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: $1,691 in Seef versus $1,595 in Manama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,673 in Seef versus $2,515 in Manama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,655 in Seef versus $3,435 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 23% above, Manama 16% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 BHD 3.05

$6.80 BHD 2.56

18.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.8 BHD 19.90

$53.6 BHD 20.22

-1.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 BHD 3.04

$7.61 BHD 2.87

6.04%

Cappuccino

$5.26 BHD 1.98

$4.88 BHD 1.84

7.79%

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

$1.54 BHD 0.58

$0.88 BHD 0.33

75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 BHD 0.29

$0.30 BHD 0.11

160.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.45 BHD 3.94

$6.53 BHD 2.46

60.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$18.85 BHD 7.11

$10.04 BHD 3.78

87.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 BHD 0.87

$1.46 BHD 0.55

58.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 BHD 0.51

$1.05 BHD 0.40

29.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.16 BHD 1.19

$2.29 BHD 0.86

37.99%

Eggs

$1.55 BHD 0.58

$2.34 BHD 0.88

-33.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.41 BHD 3.92

$8.83 BHD 3.33

17.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.99 BHD 2.26

$6.53 BHD 2.46

-8.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.68 BHD 5.91

$8.79 BHD 3.31

78.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 BHD 1.21

$2.40 BHD 0.90

34.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 BHD 0.77

$2.24 BHD 0.85

-9.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 BHD 0.93

$1.93 BHD 0.73

28.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.90 BHD 0.72

$1.43 BHD 0.54

32.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BHD 0.39

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 BHD 0.41

$1.40 BHD 0.53

-22.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 BHD 0.72

$1.54 BHD 0.58

24.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 BHD 0.16

$0.77 BHD 0.29

-45.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.86 BHD 1.46

$5.25 BHD 1.98

-26.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.49 BHD 6.97

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.74 BHD 1.41

$3.52 BHD 1.33

6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 BHD 1.01

$2.61 BHD 0.98

2.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 BHD 0.24

$0.65 BHD 0.24

-1.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.9 BHD 24.84

$37.34 BHD 14.08

76.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 BHD 1.30

$5.41 BHD 2.04

-36.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.35 BHD 1.26

$3.50 BHD 1.32

-4.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.32 BHD 2.38

$15.94 BHD 6.01

-60.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 BHD 0.22

$0.70 BHD 0.26

-17.14%

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

$36.9K BHD 13.9K

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

$20.4K BHD 7,676

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

$98.3 BHD 37.06

$154 BHD 58.0

-36.10%

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

$26.48 BHD 9.98

$24.04 BHD 9.06

10.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.85 BHD 17.66

$35.64 BHD 13.44

31.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.0 BHD 27.52

$61.9 BHD 23.33

17.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.03 BHD 11.32

Cinema Ticket

$10.78 BHD 4.06

$10.56 BHD 3.98

2.08%

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

$493 BHD 186

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,849 BHD 2,959

$10.9K BHD 4,093

-27.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 BHD 25.69

$50.9 BHD 19.20

33.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 BHD 19.83

$56.6 BHD 21.34

-7.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 BHD 34.41

$86.2 BHD 32.49

5.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.7 BHD 30.43

$88.9 BHD 33.51

-9.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$920 BHD 347

$990 BHD 373

-7.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 BHD 252

$636 BHD 240

4.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,114 BHD 797

$2,078 BHD 783

1.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 BHD 530

$1,389 BHD 524

1.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,636 BHD 994

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,954 BHD 736

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,367 BHD 1,269

$2,346 BHD 885

43.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Seef: August 29, 2026

Last update for Manama: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $920 in Seef and $990 in Manama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seef pays 44% 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: $53.0 in Seef vs $54.0 in Manama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $251 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 44% 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: $920 in Seef versus $990 in Manama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Seef pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,691 per month in Seef versus $1,595 in Manama – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,595 in Manama versus $1,691 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 $1,595 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.