Cost of Living Comparison Between Seef and Manama Cost of Living Comparison Between Seef and Manama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,570 in Seef versus $1,479 in Manama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,421 in Seef versus $2,410 in Manama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,272 in Seef versus $3,340 in Manama.

Living in Seef is roughly 6% more expensive than in Manama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seef 18% above, Manama 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 BHD 4.08

$6.57 BHD 2.48

64.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.72 BHD 14.97

$52.0 BHD 19.60

-23.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.27 BHD 3.49

$7.56 BHD 2.85

22.62%

Cappuccino

$5.40 BHD 2.04

$5.46 BHD 2.06

-1.10%

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

$1.49 BHD 0.56

$0.79 BHD 0.30

88.61%

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

$8.01 BHD 3.02

34.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$18.39 BHD 6.93

$10.46 BHD 3.94

75.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 BHD 0.60

$1.65 BHD 0.62

-3.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 BHD 0.51

$1.33 BHD 0.50

1.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 BHD 1.19

$2.34 BHD 0.88

35.47%

Eggs

$1.62 BHD 0.61

$2.40 BHD 0.90

-32.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 BHD 3.96

$8.62 BHD 3.25

22.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.61 BHD 2.87

$7.50 BHD 2.83

1.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.80 BHD 5.95

$10.23 BHD 3.86

54.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 BHD 1.21

$2.45 BHD 0.92

30.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 BHD 0.87

$2.10 BHD 0.79

9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 BHD 0.94

$1.70 BHD 0.64

47.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 BHD 0.72

$1.17 BHD 0.44

63.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 BHD 0.35

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 BHD 0.49

$1.08 BHD 0.41

21.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 BHD 0.69

$1.44 BHD 0.54

26.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 BHD 0.21

$0.91 BHD 0.34

-39.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.66 BHD 1.00

$6.48 BHD 2.44

-58.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.75 BHD 7.07

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.89 BHD 1.47

$3.35 BHD 1.26

16.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 BHD 1.02

$3.14 BHD 1.18

-13.69%

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)

$4.66 BHD 1.76

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.00 BHD 1.51

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.04 BHD 9.81

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 BHD 0.20

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

$37.7K BHD 14.2K

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

$20.7K BHD 7,813

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

$90.5 BHD 34.12

$122 BHD 46.06

-25.93%

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

$24.15 BHD 9.10

$26.99 BHD 10.17

-10.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.69 BHD 17.22

$38.99 BHD 14.70

17.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.0 BHD 27.53

$71.4 BHD 26.90

2.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.42 BHD 16.74

Cinema Ticket

$10.66 BHD 4.02

$10.53 BHD 3.97

1.23%

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

$394 BHD 148

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

$46.27 BHD 17.44

-31.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 BHD 23.19

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 BHD 44.12

$82.8 BHD 31.21

41.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 BHD 33.71

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 BHD 366

$803 BHD 303

20.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 BHD 279

$548 BHD 207

34.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,340 BHD 882

$1,794 BHD 676

30.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,455 BHD 548

$1,208 BHD 455

20.42%

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)

$3,423 BHD 1,290

$2,276 BHD 858

50.41%

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 Manama: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $970 in Seef and $803 in Manama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seef pays 50% 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: $40.00 in Seef vs $52.0 in Manama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $256 vs $262 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 Manama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manama wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Seef. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Manama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 50% 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 $803 in Manama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,570 per month in Seef versus $1,479 in Manama – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Seef pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,479 in Manama versus $1,570 in Seef, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Manama but tight or insufficient in Seef. The gap between the two cities makes Manama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Manama delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,479 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Manama hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Seef 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 Manama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Seef. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.