Cost of Living in Bahrain
The cost of living in Bahrain has been on the increase from 2008 due to inflation, as well as the presence of a larger western expat population prepared to pay more for goods and services.
That being said, compared to other regional commercial centres, like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Bahrain is still a reasonable destination when it comes to balancing the budget and putting away a little something extra in the bank account.
The 2010 Mercer Cost of Living Survey ranked Manama, the nation's capital and largest city, 139 out of 215 cities across five continents. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Doha, Qatar fell just behind.
Furthermore, the 2010 HSBC Expat Explorer Survey found that expats in Bahrain ranked second when it came to the disposable income they had access to, and first in terms of the luxuries they were able to acquire.
As in all locations, cost of living can vary tremendously depending on the lifestyle one chooses to lead, and salary can be high or low in proportion to an expat's nationality, experience and academic qualification.
In the past, accommodation and car allowances were common add-ons to expat salaries in Bahrain, however; lately these have been done away with - thus it's vital to make sure your base payment plan adequately covers these expenses, and some.
Accommodation will be the largest expat expense, and costs have risen in recent years; many landlord's actively ignore the 10% cap placed on annual increases. Still, there are plenty of different housing options that satisfy nearly every budget.
Property in the expat compounds is by far the most expensive - upwards of BD 1000 for a 3-bedroom villa in most cases.
Alternatively for a two-bedroom, fully-furnished flat in town, expats can expect to pay BD 700 - utilities and taxes included.
The next largest cost expats will need to budget for is a private vehicle. Again, prices vary tremendously based on a number of factors, but a good ballpark estimate for a monthly lease payment on a new high-end SUV is BD 350; plus BD 40 per month for petrol and BD 20 per month for a car wash once a week.
A pre-owned older make and model will decrease in price accordingly.
Cab fare from the city centre to the airport runs around BD 4.
Expat families will need to send their children to a private or international school, the Bahrain public school system does not allow foreign attendance.
This can be a large unforeseen expense, especially for expats coming from countries where this cost is subsidized by the government. Tuition fees change depending on the school age of children and the school selected.
Expats sending their children to an international school may need to budget as much as BD 7000 annually.
Other private school options exist for a more reasonable price, but these largely cater to Bahraini nationals.
Food costs in Bahrain are generally reasonable, especially if you forego the temptation of dining out and opt to eat-in more frequently.
That being said, household labels from afar will be highly priced; whereas fresh produce and local products are extremely affordable.
Meals
Average casual lunchtime meal: BD 3
McDonald’s Big Mac: BD 1
McDonald’s Big Mac Meal: BD 1.5
Groceries
Small Family (3 people): BD 160
Large Family (5 people): BD 200
1 person: BD 100
That being said, compared to other regional commercial centres, like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Bahrain is still a reasonable destination when it comes to balancing the budget and putting away a little something extra in the bank account. The 2010 Mercer Cost of Living Survey ranked Manama, the nation's capital and largest city, 139 out of 215 cities across five continents. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Doha, Qatar fell just behind.
Furthermore, the 2010 HSBC Expat Explorer Survey found that expats in Bahrain ranked second when it came to the disposable income they had access to, and first in terms of the luxuries they were able to acquire.
As in all locations, cost of living can vary tremendously depending on the lifestyle one chooses to lead, and salary can be high or low in proportion to an expat's nationality, experience and academic qualification.
In the past, accommodation and car allowances were common add-ons to expat salaries in Bahrain, however; lately these have been done away with - thus it's vital to make sure your base payment plan adequately covers these expenses, and some.
Cost of accommodation
Accommodation will be the largest expat expense, and costs have risen in recent years; many landlord's actively ignore the 10% cap placed on annual increases. Still, there are plenty of different housing options that satisfy nearly every budget.
Property in the expat compounds is by far the most expensive - upwards of BD 1000 for a 3-bedroom villa in most cases.
Alternatively for a two-bedroom, fully-furnished flat in town, expats can expect to pay BD 700 - utilities and taxes included.
Cost of transport
The next largest cost expats will need to budget for is a private vehicle. Again, prices vary tremendously based on a number of factors, but a good ballpark estimate for a monthly lease payment on a new high-end SUV is BD 350; plus BD 40 per month for petrol and BD 20 per month for a car wash once a week.
A pre-owned older make and model will decrease in price accordingly.
Cab fare from the city centre to the airport runs around BD 4.
Cost of schools
Expat families will need to send their children to a private or international school, the Bahrain public school system does not allow foreign attendance.
This can be a large unforeseen expense, especially for expats coming from countries where this cost is subsidized by the government. Tuition fees change depending on the school age of children and the school selected.
Expats sending their children to an international school may need to budget as much as BD 7000 annually.
Other private school options exist for a more reasonable price, but these largely cater to Bahraini nationals.
Cost of food
Food costs in Bahrain are generally reasonable, especially if you forego the temptation of dining out and opt to eat-in more frequently.
That being said, household labels from afar will be highly priced; whereas fresh produce and local products are extremely affordable.
Meals
Average casual lunchtime meal: BD 3
McDonald’s Big Mac: BD 1
McDonald’s Big Mac Meal: BD 1.5
Groceries
Small Family (3 people): BD 160
Large Family (5 people): BD 200
1 person: BD 100
