Bahrain Cost of Living Allowance Calculator
Enter the head of household's monthly income and your family status to see the monthly and yearly allowance and the next payment dates.
Calculate the cost-of-living allowance
Allowance amounts from January 2026
| Head of household's income | Monthly from Jan 2026 | Yearly | 2022–2025 | Before 2022 | Beneficiaries (Mar 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 300 | 130 | 1,560 | 110 | 100 | 44,780 |
| 301 – 700 | 97 | 1,164 | 77 | 70 | 59,258 |
| 701 – 1,000 | 75 | 900 | 55 | 50 | 34,871 |
| Above 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
On 31 December 2025 the Crown Prince and Prime Minister ordered a BHD 20 increase in each bracket of financial support for low-income families from January 2026. The bracket follows the head of household's income only, and the amount does not change with family size. The order says "less than 300" for the first bracket while the ministry's reply says "300 or less", so we treat exactly 300 as the first bracket.
Who is eligible
- Nationality and residence: Bahraini and permanently resident, with exceptions for work or treatment abroad with documents.
- Income: the head of household earns BHD 1,000 a month or less.
- Groups: married couples with or without children, widowers with children, divorced parents with custody, elderly people in certain social situations, and social security recipients automatically without applying.
- Commercial register: one register with one branch is accepted, with up to 10 workers and total wages up to BHD 1,000.
Single people who are not elderly are not in the official list of groups, so they are most likely not eligible.
Payment date and applying
The allowance is paid on the 15th of each month, the single day the Ministry of Labour and Social Development set in 2020 for social security, the cost-of-living allowance, the disability allowance and the housing allowance; we found nothing changing it. Apply in person at a social centre with your smart card and a bank statement showing your IBAN, plus divorce and custody papers, commercial register documents or a salary certificate if needed; it takes one working day. Beneficiaries must report any change in income or circumstances.
Other support programmes
- Social security: a minimum of BHD 77 for one person, 132 for two and 28 for each extra member since January 2022, with a BHD 10 to 20 discount on the electricity and water bill.
- Disability allowance: BHD 100, or 200 for severe cases such as total paralysis, autism and severe intellectual disability, not linked to salary.
- Retirees' living allowance: BHD 190 for pensions under 700 and 165 under 1,500 since January 2023; the 2025–2026 budget approved an annual increase whose amount we could not find. It is paid with the pension.
Examples:
A couple with two children and a husband's salary of 280: first bracket, BHD 130 a month and 1,560 a year.
A family of seven with a head of household earning 650 and a working wife: second bracket, BHD 97, since the wife's income is not counted.
A divorced parent with custody earning 950: BHD 75. A couple on 1,050: no allowance.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Bahrain's cost-of-living allowance in 2026?
From January 2026: BHD 130 a month when the head of household earns 300 or less, 97 from 301 to 700, 75 from 701 to 1,000, and nothing above 1,000. It was 110, 77 and 55 from 2022 to 2025.
When is the cost-of-living allowance paid?
On the 15th of each month, the single payment day for government support since February 2020 covering social security, the cost-of-living allowance, the disability allowance and the housing allowance. The retirees' living allowance is paid with the pension instead.
Who is eligible for the cost-of-living allowance?
Bahrainis permanently resident in Bahrain whose head of household earns BHD 1,000 or less, in these groups: married couples with or without children, widowers with children, divorced parents with custody, elderly people in certain situations, and social security recipients automatically. Holders of one commercial register with up to 10 workers and wages up to 1,000 also qualify.
Is the wife's salary counted?
The bracket depends on the head of household's income, and the ministry was reported in 2026 as saying the wife's income is not counted. Property income is counted as part of the head of household's income.
Does the allowance rise with family size?
No. The amount follows the head of household's income bracket only and does not change with the number of children or the type of family.
How do I apply for the cost-of-living allowance?
In person at a social centre with your smart card and a bank statement showing your IBAN, plus divorce and custody papers or commercial register documents if needed; the service takes one working day. Payments can be checked on the national portal or on 80008001.
Sources
- Prime Minister's Office — increase in support for low-income families from January 2026 (31/12/2025)
- Bahrain national portal — Financial Support for People with Low Incomes (High Cost Allowance)
- Ministry of Labour and Social Development — single payment on the 15th (29/1/2020)
- Daily Tribune — 138,909 beneficiaries by bracket (9/4/2026)
- Daily Tribune — BHD 20 increase for each bracket (14/1/2026)
- Daily Tribune — social security and disability allowance (21/2/2026)
Figures and formulas on this page were last reviewed on 2026-11-03.