Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saar and 'ali

For one person, living is cheaper in 'ali: $818 a month against $1,998 in Saar, rent and utilities included – about $14,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in 'ali
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'ali Living Index

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Saar

🇧🇭 Bahrain

$1,998

/mo nomad

'ali

🇧🇭 Bahrain

$818

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saar and in 'ali

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

A single person spends $1,998 per month in Saar vs $818 in 'ali, rent included.

Saar $1,998
'ali $818

A couple spends around $2,780 per month in Saar vs $1,299 in 'ali, rent included.

Saar $2,780
'ali $1,299

A family of three spends $3,561 per month in Saar vs $1,779 in 'ali, rent included.

Saar $3,561
'ali $1,779

Saar costs about 144% more than 'ali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Saar sits 48% above the global median, while 'ali is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.53 BHD 3.97

$5.36 BHD 2.02

96.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.30 BHD 12.57

$53.3 BHD 20.14

-37.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.58 BHD 3.99

$7.44 BHD 2.81

42.20%

Cappuccino

$5.72 BHD 2.16

$5.01 BHD 1.89

14.17%

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

$1.72 BHD 0.65

$0.90 BHD 0.34

91.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 BHD 0.38

$0.30 BHD 0.11

233.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 BHD 2.23

$6.73 BHD 2.54

-12.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.36 BHD 3.53

$10.18 BHD 3.84

-8.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 BHD 0.66

$1.42 BHD 0.54

22.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 BHD 0.50

$1.07 BHD 0.40

23.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 BHD 1.00

$2.26 BHD 0.85

17.70%

Eggs

$2.60 BHD 0.98

$2.22 BHD 0.84

17.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.30 BHD 5.02

$8.64 BHD 3.26

53.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.77 BHD 2.56

$6.45 BHD 2.44

4.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.70 BHD 5.93

$8.86 BHD 3.34

77.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.96 BHD 1.49

$2.30 BHD 0.87

72.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 BHD 0.90

$2.31 BHD 0.87

2.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.69 BHD 1.39

$1.92 BHD 0.73

92.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 BHD 0.76

$1.40 BHD 0.53

43.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 BHD 0.24

$1.04 BHD 0.39

-39.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 BHD 0.63

$1.35 BHD 0.51

24.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 BHD 0.57

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 BHD 0.31

$0.78 BHD 0.30

5.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.32 BHD 2.01

Wine (Bottle)

$26.36 BHD 9.95

$18.80 BHD 7.10

40.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.61 BHD 1.36

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 BHD 0.97

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 BHD 0.32

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.35 BHD 2.02

$5.42 BHD 2.05

-1.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.46 BHD 1.31

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.80 BHD 5.96

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 BHD 0.21

$0.70 BHD 0.26

-20.00%

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

$36.7K BHD 13.9K

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

$20.1K BHD 7,594

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

$131 BHD 49.49

$151 BHD 57.0

-13.12%

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

$24.17 BHD 9.12

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.33 BHD 11.83

$35.75 BHD 13.50

-12.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$161 BHD 60.7

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$107 BHD 40.51

Cinema Ticket

$15.36 BHD 5.80

$10.67 BHD 4.03

43.96%

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

$551 BHD 208

$495 BHD 187

11.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,987 BHD 3,015

$11.2K BHD 4,229

-28.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.7 BHD 34.62

$51.9 BHD 19.59

76.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.06 BHD 14.75

$57.3 BHD 21.63

-31.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 BHD 39.36

$89.2 BHD 33.67

16.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 BHD 40.80

$89.2 BHD 33.67

21.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,350 BHD 510

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$938 BHD 354

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,159 BHD 815

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,213 BHD 458

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,112 BHD 797

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,377 BHD 897

$3,823 BHD 1,443

-37.81%

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 Saar: October 12, 2026

Last update for 'ali: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Saar

–

'ali

$250 30.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saar

–

'ali

$211 25.8%

Eating Out

Saar

–

'ali

$184 22.5%

Clothing & Footwear

Saar

–

'ali

$129 15.8%

Getting Around

Saar

–

'ali

$23 * 2.8%

Sport & Entertainment

Saar

–

'ali

$21 * 2.6%

Accommodation & Living

Saar

–

'ali

- * 0%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 61% higher in 'ali, 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 $33.00 in Saar versus $53.0 in 'ali. Groceries tell a different story – $299 in Saar vs $250 in 'ali – so 'ali wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇧🇭 Saar

🇧🇭 'ali

🕒 Local time

04:06 4:06 AM

Same time as Saar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,000

100,553

💱 Currency

Bahraini Dinar BHD .د.ب

📈 Exchange rate

1 BHD = 2.65 USD

1 BHD = 2.37 EUR

1 BHD = 2.65 USD

1 BHD = 2.37 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Saar 'ali 5 km

From you

Saar
'ali

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

Saar vs 'ali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saar is pricier by about 144%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,997 per month in Saar and $1,227 in 'ali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Saar and $53.0 in 'ali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Saar, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in 'ali, where all-in costs run around $818, than in Saar at $1,998. In 'ali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward 'ali – 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 'ali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Saar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.