GeoRealityMatch
A modern marina with yachts, bridge, and waterfront city skyline reflecting on calm waters.Bahrain
Scenic view of Doha city skyline with traditional dhow boat at dusk along the waterfront.Qatar

Compare countries · Bahrain vs Qatar

Bahrain vs Qatar

BahrainWestern AsiaQatarWestern Asia

Bahrain is cheaper (cost of living 47.6 vs 50.4).Qatar is more peaceful (Global Peace Index 1.676 vs 2.131) and has the higher income per person ($74,330 vs $28,790).About the same on human development (Bahrain 0.899, Qatar 0.886) and life expectancy (81.4, 82.5 years).

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Safety

Qatar is the more peaceful

Global Peace Indexlower is more peaceful
Bahrain2.131Medium safety#107 of 161IEP GPI · 2026
Qatar1.676Very high safety#31 of 161IEP GPI · 2026
Homicidesper 100,000 people a year
Bahrain0.2Very lowUNODC / World Bank · 2022
Qatar0.1Very lowUNODC / World Bank · 2022
Safety indexNumbeo's safety index, higher is safer
Bahrain77.7Very highNumbeo · 2026
Qatar84.8Very highNumbeo · 2026
UK travel adviceFCDO, for British travellers
BahrainNo advice against travelFCDO foreign travel advice, GOV.UK · read 2026-10-29
QatarNo advice against travelFCDO foreign travel advice, GOV.UK · read 2026-10-29
Money

Income per person is higher in Qatar

GNI per personnational income per person, US dollars
Bahrain$28,790HighWorld Bank · 2025
Qatar$74,330Very highWorld Bank · 2025
Cost of living indexexcluding rent, New York = 100
Bahrain47.6AffordableNumbeo · 2026
Qatar50.4ModerateNumbeo · 2026
Rent indexNew York = 100
Bahrain21.4ExpensiveNumbeo · 2026
Qatar40.0Very expensiveNumbeo · 2026
Property price to incomeyears of median income to buy a median flat
Bahrain5.2Very affordableNumbeo · 2026
Qatar5.7Very affordableNumbeo · 2026
Health

Life expectancy: Qatar 82.5, Bahrain 81.4

Life expectancyyears, at birth
Bahrain81.4Very high#34 of 195World Bank · 2024
Qatar82.5Very high#22 of 195World Bank · 2024
Health coverageWHO universal health coverage index, 0 to 100
Bahrain78HighWHO · 2023
Qatar84Very highWHO · 2023
Air pollutionPM2.5, micrograms per cubic metre, national average
Bahrain46.1Very highWHO · 2023
Qatar58.1Very highWHO · 2023
Work and internet

Broadband is faster in Qatar

Home internetmedian download speed
Bahrain146 MbpsVery fast#49 of 149Ookla Speedtest · 2025
Qatar197 MbpsVery fast#34 of 149Ookla Speedtest · 2025
English proficiencyEF English Proficiency Index score
BahrainNo figure from EF EPI
Qatar469LowEF EPI · 2025
How it changed

Human development: Bahrain 0.899, Qatar 0.886

BahrainQatar

UNDP Human Development Report, 1990–2023.

Year by year:BahrainQatar

Practical facts

Capital
Manama
Doha
Population
1.6M (2025)
3.0M (2025)
Languages
Arabic
Arabic
Currency
Bahraini dinar (BHD)
Qatari riyal (QAR)
Area
800 km²
11,490 km²
Plug type
Type G
Type G
Drives on the
right
right
Short visit
Visa-free for UK, EU and US passports
Visa-free for UK, EU and US passports

Short visits: passport-index-dataset, 2024, for UK, EU (German) and US passports. Population and area: World Bank. Languages, currency and driving side: restcountries.com. Plug types: worldstandards.eu.

Every figure

Bahrain and Qatar, side by side

The same figures as a facts file

Quick answers

Is Bahrain cheaper than Qatar?

Numbeo's 2026 cost-of-living index (NYC = 100) puts Bahrain at 47.6 and Qatar at 50.4. Bahrain is about 6% cheaper overall.

Is Bahrain or Qatar safer?

On the Global Peace Index (lower = more peaceful), Bahrain scores 2.13 and Qatar scores 1.68. Qatar ranks as the more peaceful of the two.

Which has the higher quality of life, Bahrain or Qatar?

On the UN Human Development Index, Bahrain scores 0.899 and Qatar scores 0.886. The two are effectively tied. Single indexes hide trade-offs; the full comparison above shows where each country wins.

What is life like in Bahrain compared to Qatar?

GNI per capita runs $28,790 in Bahrain against $74,330 in Qatar; people live 81.4 years on average against 82.5. Those are national averages and they hide the thing you actually feel: capital-city costs run well ahead of the national figure in most countries, and rural provision of healthcare and internet often lags the number shown here. The table below splits it indicator by indicator.

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Every figure is sourced where it is shown. A dash means the country has no figure from that source.Photographs by Frans van Heerden, Natalya Rostun on Pexels