Capital Governorate is the heart of Bahrain: Manama's old souq and Bab Al Bahrain, the National Museum and Al Fateh Grand Mosque, the Adliya dining district and the waterfront towers of Bahrain Bay sit within a short taxi ride of each other.
Local currency: Bahraini dinar (BHD).
Daily budget by traveller style
Typical per-person daily spend in Capital.
- Mid-range
- ~BHD 70 (~$186) per day
- Luxury
- ~BHD 180+ (~$479+) per day
Cost breakdown
Typical price ranges across major spending categories.
Accommodation
- Hostel
- Few true hostels operate in Manama; a basic guesthouse or budget hotel room is BHD 12-20 (~$32-53) a night
- Budget
- BHD 15-30 (~$40-80) a night for a 2-3 star hotel in Manama, Juffair or Hoora
- Midrange
- BHD 30-65 (~$80-173) a night for a 4-star hotel in Seef, Adliya or Juffair
- Luxury
- BHD 80-200 (~$213-532) a night for a 5-star hotel in Bahrain Bay, Seef or the Diplomatic Area
Food
- Street
- BHD 0.5-1.5 (~$1.3-4) for a shawarma, falafel sandwich or fresh bread with cheese
- Local
- BHD 2-5 (~$5-13) for a main course at an Indian, Pakistani, Arabic or Bahraini cafeteria
- Midrange
- BHD 8-15 (~$21-40) per person at a sit-down restaurant in Adliya or a mall
- Fine
- BHD 25-50 (~$66-133) per person at a hotel fine-dining restaurant
Transport
- Bus
- BHD 0.300 (~$0.80) per trip paid in cash on a Bahrain Public Transport Company (BPTC) bus; BHD 0.275 (~$0.73) with a GO card; daily cap about BHD 0.700 (~$1.86) (2025 figures; confirm on the bus)
- Taxi
- BHD 2-5 (~$5-13) for a typical trip inside Manama by meter or app
- Airport
- BHD 5-7 (~$13-19) by taxi from Bahrain International Airport to central Manama; about BHD 0.300 (~$0.80) by public bus
- Daytrip
- BHD 2 (~$5) approximate per-car toll on the King Fahd Causeway to Saudi Arabia, plus a Saudi visa for most nationalities (confirm current toll at the causeway)
Activities
- Bahrain National Museum
- About BHD 1 (~$2.66) adult entry (confirm at the ticket desk)
- Al Fateh Grand Mosque
- Free; modest dress required and covered hair for women (borrowed abaya available)
- Manama Souq
- Free to walk; bargaining is normal for gold, spices and textiles
- Bahrain Bay Promenade
- Free waterfront walk
Trip budgets by length
What a typical trip to Capital costs end-to-end.
3 Day traveller
~BHD 75-120 (~$200-319) per person on a budget (excluding flights)
7 Day traveller
~BHD 175-280 (~$466-745) per person on a budget (excluding flights)
Money-saving tips
Practical ways to stretch your budget further.
Use BPTC buses (BHD 0.300 cash) for the airport, Manama bus station and Seef instead of taxis.
Eat at Indian, Pakistani and Arabic cafeterias around Bab Al Bahrain and Hoora for meals under BHD 3 (~$8).
Use Careem or Yelo, which show the fare before booking, instead of unmetered street taxis.
Visit the free sights: Manama Souq, Al Fateh Grand Mosque, Bahrain Bay promenade and Adliya's Block 338.
Summer hotel rates (June-September) are often well below winter rates, but heat limits outdoor sightseeing.
Free things to do
Memorable experiences that cost nothing.
Manama Souq and Bab Al Bahrain
Al Fateh Grand Mosque
Bahrain Bay waterfront
Adliya Block 338 street art and galleries