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: $1,563 in Seef versus $1,496 in Manama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,472 in Seef versus $2,408 in Manama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,382 in Seef versus $3,319 in Manama.

Living in Seef is roughly 5% more expensive than Manama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seef 17% above, Manama 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.67 BHD 4.02

$6.48 BHD 2.44

64.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.23 BHD 14.79

$53.5 BHD 20.16

-26.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 BHD 3.57

$7.27 BHD 2.74

30.26%

Cappuccino

$5.41 BHD 2.04

$5.34 BHD 2.01

1.31%

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

$1.50 BHD 0.57

$0.87 BHD 0.33

72.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 BHD 0.29

$0.36 BHD 0.14

113.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.66 BHD 4.02

$8.09 BHD 3.05

31.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$18.69 BHD 7.04

$10.54 BHD 3.97

77.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 BHD 0.60

$1.71 BHD 0.64

-7.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 BHD 0.49

$1.27 BHD 0.48

3.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 BHD 1.19

$2.43 BHD 0.91

29.22%

Eggs

$1.56 BHD 0.59

$2.47 BHD 0.93

-36.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.66 BHD 4.02

$8.59 BHD 3.24

24.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.49 BHD 2.82

$7.74 BHD 2.92

-3.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.94 BHD 6.01

$10.28 BHD 3.88

55.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 BHD 1.23

$2.36 BHD 0.89

38.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 BHD 0.85

$2.11 BHD 0.79

7.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 BHD 0.98

$1.77 BHD 0.67

46.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.89 BHD 0.71

$1.18 BHD 0.44

60.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 BHD 0.35

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 BHD 0.49

$1.09 BHD 0.41

19.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 BHD 0.72

$1.46 BHD 0.55

30.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 BHD 0.19

$0.86 BHD 0.32

-40.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 BHD 0.99

$6.58 BHD 2.48

-60.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 BHD 7.12

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.86 BHD 1.46

$3.44 BHD 1.30

12.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 BHD 1.01

$3.29 BHD 1.24

-18.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 BHD 0.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.28 BHD 11.79

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 BHD 1.72

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.96 BHD 1.49

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.86 BHD 10.13

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 BHD 0.19

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

$36.8K BHD 13.9K

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

$20.7K BHD 7,796

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

$90.7 BHD 34.19

$121 BHD 45.53

-24.91%

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

$24.21 BHD 9.13

$26.86 BHD 10.13

-9.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.51 BHD 17.54

$38.52 BHD 14.52

20.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.2 BHD 27.97

$71.0 BHD 26.78

4.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.13 BHD 17.01

Cinema Ticket

$10.69 BHD 4.03

$10.78 BHD 4.06

-0.83%

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

$382 BHD 144

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,027 BHD 3,026

$8,953 BHD 3,375

-10.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.51 BHD 11.88

$46.73 BHD 17.62

-32.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.8 BHD 24.03

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 BHD 44.49

$84.8 BHD 31.98

39.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 BHD 33.47

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$983 BHD 371

$818 BHD 308

20.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$734 BHD 277

$559 BHD 211

31.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,330 BHD 878

$1,791 BHD 675

30.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,454 BHD 548

$1,244 BHD 469

16.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,629 BHD 991

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,941 BHD 732

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,342 BHD 1,260

$2,360 BHD 890

41.60%

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 Manama: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $983 in Seef and $818 in Manama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seef pays 42% 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: $39.00 in Seef vs $53.0 in Manama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $256 vs $265 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 5% 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.

Seef pays 42% 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 $818 in Manama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,563 per month in Seef versus $1,496 in Manama – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Seef pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,496 in Manama versus $1,563 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 $1,496 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 5% less than in Seef. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.