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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,563 in Seef versus $1,794 in Al Hidd.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,472 in Seef versus $2,230 in Al Hidd.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,382 in Seef versus $2,667 in Al Hidd.

Living in Seef costs roughly 13% less than in Al Hidd, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seef 17% above, Al Hidd 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.67 BHD 4.02

$6.78 BHD 2.56

57.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.23 BHD 14.79

$39.30 BHD 14.82

-0.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 BHD 3.57

$7.27 BHD 2.74

30.26%

Cappuccino

$5.41 BHD 2.04

$2.60 BHD 0.98

108.08%

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

$1.50 BHD 0.57

$0.83 BHD 0.31

80.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 BHD 0.29

$0.12 BHD 0.05

541.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.66 BHD 4.02

$8.20 BHD 3.09

30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$18.69 BHD 7.04

$10.46 BHD 3.94

78.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 BHD 0.60

$1.64 BHD 0.62

-3.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 BHD 0.49

$1.28 BHD 0.48

2.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 BHD 1.19

$2.30 BHD 0.87

36.52%

Eggs

$1.56 BHD 0.59

$2.47 BHD 0.93

-36.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.66 BHD 4.02

$8.80 BHD 3.32

21.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.49 BHD 2.82

$7.81 BHD 2.95

-4.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.94 BHD 6.01

$10.25 BHD 3.86

55.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 BHD 1.23

$2.38 BHD 0.90

37.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 BHD 0.85

$2.11 BHD 0.80

7.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 BHD 0.98

$1.77 BHD 0.67

46.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.89 BHD 0.71

$1.21 BHD 0.46

56.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 BHD 0.35

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 BHD 0.49

$1.08 BHD 0.41

20.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 BHD 0.72

$1.50 BHD 0.57

27.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 BHD 0.19

$0.88 BHD 0.33

-42.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 BHD 0.99

$6.52 BHD 2.46

-59.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.80 BHD 7.09

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.86 BHD 1.46

$3.32 BHD 1.25

16.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 BHD 1.01

$3.21 BHD 1.21

-16.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 BHD 0.60

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.4 BHD 19.77

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 BHD 1.72

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.08 BHD 1.54

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.02 BHD 9.81

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.40 BHD 0.15

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

$19.9K BHD 7,504

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

$20.5K BHD 7,715

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

$90.7 BHD 34.19

$123 BHD 46.31

-26.18%

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

$24.21 BHD 9.13

$26.80 BHD 10.10

-9.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.51 BHD 17.54

$38.18 BHD 14.39

21.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.2 BHD 27.97

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.9 BHD 20.32

Cinema Ticket

$10.69 BHD 4.03

$10.75 BHD 4.05

-0.56%

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

$393 BHD 148

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,027 BHD 3,026

$8,888 BHD 3,351

-9.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.51 BHD 11.88

$45.74 BHD 17.25

-31.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.7 BHD 23.27

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 BHD 44.49

$83.1 BHD 31.34

41.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 BHD 33.49

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$983 BHD 371

$664 BHD 250

48.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$734 BHD 277

$925 BHD 349

-20.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,330 BHD 878

$790 BHD 298

194.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,454 BHD 548

$807 BHD 304

80.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,342 BHD 1,260

$1,946 BHD 734

71.69%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Al Hidd: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $983 in Seef and $664 in Al Hidd. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seef pays 72% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Seef vs $39.00 in Al Hidd 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 Al Hidd: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seef is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Seef pays 72% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $983 in Seef versus $664 in Al Hidd. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Al Hidd. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Seef – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $39.00 in Al Hidd. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,563 in Seef versus $1,794 in Al Hidd, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Seef but tight or insufficient in Al Hidd. The gap between the two cities makes Seef the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Seef 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.

Expats usually find Seef gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Al Hidd. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.