD 17.62

21.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$63.8 BHD 24.03

-30.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$84.8 BHD 31.98

21.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$88.8 BHD 33.47

18.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$818 BHD 308

24.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$559 BHD 211

12.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$1,791 BHD 675

19.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$1,244 BHD 469

-0.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$2,629 BHD 991

48.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$1,941 BHD 732

6.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$2,360 BHD 890

-52.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

8.56

32.48%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Manama: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $818 in Manama. 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $53.0 in Manama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $265 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

Mexico City vs Manama: 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.

On paper, Manama earns 112% less. 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $818 in Manama. 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 $436 in Mexico City versus $382 in Manama. 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, Mexico City and Manama 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.