---
title: "Manama vs Nizwa for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/manama-vs-nizwa
description: "Under balanced weights Manama edges it, 52 to 52, winning 5 of the 9 factors. Manama is stronger on internet, quality of life; Nizwa on air quality, safety. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.10.7 (2026-10-13)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Manama vs Nizwa for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Manama edges it, 52 to 52, winning 5 of the 9 factors. Manama is stronger on internet, quality of life; Nizwa on air quality, safety. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

## Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)

| Metric | Manama | Nizwa | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 34 | 42 | Nizwa |
| Safety | 74 | 87 | Nizwa |
| Healthcare | 72 | 66 | Manama |
| Internet | 75 | 57 | Manama |
| Visa ease | 34 | 34 | tie |
| Getting there & around | 52 | 49 | Manama |
| Climate | 50 | 42 | Manama |
| Air quality | 3 | 26 | Nizwa |
| Quality of life | 78 | 64 | Manama |

## Cost

| Metric | Manama | Nizwa | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,947 | $1,588 | Nizwa |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Manama | Nizwa | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 0.2 | 0.14 | Nizwa |
| Political stability (0–100) | 59.8 | 76 | Nizwa |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 78 | 73 | Manama |
| Life expectancy | 74.4 yrs | 72.5 yrs | Manama |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Manama | Nizwa | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 50.9 Mbps | 18.2 Mbps | Manama |
| Upload | 17.3 Mbps | 10 Mbps | Manama |

## Visa

| Metric | Manama | Nizwa | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | none listed | none listed | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | no data | — |
| Entry, US passport | visa on arrival | visa on arrival | tie |
| Entry, EU passport | visa on arrival | visa on arrival | tie |
| Entry, UK passport | visa on arrival | visa on arrival | tie |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Manama | Nizwa | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 66 | 84 | Nizwa |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 2 | tie |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 1 | Manama |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Manama | Nizwa | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 6 | 5 | Manama |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 48.7 µg/m³ | 38.2 µg/m³ | Nizwa |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Manama or Nizwa?

Nizwa is cheaper: about $1,588 per month versus $1,947 for one person.

### Is Manama or Nizwa safer?

Nizwa scores higher on safety (87 vs 74), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Manama or Nizwa?

Manama: a measured median of 50.9 Mbps versus 18.2 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Manama](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/manama) · [Nizwa](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/nizwa). Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year); UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Starlink availability map.

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/manama-vs-nizwa