Manama vs Seoul Cost of Living
Manama (Bahrain) · Overall index 44.4 — Seoul (South Korea) · Overall index 53.3
Summary
- Overall, Seoul is 20% more expensive than Manama.
- Transport in Seoul is 29% more expensive than in Manama.
- Dining out in Seoul is 27% more expensive than in Manama.
| Item | Manama | Seoul | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +19% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,036 | $1,128 | +9% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $757 | $885 | +17% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,110 | $2,631 | +25% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,278 | $1,576 | +23% |
| Groceries | +18% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.71 | $0.97 | +37% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.46 | $3.03 | +23% |
| Rice (1kg) | $2.76 | $3.33 | +21% |
| Eggs (12) | $2.83 | $3.32 | +17% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $7.98 | $9.47 | +19% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $7.38 | $8.39 | +14% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $11.7 | $14.8 | +26% |
| Apples (1kg) | $3.34 | $4.15 | +24% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.17 | $1.53 | +31% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.92 | $3.36 | +15% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $3.64 | $3.73 | +2% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.93 | $2.22 | +15% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.76 | $1.86 | +6% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.48 | $1.71 | +16% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.55 | $1.67 | +8% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $9.44 | $11.7 | +24% |
| Transport | +29% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.32 | $1.68 | +27% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $55 | $68.9 | +25% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.22 | $2.76 | +24% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.97 | $1.34 | +38% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.45 | $0.53 | +18% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $13,489 | $18,844 | +40% |
| Dining out | +27% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $13.4 | $14.8 | +10% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $65.2 | $84.8 | +30% |
| Fast food combo meal | $5.86 | $7.96 | +36% |
| Cappuccino | $2.77 | $3.11 | +12% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.5 | $1.89 | +26% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $3.43 | $4.53 | +32% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $4.01 | $5.53 | +38% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.06 | $1.43 | +35% |
| Telecom | +9% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $44.5 | $45.1 | +1% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $39.2 | $47.3 | +21% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.2 | $0.22 | +10% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $10.7 | $11.3 | +6% |
| Utilities & household | +24% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $96.2 | $130 | +35% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.12 | $0.16 | +33% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.61 | $3.13 | +20% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.76 | $1.03 | +36% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $12.4 | $15.9 | +28% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $52.9 | $60.9 | +15% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $9 | $9.46 | +5% |
| Men's haircut | $20 | $22.9 | +14% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $13.8 | $16.6 | +20% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,135 | $1,561 | +38% |
3,197 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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