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: $1,570 in Seef versus $1,761 in Al Hidd.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,421 in Seef versus $2,233 in Al Hidd.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,272 in Seef versus $2,705 in Al Hidd.

Living in Seef costs roughly 11% less than in Al Hidd, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seef 18% above, Al Hidd 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 BHD 4.08

$6.72 BHD 2.53

61.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.72 BHD 14.97

$39.33 BHD 14.82

0.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.27 BHD 3.49

$7.46 BHD 2.81

24.26%

Cappuccino

$5.40 BHD 2.04

$2.73 BHD 1.03

97.80%

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

$1.49 BHD 0.56

$0.81 BHD 0.31

83.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 BHD 0.30

$0.13 BHD 0.05

507.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.78 BHD 4.06

$8.08 BHD 3.05

33.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$18.39 BHD 6.93

$10.41 BHD 3.92

76.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 BHD 0.60

$1.73 BHD 0.65

-7.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 BHD 0.51

$1.29 BHD 0.49

4.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 BHD 1.19

$2.32 BHD 0.87

36.64%

Eggs

$1.62 BHD 0.61

$2.47 BHD 0.93

-34.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 BHD 3.96

$8.77 BHD 3.31

19.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.61 BHD 2.87

$7.88 BHD 2.97

-3.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.80 BHD 5.95

$10.07 BHD 3.79

56.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 BHD 1.21

$2.46 BHD 0.93

30.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 BHD 0.87

$2.05 BHD 0.77

12.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 BHD 0.94

$1.74 BHD 0.66

44.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 BHD 0.72

$1.21 BHD 0.46

57.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 BHD 0.33

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 BHD 0.49

$1.04 BHD 0.39

25.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 BHD 0.69

$1.50 BHD 0.57

21.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 BHD 0.21

$0.94 BHD 0.35

-41.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.66 BHD 1.00

$6.51 BHD 2.45

-59.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.37 BHD 6.92

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

$3.18 BHD 1.20

-14.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 BHD 0.59

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 BHD 19.95

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.67 BHD 1.76

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.95 BHD 1.49

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.75 BHD 10.08

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.37 BHD 0.14

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

$19.7K BHD 7,422

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

$20.6K BHD 7,778

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

$90.5 BHD 34.12

$123 BHD 46.51

-26.65%

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

$24.15 BHD 9.10

$27.16 BHD 10.24

-11.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.69 BHD 17.22

$38.86 BHD 14.65

17.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.0 BHD 27.53

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 BHD 20.29

Cinema Ticket

$10.66 BHD 4.02

$10.74 BHD 4.05

-0.74%

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

$384 BHD 145

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,916 BHD 2,984

$8,780 BHD 3,309

-9.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.55 BHD 11.89

$45.44 BHD 17.13

-30.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.3 BHD 23.47

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 BHD 44.12

$82.6 BHD 31.15

41.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.1 BHD 33.56

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 BHD 366

$663 BHD 250

46.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 BHD 279

$936 BHD 353

-21.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,340 BHD 882

$808 BHD 305

189.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,455 BHD 548

$783 BHD 295

85.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,423 BHD 1,290

$1,944 BHD 733

76.07%

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 Al Hidd: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $970 in Seef and $663 in Al Hidd. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seef pays 76% 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 $39.00 in Al Hidd. Groceries flip the comparison at $256 vs $265, with Seef 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

Seef vs Al Hidd: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seef is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 76% higher in Seef, 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: $970 in Seef versus $663 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 $40.00 versus $39.00 in Al Hidd. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,570 in Seef versus $1,761 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 12% less than in Al Hidd. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.