Cost of Living Comparison Between Sanaa and Al Hidd Cost of Living Comparison Between Sanaa and Al Hidd

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,024 in Sanaa versus $1,772 in Al Hidd.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,597 in Sanaa versus $2,158 in Al Hidd.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,171 in Sanaa versus $2,543 in Al Hidd.

Living in Sanaa costs roughly 42% less than in Al Hidd, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sanaa is 26% below, Al Hidd is 29% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sanaa
Al Hidd
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.18 YER 1,462
$6.77 BHD 2.55
-8.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.63 YER 6,068
$39.73 BHD 14.98
-35.49%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.77 YER 2,312
$7.22 BHD 2.72
35.32%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.03 YER 480
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46 YER 582
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.79 YER 897
$3.77 BHD 1.42
0.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18 YER 280
$0.83 BHD 0.31
42.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 YER 153
$0.15 BHD 0.05
333.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$6.60 BHD 2.49
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$10.07 BHD 3.80
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sanaa
Al Hidd
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.99 YER 472
$1.44 BHD 0.54
38.19%
White Bread (500g)
$1.70 YER 403
$1.06 BHD 0.40
60.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.05 YER 486
$2.28 BHD 0.86
-10.09%
Eggs
$3.53 YER 836
$2.25 BHD 0.85
56.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.06 YER 4,038
$8.42 BHD 3.17
102.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.45 YER 2,001
$5.28 BHD 1.99
60.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.55 YER 4,391
$5.38 BHD 2.03
244.80%
Apples (1kg)
$3.42 YER 809
$2.28 BHD 0.86
50.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.02 YER 241
$2.35 BHD 0.88
-56.60%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.21 YER 523
$1.94 BHD 0.73
13.92%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.56 YER 369
$1.46 BHD 0.55
6.85%
Potato (1kg)
$1.47 YER 347
$1.05 BHD 0.39
40.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.32 YER 312
$1.41 BHD 0.53
-6.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.20 YER 283
$1.49 BHD 0.56
-19.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63 YER 150
$0.79 BHD 0.30
-20.25%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$3.32 YER 786
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 YER 422
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.43 YER 812
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.53 YER 1,309
$5.45 BHD 2.06
1.47%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$18.68 BHD 7.04
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$3.49 BHD 1.32
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.61 BHD 0.98
-
🚌 Getting Around
Sanaa
Al Hidd
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.44 YER 103
$1.55 BHD 0.58
-71.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$83.5 YER 19.8K
$53.3 BHD 20.08
56.73%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.26 YER 1,009
$5.28 BHD 1.99
-19.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 YER 505
$3.51 BHD 1.32
-39.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.47 YER 1,769
$16.13 BHD 6.08
-53.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.02 YER 479
$0.60 BHD 0.23
236.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.1K YER 4.0M
$20.0K BHD 7,546
-14.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4K YER 8.4M
$20.5K BHD 7,714
73.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sanaa
Al Hidd
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$109 YER 25.9K
$156 BHD 58.9
-29.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.95 YER 5,669
$24.48 BHD 9.23
-2.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$101 YER 23.8K
$34.56 BHD 13.03
191.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sanaa
Al Hidd
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$65.9 YER 15.6K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.92 YER 3,768
$53.0 BHD 19.97
-69.95%
Cinema Ticket
$5.85 YER 1,384
$10.52 BHD 3.97
-44.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sanaa
Al Hidd
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$114 YER 27.0K
$486 BHD 183
-76.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,204 YER 521.7K
$10.8K BHD 4,073
-79.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sanaa
Al Hidd
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.00 YER 9,943
$51.5 BHD 19.43
-18.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$122 YER 28.9K
$57.2 BHD 21.56
113.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$47.26 YER 11.2K
$89.5 BHD 33.75
-47.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$40.14 YER 9,501
$89.5 BHD 33.75
-55.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sanaa
Al Hidd
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$218 YER 51.5K
$669 BHD 252
-67.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$96.3 YER 22.8K
$944 BHD 356
-89.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$408 YER 96.5K
$800 BHD 301
-49.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$269 YER 63.7K
$651 BHD 245
-58.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,221 YER 999.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$797 YER 188.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sanaa
Al Hidd
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$191 YER 45.2K
$1,911 BHD 721
-90.01%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.25
6.21
81.16%

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

Last update for Sanaa: August 29, 2026

Last update for Al Hidd: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $218 in Sanaa and $669 in Al Hidd. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Hidd pays 901% 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: $26.00 in Sanaa vs $40.00 in Al Hidd. Groceries flip the comparison at $268 vs $233, with Al Hidd cheaper for home cooking.

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
Sanaa vs Al Hidd: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Al Hidd cheaper than Sanaa?
Sanaa is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 73% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Sanaa or Al Hidd?
On paper, salaries run 901% lower in Al Hidd. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Sanaa and Al Hidd?
Rent for a central apartment: $218 in Sanaa versus $669 in Al Hidd. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Sanaa runs roughly 57% less than in Al Hidd. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $114 in Sanaa versus $486 in Al Hidd. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Sanaa or in Al Hidd?
At $1,024 in Sanaa versus $1,772 in Al Hidd, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sanaa but tight or insufficient in Al Hidd. The gap between the two cities makes Sanaa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Sanaa or in Al Hidd?
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.
Which city is safer, Sanaa or Al Hidd?
Safety-wise, Sanaa and Al Hidd are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Sanaa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Al Hidd. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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