Tunis vs Manama Cost of Living Comparison
Takeaway for Tunis vs Manama: everyday costs favor Tunis (~116% CPI gap), housing index favors Tunis, wage stretch favors Manama. Use category winners, not a single headline, when the binding constraint is rent or income.
Overall Cost Winner
Tunis
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Salary (301% gap, Manama ahead); Transport (253% gap, Tunis ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $422 lower in Tunis than in Manama (~104% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $422 (favoring Tunis).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Tunis | CPI 19.1 vs 41.2 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Tunis | Rent index 10.6 vs 21.3 (lower is better) |
| Food | Tunis | Groceries index 28.1 vs 39.4 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Tunis | One-way ticket 0.97 vs 3.5 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Tunis | Utilities (85m²) 65.72 vs 156.34 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Tunis | Internet 46.87 vs 151.31 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Tunis | Restaurant index 18 vs 35 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Manama | Avg net salary 15586.49 vs 3882.44 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Manama | PP index 68.5 vs 20.2 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Salary: Manama leads with a 301% gap.
Avg net salary 15586.49 vs 3882.44 (higher is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Tunis — Lower housing / rent index (101% gap).
- Families: Tunis — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Tunis; purchasing power favors Manama.
- Remote Workers: Tunis — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Tunis (~116% gap).
- Budget Living: Tunis — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Tunis is the overall cost winner on CPI (~116% lower everyday-cost index than Manama).
- Housing: Tunis leads on rent index (101% gap).
- Food / groceries: Tunis is lower (40% gap).
- Purchasing power: Manama scores higher (239% gap).
- Largest category gap: Salary (301%), favoring Manama.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$422 cheaper in Tunis.
Analysis
Tunis versus Manama is not a single number. With a 116% CPI spread, groceries and services tend to move with Tunis, while housing follows Tunis'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.