Kigali vs Manama Cost of Living Comparison
Takeaway for Kigali vs Manama: everyday costs favor Kigali (~78% CPI gap), housing index favors Kigali, wage stretch favors Manama. Use category winners, not a single headline, when the binding constraint is rent or income.
Overall Cost Winner
Kigali
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Purchasing Power (239% gap, Manama ahead); Utilities (100% gap, Manama ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $284 lower in Kigali than in Manama (~52% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $284 (favoring Kigali).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Kigali | CPI 23.1 vs 41.2 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Kigali | Rent index 14.2 vs 21.3 (lower is better) |
| Food | Kigali | Groceries index 32.4 vs 39.4 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Manama | One-way ticket 3.5 vs 548.1 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Manama | Utilities (85m²) 156.34 vs 38340 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Manama | Internet 151.31 vs 26554.5 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Kigali | Restaurant index 22 vs 35 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Kigali | Avg net salary 1690740 vs 15586.49 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Manama | PP index 68.5 vs 20.2 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Purchasing Power: Manama leads with a 239% gap.
PP index 68.5 vs 20.2 (higher is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Kigali — Lower housing / rent index (50% gap).
- Families: Kigali — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Kigali; purchasing power favors Manama.
- Remote Workers: Kigali — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Kigali (~78% gap).
- Budget Living: Kigali — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Kigali is the overall cost winner on CPI (~78% lower everyday-cost index than Manama).
- Housing: Kigali leads on rent index (50% gap).
- Food / groceries: Kigali is lower (22% gap).
- Purchasing power: Manama scores higher (239% gap).
- Largest category gap: Purchasing Power (239%), favoring Manama.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$284 cheaper in Kigali.
Analysis
Kigali versus Manama is not a single number. With a 78% CPI spread, groceries and services tend to move with Kigali, while housing follows Kigali's rent index. Purchasing power (20.2 vs 68.5) decides whether local wages offset local prices.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-21
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Regional
- Nearby
On-page labels for this view: Regional · Nearby.
Methodology
Each indexed city is associated with a reference basket of common living costs (for example rent, groceries samples, transport tickets, utilities, restaurant meals, and net salary where available). From those items, the platform derives relative indices such as CPI, rent, groceries, restaurants, and local purchasing power, using New York City = 100 as the familiar baseline convention for relative comparison.