GeoRealityMatch
A modern marina with yachts, bridge, and waterfront city skyline reflecting on calm waters.Bahrain
Beautiful view of Riyadh Water Tower silhouetted against a stunning sunset sky.Saudi Arabia

Compare countries · Bahrain vs Saudi Arabia

Bahrain vs Saudi Arabia

BahrainWestern AsiaSaudi ArabiaWestern Asia

The FCDO advises against all travel to parts of Saudi Arabia and all but essential travel to other areas.Saudi Arabia is cheaper (cost of living 43.9 vs 47.6), more peaceful (Global Peace Index 2.067 vs 2.131) and has the higher income per person ($36,070 vs $28,790).Bahrain has the longer life expectancy (81.4 vs 79.0 years).About the same on human development (Bahrain 0.899, Saudi Arabia 0.900).

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Safety

Saudi Arabia is the more peaceful

Global Peace Indexlower is more peaceful
Bahrain2.131Medium safety#107 of 161IEP GPI · 2026
Saudi Arabia2.067Medium safety#94 of 161IEP GPI · 2026
Homicidesper 100,000 people a year
Bahrain0.2Very lowUNODC / World Bank · 2022
Saudi Arabia0.9LowUNODC / World Bank · 2019
Safety indexNumbeo's safety index, higher is safer
Bahrain77.7Very highNumbeo · 2026
Saudi Arabia76.7Very highNumbeo · 2026
UK travel adviceFCDO, for British travellers
BahrainNo advice against travelFCDO foreign travel advice, GOV.UK · read 2026-10-29
Saudi ArabiaAgainst all travel to parts, all but essential to other areasFCDO foreign travel advice, GOV.UK · read 2026-10-29
Money

Income per person is higher in Saudi Arabia

GNI per personnational income per person, US dollars
Bahrain$28,790HighWorld Bank · 2025
Saudi Arabia$36,070Very highWorld Bank · 2025
Cost of living indexexcluding rent, New York = 100
Bahrain47.6AffordableNumbeo · 2026
Saudi Arabia43.9AffordableNumbeo · 2026
Rent indexNew York = 100
Bahrain21.4ExpensiveNumbeo · 2026
Saudi Arabia13.5ModerateNumbeo · 2026
Property price to incomeyears of median income to buy a median flat
Bahrain5.2Very affordableNumbeo · 2026
Saudi Arabia4.3Very affordableNumbeo · 2026
Health

People live longer in Bahrain

Life expectancyyears, at birth
Bahrain81.4Very high#34 of 195World Bank · 2024
Saudi Arabia79.0High#45 of 195World Bank · 2024
Health coverageWHO universal health coverage index, 0 to 100
Bahrain78HighWHO · 2023
Saudi Arabia83Very highWHO · 2023
Air pollutionPM2.5, micrograms per cubic metre, national average
Bahrain46.1Very highWHO · 2023
Saudi Arabia43.9Very highWHO · 2023
Work and internet

Broadband is faster in Saudi Arabia

Home internetmedian download speed
Bahrain146 MbpsVery fast#49 of 149Ookla Speedtest · 2025
Saudi Arabia164 MbpsVery fast#43 of 149Ookla Speedtest · 2025
English proficiencyEF English Proficiency Index score
BahrainNo figure from EF EPI
Saudi Arabia404Very lowEF EPI · 2025
How it changed

Human development: Saudi Arabia 0.900, Bahrain 0.899

BahrainSaudi Arabia

UNDP Human Development Report, 1990–2023.

Year by year:BahrainSaudi Arabia

Practical facts

Capital
Manama
Riyadh
Population
1.6M (2025)
37.0M (2025)
Languages
Arabic
Arabic
Currency
Bahraini dinar (BHD)
Saudi riyal (SAR)
Area
800 km²
2,149,690 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 Saudi Arabia, side by side

The same figures as a facts file

Quick answers

Is Bahrain cheaper than Saudi Arabia?

Numbeo's 2026 cost-of-living index (NYC = 100) puts Bahrain at 47.6 and Saudi Arabia at 43.9. Saudi Arabia is about 8% cheaper overall.

Is Bahrain or Saudi Arabia safer?

On the Global Peace Index (lower = more peaceful), Bahrain scores 2.13 and Saudi Arabia scores 2.07. Saudi Arabia ranks as the more peaceful of the two.

Which has the higher quality of life, Bahrain or Saudi Arabia?

On the UN Human Development Index, Bahrain scores 0.899 and Saudi Arabia scores 0.900. 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 Saudi Arabia?

GNI per capita runs $28,790 in Bahrain against $36,070 in Saudi Arabia; people live 81.4 years on average against 79.0. 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, Alamin Prodhania on Pexels