Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Riffa and Amwaj

For one person, living is cheaper in Amwaj: $609 a month against $1,211 in Riffa, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Riffa
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Riffa Living Index

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Riffa

🇧🇭 Bahrain

$1,211

/mo nomad

Amwaj

🇧🇭 Bahrain

$609

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Riffa and in Amwaj

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Riffa and in Amwaj actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,211 per month in Riffa vs $609 in Amwaj, rent included.

Riffa $1,211
Amwaj $609

A couple spends around $1,868 per month in Riffa vs $2,459 in Amwaj, rent included.

Riffa $1,868
Amwaj $2,459

A family of three spends $2,525 per month in Riffa vs $4,309 in Amwaj, rent included.

Riffa $2,525
Amwaj $4,309

Riffa costs about 99% more than Amwaj, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Riffa and Amwaj are more affordable than the global median – Riffa 11% lower, Amwaj 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.23 BHD 1.97

$10.70 BHD 4.04

-51.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.96 BHD 14.70

$32.30 BHD 12.19

20.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.08 BHD 2.30

$9.71 BHD 3.67

-37.38%

Cappuccino

$4.04 BHD 1.52

$4.02 BHD 1.52

0.50%

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

$0.68 BHD 0.26

$2.18 BHD 0.82

-68.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 BHD 0.10

$0.64 BHD 0.24

-57.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.43 BHD 2.43

$7.76 BHD 2.93

-17.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.16 BHD 3.08

$10.73 BHD 4.05

-23.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 BHD 0.52

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 BHD 0.24

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 BHD 0.68

Eggs

$2.30 BHD 0.87

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 BHD 2.96

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 BHD 2.23

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.38 BHD 3.16

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 BHD 0.87

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 BHD 0.65

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 BHD 0.68

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 BHD 0.40

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 BHD 0.38

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 BHD 0.25

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 BHD 0.20

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 BHD 0.21

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 BHD 2.05

$5.17 BHD 1.95

5.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.12 BHD 4.95

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 BHD 0.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 BHD 0.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 BHD 0.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.72 BHD 13.48

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.44 BHD 2.05

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.42 BHD 1.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.40 BHD 3.93

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 BHD 0.19

$0.66 BHD 0.25

-25.76%

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

$22.5K BHD 8,506

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

$20.1K BHD 7,597

$36.9K BHD 13.9K

-45.42%

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

$133 BHD 50.3

$130 BHD 49.23

2.16%

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

$24.43 BHD 9.22

$23.57 BHD 8.89

3.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.66 BHD 13.08

$65.9 BHD 24.88

-47.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.9 BHD 27.51

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.45 BHD 5.08

Cinema Ticket

$10.52 BHD 3.97

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

$481 BHD 182

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,589 BHD 2,109

$13.4K BHD 5,063

-58.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.99 BHD 10.94

$64.9 BHD 24.51

-55.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.34 BHD 8.06

$65.4 BHD 24.67

-67.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.4 BHD 25.06

$94.0 BHD 35.47

-29.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.70 BHD 14.98

$120 BHD 45.11

-66.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 BHD 346

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 BHD 162

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,535 BHD 579

$2,393 BHD 903

-35.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 BHD 325

$3,100 BHD 1,170

-72.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,392 BHD 525

$3,991 BHD 1,506

-65.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

-21.43%

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

Last update for Riffa: October 18, 2026

Last update for Amwaj: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Riffa

$429 35.5%

Amwaj

–

Groceries & Markets

Riffa

$203 16.7%

Amwaj

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Riffa

$192 15.9%

Amwaj

–

Eating Out

Riffa

$161 13.3%

Amwaj

–

Sport & Entertainment

Riffa

$94 7.8%

Amwaj

–

Clothing & Footwear

Riffa

$70 5.8%

Amwaj

–

Getting Around

Riffa

$61 5.1%

Amwaj

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 187% higher in Amwaj, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Riffa versus $32.00 in Amwaj. Use this as a proxy for overall food spending across the two cities.

Good to know

🇧🇭 Riffa

🇧🇭 Amwaj

🕒 Local time

23:04 11:04 PM

Same time as Riffa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

121,566

💱 Currency

Bahraini Dinar BHD .د.ب

📈 Exchange rate

1 BHD = 2.65 USD

1 BHD = 2.36 EUR

1 BHD = 2.65 USD

1 BHD = 2.36 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Riffa Amwaj 22 km

From you

Riffa
Amwaj

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Riffa vs Amwaj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riffa costs about 99% more than Amwaj, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,817 per month in Riffa and $914 in Amwaj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,211 in Riffa and $609 in Amwaj. That's a gap of about 99%.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Riffa and $32.00 in Amwaj. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Amwaj, where all-in costs run around $609, than in Riffa at $1,211. In Amwaj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riffa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Amwaj – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Amwaj. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Riffa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.