Moving to Bahrain from Kuwait

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Kuwait to Bahrain? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Kuwait to Bahrain, you would find that Bahrain is 34.3% more expensive than Kuwait overall. A KWD23,156 salary in Kuwait would need to be roughly BHD34,151 in Bahrain to maintain the same lifestyle.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Kuwait and Bahrain.

What does your salary buy?

KWD23,156 BHD34,151

To maintain the same standard of living in Bahrain

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 47.9% more

Groceries

pay 24.6% more

Transportation

pay 18.7% more

Housing

pay 37.6% more

Childcare

pay 33.8% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 50.2% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 KWD = 1.22 BHD (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?

What the data shows about people moving from Kuwait to Bahrain.

Living there in 2020
7,098 ↑ 30% vs 2015

people born in Kuwait live in Bahrain · UN DESA

Who's moving to Bahrain?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Bahrain compared to Kuwait.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

KW
0.2
BH
0.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

KW
9.2
BH
8.1

Bahrain performs significantly better than Kuwait across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

KW
$2,567
BH
$2,555
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

affects wait times and access to care

KW
22.9
BH
8.4

Kuwait generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bahrain leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

KW
45.0
BH
68.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

KW
23.7t
BH
23.9t

Kuwait performs 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

KW
1.5
BH
18.7
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

KW
3850.5%
BH
133.7%

Kuwait generally does better on infrastructure, though Bahrain leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

KW
2.1%
BH
1.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

KW
$50,800
BH
$57,600

Bahrain generally does better on employment & economy, though Kuwait leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

KW
79.1 yrs
BH
79.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

KW
7.4
BH
10.2

Kuwait generally does better on family life, though Bahrain leads in life expectancy.

Data: Ministry of Finance, Kuwait, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Kuwait City Rain: 4.6 in/yr (116 mm)
94° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kuwait City Manama
Jan–Mar 73°/51°F (23°/11°C) 71°/60°F (22°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 104°/76°F (40°/25°C) 92°/78°F (33°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 114°/84°F (46°/29°C) 99°/86°F (37°/30°C)
Oct–Dec 84°/60°F (29°/15°C) 82°/70°F (28°/21°C)
View all months
Month Kuwait City Manama
Jan 67°/47°F (19.5°/8.5°C) 68°/57°F (20.0°/14.1°C)
Feb 71°/50°F (21.8°/10.0°C) 70°/59°F (21.2°/14.9°C)
Mar 80°/57°F (26.9°/14.0°C) 76°/64°F (24.7°/17.8°C)
Apr 93°/67°F (33.9°/19.5°C) 85°/71°F (29.2°/21.5°C)
May 106°/78°F (40.9°/25.4°C) 93°/79°F (34.1°/26.0°C)
Jun 114°/84°F (45.5°/28.9°C) 98°/84°F (36.4°/28.8°C)
Jul 116°/87°F (46.7°/30.7°C) 100°/87°F (37.9°/30.4°C)
Aug 116°/85°F (46.9°/29.5°C) 100°/87°F (38.0°/30.5°C)
Sep 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.2°C) 98°/83°F (36.5°/28.6°C)
Oct 98°/71°F (36.6°/21.5°C) 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.5°C)
Nov 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.5°C) 82°/70°F (27.8°/21.2°C)
Dec 71°/50°F (21.9°/9.9°C) 72°/61°F (22.3°/16.2°C)

Data: Meteorological Department Meteorological Department, Bahrain Meteorological Services Bahrain Meteorological Services

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Kuwait passport

Kuwait passport holder visiting Bahrain

Visa Free
Kuwait passport holders can enter Bahrain without a visa.
Bahrain passport

Bahrain passport holder visiting Kuwait

Visa Free
Bahrain passport holders can enter Kuwait without a visa.

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 Bahrain than Kuwait?

On average Bahrain is around 21% pricier than Kuwait, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Bahrain?

Budget about BHD8,538 for 3 months in Bahrain (based on a KWD23,156 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Bahrain?

Connectivity is usually fine (Bahrain: 18.7 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Bahrain offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Bahrain safe for expats?

Bahrain performs significantly better than Kuwait across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Bahrain is 0.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Kuwait.

How is healthcare in Bahrain compared to Kuwait?

Kuwait generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bahrain leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 8.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Bahrain, compared to 22.9 in Kuwait. Bahrain scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Kuwait: 78).

What's the weather like in Bahrain compared to Kuwait?

The average high temperature in Manama is 86°F, compared to 94°F in Kuwait City. Manama receives around 2.8 in of rainfall per year, while Kuwait City gets 4.6 in.

What language do they speak in Bahrain?

Both Kuwait and Bahrain share the same official language: Arabic.

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At a Glance

KW BH
Population 3,068,155 1,540,558
Currency Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD) Bahraini Dinar (BHD)
Languages Arabic Arabic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +965 +973
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 999