Cost of Living Comparison Between Saar and Madinat Hamad Cost of Living Comparison Between Saar and Madinat Hamad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,993 per month in Saar vs $1,178 in Madinat Hamad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,797 per month in Saar vs $1,884 in Madinat Hamad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,601 per month in Saar vs $2,591 in Madinat Hamad, rent included.

Saar costs about 69% more than Madinat Hamad, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Saar sits 48% above the global median, while Madinat Hamad is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.42 BHD 3.93

$2.68 BHD 1.01

288.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.79 BHD 12.74

$53.5 BHD 20.17

-36.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 BHD 3.93

$7.32 BHD 2.76

42.35%

Cappuccino

$5.69 BHD 2.14

$2.59 BHD 0.98

119.69%

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

$0.97 BHD 0.36

$0.80 BHD 0.30

21.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 BHD 0.17

$0.37 BHD 0.14

21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.01 BHD 2.27

$8.02 BHD 3.02

-25.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.11 BHD 3.43

$10.79 BHD 4.07

-15.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 BHD 0.65

$1.55 BHD 0.58

11.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 BHD 0.49

$1.03 BHD 0.39

27.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 BHD 0.99

$2.33 BHD 0.88

12.88%

Eggs

$2.69 BHD 1.01

$2.08 BHD 0.78

29.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.40 BHD 5.05

$8.80 BHD 3.32

52.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 BHD 2.53

$7.80 BHD 2.94

-13.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.75 BHD 5.94

$10.06 BHD 3.79

56.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 BHD 1.51

$2.08 BHD 0.79

93.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 BHD 0.87

$1.63 BHD 0.61

42.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 BHD 1.36

$1.76 BHD 0.66

105.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 BHD 0.74

$1.17 BHD 0.44

68.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 BHD 0.26

$0.87 BHD 0.33

-20.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 BHD 0.61

$1.08 BHD 0.41

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 BHD 0.54

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 BHD 0.21

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 BHD 2.49

Wine (Bottle)

$26.57 BHD 10.01

$18.81 BHD 7.09

41.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.46 BHD 1.31

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 BHD 1.21

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 BHD 0.25

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.84 BHD 13.13

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.27 BHD 1.99

$4.53 BHD 1.71

16.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 BHD 1.25

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.21 BHD 9.88

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 BHD 0.13

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

$37.6K BHD 14.2K

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

$21.1K BHD 7,965

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

$132 BHD 49.90

$122 BHD 45.92

8.67%

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

$23.47 BHD 8.84

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.14 BHD 12.11

$18.52 BHD 6.98

73.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$189 BHD 71.4

$118 BHD 44.51

60.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$106 BHD 39.92

$52.6 BHD 19.84

101.25%

Cinema Ticket

$21.27 BHD 8.02

$5.27 BHD 1.99

303.61%

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

$554 BHD 209

$383 BHD 144

44.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,057 BHD 3,037

$8,986 BHD 3,387

-10.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.3 BHD 35.15

$45.38 BHD 17.11

105.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.00 BHD 14.70

$61.6 BHD 23.21

-36.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 BHD 39.22

$81.7 BHD 30.80

27.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 BHD 40.75

$89.3 BHD 33.66

21.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,333 BHD 502

$391 BHD 147

240.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$924 BHD 348

$312 BHD 118

196.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,106 BHD 794

$797 BHD 301

164.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 BHD 451

$666 BHD 251

79.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,212 BHD 834

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,379 BHD 897

$661 BHD 249

260.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.56

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

Last update for Saar: June 7, 2026

Last update for Madinat Hamad: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,333 in Saar versus $391 in Madinat Hamad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 260% higher in Saar, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Saar versus $54.0 in Madinat Hamad. Groceries tell a different story – $289 in Saar vs $251 in Madinat Hamad – so Madinat Hamad wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Madinat Hamad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,993 in Saar, $1,178 in Madinat Hamad – roughly 69% apart. Saar costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,990 per month in Saar and $1,767 in Madinat Hamad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Madinat Hamad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Saar and $54.0 in Madinat Hamad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Madinat Hamad, where all-in costs run around $1,178, than in Saar at $1,993. In Madinat Hamad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Madinat Hamad has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,178 in Madinat Hamad to $1,993 in Saar. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Madinat Hamad. 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.