Manama vs Kota Cost of Living Comparison
Takeaway for Manama vs Kota: everyday costs favor Kota (~72% CPI gap), housing index favors Kota, wage stretch favors Manama. Use category winners, not a single headline, when the binding constraint is rent or income.
Overall Cost Winner
Kota
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Salary (13875% gap, Kota ahead); Internet (7319% gap, Manama ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $933 lower in Kota than in Manama (~87% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $933 (favoring Kota).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Kota | CPI 12.4 vs 45 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Kota | Rent index 3.6 vs 28.3 (lower is better) |
| Food | Kota | Groceries index 15.2 vs 50.7 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Manama | One-way ticket 0.36 vs 24.21 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Manama | Utilities (85m²) 21.28 vs 601.2 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Manama | Internet 11.03 vs 818.3 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Kota | Restaurant index 11.2 vs 44.9 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Kota | Avg net salary 284735 vs 2037.47 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Manama | PP index 87.4 vs 55 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Salary: Kota leads with a 13875% gap.
Avg net salary 284735 vs 2037.47 (higher is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Kota — Lower housing / rent index (87% gap).
- Families: Kota — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Kota; purchasing power favors Manama.
- Remote Workers: Kota — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Kota (~72% gap).
- Budget Living: Kota — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Kota is the overall cost winner on CPI (~72% lower everyday-cost index than Manama).
- Housing: Kota leads on rent index (87% gap).
- Food / groceries: Kota is lower (70% gap).
- Purchasing power: Manama scores higher (37% gap).
- Largest category gap: Salary (13875%), favoring Kota.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$933 cheaper in Kota.
Analysis
Manama versus Kota is not a single number. With a 72% CPI spread, groceries and services tend to move with Kota, while housing follows Kota's rent index. Purchasing power (87.4 vs 55) decides whether local wages offset local prices.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-24
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Regional
- Real
On-page labels for this view: Regional · Real.
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.