Cost of Living Comparison Between Seef and 'ali Cost of Living Comparison Between Seef and 'ali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,570 in Seef versus $807 in 'ali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,421 in Seef versus $1,328 in 'ali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,272 in Seef versus $1,849 in 'ali.

Living in Seef is roughly 95% more expensive than in 'ali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seef is 18% above, 'ali is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 BHD 4.08

$6.79 BHD 2.56

59.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.72 BHD 14.97

$52.9 BHD 19.94

-24.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.27 BHD 3.49

$5.19 BHD 1.96

78.61%

Cappuccino

$5.40 BHD 2.04

$5.16 BHD 1.95

4.65%

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

$1.49 BHD 0.56

$0.77 BHD 0.29

93.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 BHD 0.30

$0.37 BHD 0.14

113.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.78 BHD 4.06

$7.80 BHD 2.94

38.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$18.39 BHD 6.93

$10.58 BHD 3.99

73.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 BHD 0.60

$1.70 BHD 0.64

-5.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 BHD 0.51

$1.32 BHD 0.50

2.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 BHD 1.19

$2.37 BHD 0.89

33.76%

Eggs

$1.62 BHD 0.61

$2.51 BHD 0.94

-35.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 BHD 3.96

$8.90 BHD 3.35

18.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.61 BHD 2.87

$7.52 BHD 2.83

1.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.80 BHD 5.95

$10.02 BHD 3.78

57.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 BHD 1.21

$2.37 BHD 0.89

35.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 BHD 0.87

$2.04 BHD 0.77

12.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 BHD 0.94

$1.67 BHD 0.63

50.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 BHD 0.72

$1.21 BHD 0.46

57.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 BHD 0.35

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 BHD 0.49

$1.07 BHD 0.40

22.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 BHD 0.69

$1.45 BHD 0.55

25.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 BHD 0.21

$0.88 BHD 0.33

-37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.66 BHD 1.00

$6.58 BHD 2.48

-59.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.82 BHD 7.09

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.89 BHD 1.47

$3.47 BHD 1.31

12.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 BHD 1.02

$3.21 BHD 1.21

-15.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 BHD 1.74

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.88 BHD 1.46

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.03 BHD 10.19

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 BHD 0.19

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

$37.2K BHD 14.0K

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

$20.6K BHD 7,753

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

$90.5 BHD 34.12

$121 BHD 45.54

-25.08%

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

$24.15 BHD 9.10

$26.75 BHD 10.08

-9.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.69 BHD 17.22

$38.21 BHD 14.40

19.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.0 BHD 27.53

Cinema Ticket

$10.66 BHD 4.02

$10.49 BHD 3.95

1.62%

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

$385 BHD 145

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,916 BHD 2,984

$8,940 BHD 3,370

-11.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.55 BHD 11.89

$45.23 BHD 17.05

-30.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.1 BHD 23.78

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 BHD 44.12

$84.5 BHD 31.86

38.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.9 BHD 33.88

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 BHD 366

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 BHD 279

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,340 BHD 882

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,455 BHD 548

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,423 BHD 1,290

$3,720 BHD 1,402

-7.97%

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 Seef: July 14, 2026

Last update for 'ali: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

'ali pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Seef vs $53.0 in 'ali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $256 vs $264 per month, with Seef cheaper across the board.

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

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

'ali is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 95% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 9% lower in 'ali. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Shoppers in Seef pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in 'ali – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $40.00 in Seef. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $807 in 'ali versus $1,570 in Seef, a $1,500 budget is realistic in 'ali but tight or insufficient in Seef. The gap between the two cities makes 'ali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, 'ali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seef, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Seef and 'ali 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 'ali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 95% less than in Seef. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.