Cost of Living Comparison Between Sanad and Manama Cost of Living Comparison Between Sanad and Manama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,272 in Sanad versus $1,479 in Manama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,988 in Sanad versus $2,410 in Manama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,704 in Sanad versus $3,340 in Manama.

Living in Sanad costs roughly 14% less than in Manama, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sanad is 5% below, Manama is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.70 BHD 2.52

$6.57 BHD 2.48

1.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 BHD 20.23

$52.0 BHD 19.60

3.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.57 BHD 2.85

$7.56 BHD 2.85

0.13%

Cappuccino

$5.33 BHD 2.01

$5.46 BHD 2.06

-2.38%

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

$0.79 BHD 0.30

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 BHD 0.15

$0.37 BHD 0.14

5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.76 BHD 2.92

$8.01 BHD 3.02

-3.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.64 BHD 4.01

$10.46 BHD 3.94

1.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 BHD 0.44

$1.65 BHD 0.62

-29.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 BHD 0.50

$1.33 BHD 0.50

-0.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 BHD 0.88

$2.34 BHD 0.88

-0.85%

Eggs

$2.48 BHD 0.93

$2.40 BHD 0.90

3.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.66 BHD 3.26

$8.62 BHD 3.25

0.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.75 BHD 2.92

$7.50 BHD 2.83

3.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.05 BHD 3.79

$10.23 BHD 3.86

-1.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 BHD 0.83

$2.45 BHD 0.92

-9.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 BHD 0.79

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 BHD 0.64

$1.70 BHD 0.64

-0.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 BHD 0.44

$1.17 BHD 0.44

-0.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 BHD 0.36

$0.92 BHD 0.35

3.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 BHD 0.39

$1.08 BHD 0.41

-3.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 BHD 0.57

$1.44 BHD 0.54

4.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 BHD 0.17

$0.91 BHD 0.34

-51.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.57 BHD 2.48

$6.48 BHD 2.44

1.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.69 BHD 7.04

$18.75 BHD 7.07

-0.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.44 BHD 1.30

$3.35 BHD 1.26

2.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 BHD 1.21

$3.14 BHD 1.18

2.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 BHD 0.29

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.29 BHD 12.17

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 BHD 1.71

$4.66 BHD 1.76

-2.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.03 BHD 1.52

$4.00 BHD 1.51

0.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 BHD 10.15

$26.04 BHD 9.81

3.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 BHD 0.21

$0.53 BHD 0.20

5.66%

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

$37.6K BHD 14.2K

$37.7K BHD 14.2K

-0.27%

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

$20.8K BHD 7,823

$20.7K BHD 7,813

0.12%

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

$121 BHD 45.79

$122 BHD 46.06

-0.60%

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

$15.87 BHD 5.98

$26.99 BHD 10.17

-41.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.02 BHD 14.33

$38.99 BHD 14.70

-2.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.4 BHD 29.53

$71.4 BHD 26.90

9.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.42 BHD 16.74

Cinema Ticket

$10.56 BHD 3.98

$10.53 BHD 3.97

0.28%

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

$388 BHD 146

$394 BHD 148

-1.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,016 BHD 3,398

$8,780 BHD 3,309

2.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.30 BHD 17.45

$46.27 BHD 17.44

0.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.6 BHD 23.97

$61.5 BHD 23.19

3.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 BHD 31.53

$82.8 BHD 31.21

1.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.6 BHD 25.12

$89.4 BHD 33.71

-25.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$651 BHD 245

$803 BHD 303

-18.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 BHD 149

$548 BHD 207

-27.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,453 BHD 548

$1,794 BHD 676

-19.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$782 BHD 295

$1,208 BHD 455

-35.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,668 BHD 1,006

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,960 BHD 739

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,182 BHD 445

$2,276 BHD 858

-48.08%

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 Sanad: July 14, 2026

Last update for Manama: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $651 in Sanad and $803 in Manama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manama pays 93% 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 Sanad vs $52.0 in Manama. Groceries flip the comparison at $252 vs $262, with Sanad 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

Sanad vs Manama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sanad wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Manama. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sanad the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 93% lower in Manama. 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: $651 in Sanad versus $803 in Manama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Manama. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,272 per month in Sanad versus $1,479 in Manama – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,272 in Sanad versus $1,479 in Manama, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sanad but tight or insufficient in Manama. The gap between the two cities makes Sanad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Sanad 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 Sanad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Manama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.