Moving to Sri Lanka from Bahrain

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Bahrain to Sri Lanka — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Bahrain to Sri Lanka, you would find that Sri Lanka is 41.1% cheaper than Bahrain overall. A BHD28,248 salary in Bahrain would need to be roughly LKR14,042,231 in Sri Lanka to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Sinhala and Tamil. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Bahrain to Sri Lanka.

What does your salary buy?

BHD28,248 LKR14,042,231

To maintain the same standard of living in Sri Lanka

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 33.1% less

Groceries

pay 8.7% more

Transportation

pay 7.7% less

Housing

pay 68.5% less

Childcare

pay 91.9% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 42.7% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 BHD = 891.16 LKR (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Bahrain to Sri Lanka, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
402 ↑ 1% vs 2015

people born in Bahrain live in Sri Lanka · UN DESA

Who's moving to Sri Lanka?

Top countries of origin for Sri Lanka's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Bahrain to Sri Lanka.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BH
0.1
LK
3.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BH
8.1
LK
11.5

Bahrain performs better than Sri Lanka across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BH
$2,555
LK
$507
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

BH
8.4
LK
11.9

Sri Lanka generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bahrain leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BH
68.0
LK
37.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BH
23.9t
LK
1.1t

Sri Lanka performs significantly better than Bahrain across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BH
18.7
LK
10.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BH
133.7%
LK
90.8%

Bahrain generally does better on infrastructure, though Sri Lanka leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BH
1.2%
LK
6.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BH
$57,600
LK
$13,000

Bahrain performs better than Sri Lanka across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BH
79.9 yrs
LK
77.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BH
10.2
LK
8.2

Bahrain generally does better on family life, though Sri Lanka leads in infant mortality.

Data: Ministry of Finance - Kingdom of Bahrain, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Manama Rain: 2.8 in/yr (71 mm)
86° / 73°F

Avg. annual high / low

Colombo Rain: 99.4 in/yr (2524 mm)
87° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Manama Colombo
Jan–Mar 71°/60°F (22°/16°C) 88°/73°F (31°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 92°/78°F (33°/25°C) 88°/77°F (31°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 99°/86°F (37°/30°C) 86°/77°F (30°/25°C)
Oct–Dec 82°/70°F (28°/21°C) 86°/74°F (30°/23°C)
View all months
Month Manama Colombo
Jan 68°/57°F (20.0°/14.1°C) 88°/72°F (30.9°/22.3°C)
Feb 70°/59°F (21.2°/14.9°C) 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.6°C)
Mar 76°/64°F (24.7°/17.8°C) 89°/75°F (31.7°/23.7°C)
Apr 85°/71°F (29.2°/21.5°C) 89°/76°F (31.8°/24.6°C)
May 93°/79°F (34.1°/26.0°C) 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.5°C)
Jun 98°/84°F (36.4°/28.8°C) 87°/78°F (30.4°/25.5°C)
Jul 100°/87°F (37.9°/30.4°C) 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.2°C)
Aug 100°/87°F (38.0°/30.5°C) 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.1°C)
Sep 98°/83°F (36.5°/28.6°C) 86°/77°F (30.2°/24.8°C)
Oct 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.5°C) 86°/75°F (30.0°/24.0°C)
Nov 82°/70°F (27.8°/21.2°C) 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C)
Dec 72°/61°F (22.3°/16.2°C) 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.8°C)

Data: Bahrain Meteorological Services Bahrain Meteorological Services, National Meteorological Centre National Meteorological Centre

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Bahrain and Sri Lanka. To live, work, or study long-term in Sri Lanka, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Sri Lanka's immigration authority.

Bahrain passport

Bahrain passport holder visiting Sri Lanka

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Bahrain passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka passport

Sri Lanka passport holder visiting Bahrain

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Sri Lanka passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Bahrain.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Sri Lanka than Bahrain?

Yes — Sri Lanka is on average about 44% cheaper than Bahrain. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Sri Lanka?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly LKR3,510,558 in Sri Lanka on a BHD28,248 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Sri Lanka?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Sri Lanka has 10.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Sri Lanka safe for expats?

Bahrain performs better than Sri Lanka across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Sri Lanka is 3.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.1 in Bahrain.

How is healthcare in Sri Lanka compared to Bahrain?

Sri Lanka generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bahrain leads in health coverage index. There are 11.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Sri Lanka, compared to 8.4 in Bahrain. Sri Lanka scores 67 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Bahrain: 76).

What's the weather like in Sri Lanka compared to Bahrain?

The average high temperature in Colombo is 87°F, compared to 86°F in Manama. Colombo receives around 99.4 in of rainfall per year, while Manama gets 2.8 in.

What language do they speak in Sri Lanka?

The official languages in Sri Lanka are Sinhala and Tamil. In Bahrain, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

BH LK
Population 1,540,558 23,187,516
Currency Bahraini Dinar (BHD) Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR)
Languages Arabic Sinhala, Tamil
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +973 +94
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999 119