Cost of Living Comparison Between United Kingdom and Bahrain Cost of Living Comparison Between United Kingdom and Bahrain

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,363 in United Kingdom versus $1,139 in Bahrain.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,474 in United Kingdom versus $1,802 in Bahrain.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,584 in United Kingdom versus $2,464 in Bahrain.

Living in United Kingdom is roughly 107% more expensive than Bahrain on average.

United Kingdom (76% above) and Bahrain (15% below) straddle the global median.

United Kingdom ($1,675$3,930) and Bahrain ($62.0$1,993) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
United Kingdom
Bahrain
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.18 £15.00
$6.97 BHD 2.63
189.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$86.9 £64.6
$53.5 BHD 20.15
62.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.31 £7.67
$7.89 BHD 2.97
30.67%
Cappuccino
$4.67 £3.47
$4.83 BHD 1.82
-3.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 £1.82
$0.83 BHD 0.31
195.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 £1.30
$0.39 BHD 0.15
348.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.61 £4.92
$8.04 BHD 3.03
-17.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.31 £4.70
$10.59 BHD 3.99
-40.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
United Kingdom
Bahrain
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.65 £1.23
$1.67 BHD 0.63
-1.20%
White Bread (500g)
$1.72 £1.28
$1.34 BHD 0.50
28.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.29 £1.71
$2.60 BHD 0.98
-11.92%
Eggs
$4.14 £3.08
$2.62 BHD 0.99
58.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.97 £7.41
$9.35 BHD 3.52
6.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.88 £6.60
$7.60 BHD 2.86
16.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.15 £10.52
$11.25 BHD 4.24
25.78%
Apples (1kg)
$2.97 £2.21
$2.57 BHD 0.97
15.56%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 £1.25
$2.16 BHD 0.82
-22.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.85 £2.12
$2.11 BHD 0.80
35.07%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.41 £2.53
$1.35 BHD 0.51
152.59%
Potato (1kg)
$1.66 £1.24
$1.00 BHD 0.38
66.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.53 £1.13
$1.06 BHD 0.40
44.34%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.16 £0.86
$1.69 BHD 0.64
-31.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.51 £1.12
$0.70 BHD 0.26
115.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$20.73 £15.41
$6.30 BHD 2.37
229.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.85 £8.07
$20.90 BHD 7.88
-48.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.83 £2.10
$3.18 BHD 1.20
-11.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 £2.46
$3.38 BHD 1.28
-2.07%
🚌 Getting Around
United Kingdom
Bahrain
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.19 £2.37
$0.83 BHD 0.31
284.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$94.8 £70.5
$31.28 BHD 11.79
203.20%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.46 £4.06
$5.45 BHD 2.06
0.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.53 £1.14
$3.94 BHD 1.49
-61.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.66 £19.83
$33.79 BHD 12.74
-21.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.91 £1.42
$0.52 BHD 0.19
267.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K £28.4K
$33.8K BHD 12.8K
12.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.1K £30.5K
$21.1K BHD 7,951
94.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
United Kingdom
Bahrain
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$327 £243
$123 BHD 46.22
166.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.50 £13.01
$27.30 BHD 10.29
-35.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.25 £31.41
$40.74 BHD 15.35
3.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
United Kingdom
Bahrain
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.93 £34.15
$78.7 BHD 29.65
-41.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.90 £11.82
$52.1 BHD 19.65
-69.51%
Cinema Ticket
$13.46 £10.01
$10.55 BHD 3.98
27.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
United Kingdom
Bahrain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,735 £1,290
$449 BHD 169
286.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.7K £15.4K
$8,721 BHD 3,287
137.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
United Kingdom
Bahrain
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.5 £66.5
$47.03 BHD 17.72
90.28%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.65 £33.19
$56.7 BHD 21.36
-21.21%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 £77.1
$86.1 BHD 32.44
20.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 £75.7
$87.7 BHD 33.05
16.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
United Kingdom
Bahrain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,418 £1,055
$860 BHD 324
64.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,139 £847
$609 BHD 229
87.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,313 £1,720
$1,696 BHD 639
36.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,837 £1,366
$1,133 BHD 427
62.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,858 £4,355
$2,630 BHD 991
122.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,550 £3,383
$1,867 BHD 704
143.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
United Kingdom
Bahrain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,230 £2,402
$2,220 BHD 837
45.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.75
7.97
-27.85%

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

Last update for United Kingdom: June 6, 2026

Last update for Bahrain: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,265 in United Kingdom, $476 in Bahrain. Capital cities: $3,031 in London vs $801 in Manama.

National salary averages: $3,192 in United Kingdom, $2,214 in Bahrain. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 166% higher in United Kingdom.

Dining out costs 110% more in United Kingdom.

Public transport is 564% more expensive in United Kingdom.

Salaries are 44% higher in United Kingdom, giving Bahrain stronger purchasing power.

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
United Kingdom vs Bahrain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Bahrain and United Kingdom?
At $1,028 per month in Bahrain and $2,803 in United Kingdom, there's a 173% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Bahrain is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in United Kingdom beats Bahrain across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Bahrain or United Kingdom?
In Bahrain, $2,500 covers most cities easily. In United Kingdom, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Bahrain or United Kingdom?
It depends on what you're after. Bahrain wins on affordability; United Kingdom may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

United Kingdom vs other spots: cost of living compared

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