Accommodation is plentiful in Bahrain, but this does not mean it is cheap. Although there are empty apartments and villas, landlords tend to leave them that way, rather than lower the rent. New apartment blocks, villas and compounds are being built all the time. You should have no trouble finding something to suit your needs.
Choosing your location in Bahrain
Where you choose to live should be partially determined by where you are going to work. Although only a small island of some 765 square kilometres (295 square miles), the majority of the 1.64 million people live in approximately one-quarter of the island, the most densely populated areas being Manama and Muharraq.
The General Directorate of Traffic figures show there were some 719,000 registered vehicles on Bahrain's roads in 2018. Most of those will appear to be in front of you on your morning commute. A journey of just 20 kilometres can easily take upwards of 45 minutes, depending on the time of day, so the closer you are to your work, the shorter your day will be.
Of course, you may not have a choice where you live. Some companies provide housing as part of the remuneration package, some places of work are remote from populated areas, and there will be some districts that are not within your budget.
Lease conditions in Bahrain
Properties for let in Bahrain will often contain the words inclusive or exclusive in the advertisement. Inclusive agreements mean the landlord is responsible for paying the municipality tax and utility bills. Check what utility bills are included. It is normal for it to be restricted to electricity and water. Telephone, internet and gas will be the responsibility of the tenant. A monthly cap on the utility bills is the norm, and anything over this amount will be paid by the tenant. This cap is normally calculated as an average over a twelve-month period and paid annually.
Exclusive agreements leave the tenant liable for all utility and municipality bills. The municipality tax is 10% per cent of the monthly rent. As of March 2019, all subsidies from electricity and water were removed for non-Bahrainis, so before making a choice, ask other tenants what their average bill is for these items.
Most rental agreements will be for a minimum of a year. Check the agreement carefully for restrictions you may not agree with, or hidden costs.
Good to know:
Rent is almost always paid in advance. Deposits vary and the deposit may be used as an advance payment for the rent.
Important:
Before signing any rental agreement, make sure it contains what is known as the diplomatic clause. This allows you to terminate the agreement with one month's notice in case you lose your job or have to leave Bahrain permanently.
Types of accommodation in Bahrain
Apartments
Apartment blocks dominate the skyline in Juffair and Seef, but that is not to say apartments cannot be found elsewhere. Most other districts have tower blocks or smaller apartment blocks available. Often, the apartments will share facilities such as swimming pool and gym, and in the larger blocks, there is sometimes a mini-mart selling basic commodities. Tower blocks usually allocate parking spaces.
Serviced apartments
Sometimes known as apart-hotels, these are usually for short-term rental. A kitchenette is usually a feature of this type of apartment, and the room will be serviced. These would only be recommended for short stays as they are expensive when compared with long term rental apartments.
Villas
Stand-alone villas are just as the name suggests, a villa standing in its own grounds. These are in the majority of areas of Bahrain and vary considerably in size. Most are contained within boundary walls, much like a garden fence around a house in other countries. A few will include reasonably large gardens, whereas others will offer very little space between the boundary wall and building, and no green spaces at all. Garages are often included, but a garage in Bahrain may be an open structure with a roof or may have a door for security. Garages are rarely completely enclosed.
Compounds
These tend to be popular with western expats as they give a sense of community and security. Compounds can contain as few as four or as many as sixty-plus villas. They are usually surrounded by a large wall and supply twenty-four-hour security, with barriers and/or gates at the entrance. Some will have communal pools and gym facilities. Others may provide a private pool for each villa. Parking may be undercover, or in a private garage adjacent to the villa.
House share
Supermarket notice boards sometimes display notices for house shares. Be wary of sharing with a stranger or a group of strangers. Most rental agreements explicitly forbid subletting. A landlord could evict all the residents from a property if they are found to be in breach of contract.
Before committing to this type of arrangement, be sure of the person you are sharing with, and confirm the share is with the landlord's agreement.
How to find accommodation in Bahrain
Real estate agents are plentiful. By far the best way to find accommodation in Bahrain is to use a property aggregator such as Property Finder or Bahrain Property World. These websites list the majority of properties to let in Bahrain, and the agent or agents listing them. Sometimes it is possible to find the same property listed at different prices, check whether one excludes some services.
Word of mouth is another way of finding accommodation. Houses in sought after compounds are sometimes found this way, before the property comes on the market, so keep your ear to the ground.
Supermarket notice boards can be a useful source for upcoming and currently available rentals.
Finally, drive around. Some compounds and apartment buildings erect "To Let" signs on the buildings.
Popular areas in Bahrain
Amwaj
This is a gated community in the northeast of Bahrain and is built on reclaimed land in the Muharraq Governorate. It is linked to Muharraq island by two causeways. Just over 10.5 kilometres to the capital, Manama, Amwaj was built to be a self-contained district with shops, restaurants, hospital, petrol station and an international school. Some of the villas are built with waterfront access and boat mooring facilities.
Juffair
Built on reclaimed land and incorporating the Shia village of Juffair, this district, with its proximity to the American naval base, has become the entertainment district of Manama. Al Shabab Avenue contains many fast food outlets and coffee shops. It is not surprising it is often referred to as American Alley. Most rentals here are apartments and serviced apartments.
Seef
Two large shopping malls dominate the Seef area. The accommodation opportunities here are ever-changing as new apartment blocks are being built every year. This area tends to be for the higher earners, and those with business in Bahrain Financial Harbour would find themselves well placed here.
Reef Island
Entered by a single causeway, Reef Island is fast becoming one of the places to be. Whilst mostly consisting of high-rise apartment buildings, there are a number of villas available in this development. It also boasts a delightful beach.
Hamala
This district mainly consists of compounds and individual villas. Ideally situated for the British School Bahrain, and for those travelling across the causeway to Saudi Arabia. A large shopping mall is currently under construction adjacent to the British School, and a smaller mall is opposite the school on the main highway.
Janabiyah, Saar
These two areas are adjacent to each other, and it is often difficult to separate where one ends and the other starts. This is a popular area for expats, with many compounds, villas and apartments for rent. A thriving restaurant and cafe scene can be found in Saar, along with two expat clubs, the Bahrain Rugby Club and the Dilmun Club. The recently opened Atrium Mall boasts a Lulu Hypermarket and thirteen-screen cinema with E-Motion seating. Kingdom Mall is adjacent but has not yet opened.
Janabiyah also is fast becoming the roadside food outlet capital, with a number of pop-up cafes and coffee vendors in the area.
Several nursery and primary schools are contained within these districts, and it is ideally placed for those travelling the causeway to Saudi Arabia.
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