Cost of Living in Bahrain in 2020

Regarding accommodation, how much does it cost to rent or buy an apartment or a house in Bahrain?

I currently rent a 2 BR apartment just outside Seef, which is where I work, for 350BHD Inclusive of bills (water, electricity & tax). If your looking for a bigger space like a villa prices start at roughly 400BHD/month and tend to exclude furniture and bills which is an additional cost to consider as electricity and water rates are increasing rapidly in Bahrain.


How much do you pay on average for public transport (bus, subway, train, tram, taxi)?
How much does it cost to fill up your car’s fuel tank?

Local taxi rides can be costly especially if you don't know the laws behind the different rates. If you use Uber or similar it is much less. Buses are unreliable and don't travel to many places in Bahrain but are very cheap at 100fils per ride, there is also a travel card that gives you a discounted rate.
To fill up my car it costs maximum 7.5BHD and will last me roughly 2-3 weeks thanks to my work being round the corner.

Concerning your food expenses : how much do you pay for basic food items such as rice, bread, and pasta? What is the average price of your monthly food shopping?

Hard to say the breakdown of each item but my weekly shop costs me between 10-30BHD to feed me and my wife. Monthly I would say we spend around 80BHD on food and other house items we might need.

How much does it cost to have health insurance? How much for a health specialist’s consultation in Bahrain?

My work provides medical cover so I am unsure. I have been told that it is very expensive though if you don't have insurance.

How much does childcare cost on average per month? What about school fees?

Not at that stage in our lifes yet.

How much do you pay for electricity, gas, water, internet, mobile’s subscription etc., per month?

Electricty and water is included in my rent but if we go over our cap we pay the difference. I would estimate at roughly that during the summer the combined bill is around 45BHD/month and in the winter as low as 15BHD/month.

How much do you spend on leisure in Bahrain (cinema,sport, etc)?
We have a family membership at the Rugby Club which is 190BHD/year for membership and it has a pool, gym & sporting events on. Cinema standard tickets are around 3.5-4BHD ViP is more.

Regarding accommodation, how much does it cost to rent or buy an apartment or a house in Bahrain?


I have a 4 bedroom villa in Riffa views for 1100 BD per month exclusive.   Non standard maintenance is covered.

I also own a 2 bedroom furnished apartment in Juffair which I bought for 61K BD.

How much do you pay on average for public transport (bus, subway, train, tram, taxi)?
How much does it cost to fill up your car’s fuel tank?

From time to time, I use Careem taxis.  From Riffa to Juffair, it usually costs me around 6-7 BD one way.

Car tank filling costs me around 6-8 BD depending on when I get it filled.

Concerning your food expenses : how much do you pay for basic food items such as rice, bread, and pasta? What is the average price of your monthly food shopping?

Total grocery bill for 5 people a month is around 450 BD.  And we don't watch what we spend so that is why.

How much does it cost to have health insurance? How much for a health specialist’s consultation in Bahrain?

Insurance is employer provided and I have full coverage so don't pay anything on visit.  But generally, consultation with a specialist costs anywhere from 15 to 40 BD depending on the hospital.

How much does childcare cost on average per month? What about school fees?


School fees for both kids are around 10,000 BD a year (RVIS G4 and Nursery).  Other child care expenses such as after school activities etc total up to around 200 BD.

How much do you pay for electricity, gas, water, internet, mobile’s subscription etc., per month?

EWA bill incl. municipality fee for my villa in RV in the summer months can reach between 400-500 BD a month.  In the winters, it is around 150 BD. 

For apartment, it reaches 50 BD in the summers and around 20 BD in the winter.

Internet, I use Batelco fibre optic for 50 BD a month.   Mobile is on a Batelco 12BD per month plan.

How much do you spend on leisure in Bahrain (cinema,sport, etc)?

Cinema tickets can cost 3 BD and up to 12 BD for VIP. 

Have membership for Royal Golf Club for around 400 BD annually.

Hi all! Is a job offer 2000 BHD + vehicle + health insurance enough for a family of 5?

Reasonable international school for two (2nd and 5th grade)?
Rent a three bedroom non furnished apartment in Riffa?
Utilities for such apartment?
Monthly groceries?
Going out for a dinner once week in mid range restaurant?
Clothes (ex dress for a 10yr old)?
At the end how much left as saving or for unforseen randums?