As concern grows over the cost of living in Bahrain, GulfWeekly sends reporter Shilpa Chandran out on a weekly shopping mission. She visits eight of the kingdom's most popular supermarkets to put them to the price test and to find out what it costs to buy a small trolley load of 25 popular items. Prices are subject to change due to market fluctuations. Email your consumer stories to shilpa.chandran@gulfweekly.com
Al Jazira Supermarket, Mahouz
Al Marai fresh milk, 2lt 0.950
Potatoes (Jordan), 1kg 0.450
Green capsicum (Saudi),
1kg 0.895
Cucumber (Saudi), 1kg 0.425
Ginger (Indonesia), 1kg 0.395
Carrots (Australia), 1kg 0.495
Banana (Philippines), 1kg 0.550
Cabbage (Saudi), 1kg 0.425
Red onions (India), 1kg 0.325
Tomatoes (Saudi), 1kg 1.050
White grapes (US), 1kg 2.000
Maza basmati rice, 5kg 5.900
Nescafe coffee, 100gm 0.825
Weetabix original, 430gm 1.500
Olite cooking oil, 1.8ltr 2.000
Flora margarine, 250ml 0.675
Farley's Rusk, 300gm 1.600
Clean n Clear facewash 2.050
Sunsilk hair cream, 100ml 0.975
Aquafresh mouthwash,
250ml 1.250
Kiri cheese, 8 slices 0.595
Nivea body lotion, 150ml 0.900
Rexona roll-on deodarant,
50ml 0.850
Lifebuoy handwash,
200ml 0.710
Herbal Essences shampoo, 400ml 1.350
Grand Total: BD29.140
Alosra Supermarket, Budaiya
Al Marai fresh milk, 2lt 0.950
Potatoes (Lebanon), 1kg 0.325
Green capsicum (Jordan),
1kg 0.695
Cucumber (Jordan), 1kg 0.495
Ginger (Taiwan), 1kg 0.425
Carrots (Australia), 1kg 0.395
Banana (Philippines), 1kg 0.495
Cabbage (Saudi), 1kg 0.350
Red onions (India), 1kg 0.250
Tomatoes (Saudi), 1kg 0.590
White grapes (US airfreight)
1kg 3.995
Maza basmati rice, 5kg 6.195
Nescafe coffee, 100gm 0.875
Weetabix original, 430gm 1.575
Olite cooking oil, 1.8ltr 2.125
Flora margarine, 250ml 0.700
Farley's Rusk, 300gm 1.450
Clean n Clear facewash 2.035
Sunsilk hair cream, 100ml 1.000
Aquafresh mouthwash,
250ml 1.340
Kiri cheese, 8 slices 0.550
Nivea body lotion, 150ml 0.900
Rexona roll-on deodarant,
50ml 0.860
Lifebuoy handwash, 200ml 0.750
Herbal Essences shampoo, 400ml 1.375
Grand Total: BD30.695
Carrefour, City Centre, Manama
Al Marai fresh milk, 2lt 0.950
Potatoes (Saudi), 1kg 0.450
Green capsicum (Saudi),
1kg 0.580
Cucumber (Saudi), 1kg 0.570
Ginger (China), 1kg 0.350
Carrots (Australia), 1kg 0.360
Banana (Philippines), 1kg 0.280
Cabbage (Saudi), 1kg 0.250
Red onions (India), 1kg 0.210
Tomatoes (Turkey), 1kg 0.670
White grapes (Turkey), 1kg 1.090
Maza basmati rice, 5kg 5.740
Nescafe coffee, 100gm 0.740
Weetabix original, 430gm 0.690
Olite cooking oil, 1.8ltr 1.770
Flora margarine, 250ml 0.580
Farley's Rusk, 300gm 1.500
Clean n Clear facewash 1.900
Sunsilk hair cream, 100ml 0.810
Aquafresh mouthwash,
250ml 1.020
Kiri cheese, 8 slices 0.550
Nivea body lotion, 150ml 0.750
Rexona roll-on deodarant,
50ml 0.750
Lifebuoy handwash,
200ml 0.620
Herbal Essences shampoo, 400ml 1.300
Grand Total: BD24.480
Geant Hypermarket, Manama
Al Marai fresh milk, 2lt 0.950
Potatoes (Lebanon), 1kg 0.360
Green capsicum (Jordan),
1kg 0.340
Cucumber (Saudi), 1kg 0.330
Ginger (India), 1kg 0.370
Carrots (Australia), 1kg 0.365
Banana (Philippines), 1kg 0.295
Cabbage (Saudi), 1kg 0.255
Red onions (India), 1kg 0.220
Tomatoes (Lebanon), 1kg 0.545
White grapes (Saudi), 1kg 1.100
Maza basmati rice, 5kg 4.600
Nescafe coffee, 100gm 0.775
Weetabix original, 430gm 1.390
Olite cooking oil, 1.8ltr 1.750
Flora margarine, 250ml 0.550
Farley's Rusk, 300gm 1.400
Clean n Clear facewash 1.890
Sunsilk hair cream, 100ml 0.850
Aquafresh mouthwash,
250ml 0.990
Kiri cheese, 8 slices 0.545
Nivea body lotion, 150ml 0.630
Rexona roll-on deodarant,
50ml 1.040
Lifebuoy handwash,
200ml 0.630
Herbal Essences shampoo, 400ml 1.090
Grand Total: BD23.260
Jawad Supermarket, Barbar
Al Marai fresh milk, 2lt 0.950
Potatoes(Lebanon), 1kg 0.475
Green capsicum (Jordan),
1kg 0.695
Cucumber (Saudi), 1kg 0.450
Ginger (China), 1kg 0.450
Carrots (Australia), 1kg 0.450
Banana (Philippines), 1kg 0.450
Cabbage (Saudi), 1kg 0.325
Red onions (India), 1kg 0.290
Tomatoes (Saudi), 1kg 0.950
White grapes (US), 1kg 1.800
Maza basmati rice, 5kg 5.800
Nescafe coffee, 100gm 0.880
Weetabix original, 430gm 1.500
Olite cooking oil, 1.8ltr 1.985
Flora margarine, 250ml 0.650
Farley's Rusk, 300gm 1.600
Clean n Clear facewash 2.025
Sunsilk hair cream, 100ml 1.000
Aquafresh mouthwash,
250ml 1.250
Kiri cheese, 8 slices 0.550
Nivea body lotion, 150ml 0.890
Rexona roll-on deodarant,
50ml 0.825
Lifebuoy handwash,
200ml 0.725
Herbal Essences shampoo, 400ml 1.315
Grand Total: BD28.280
Lebanon Trade Centre, Isa Town
Al Marai fresh milk, 2lt 0.950
Potatoes (Saudi), 1kg 0.300
Green capsicum (Saudi),
1kg 1.000
Cucumber (Saudi), 1kg 0.500
Ginger (China), 1kg 0.400
Carrots (Australia), 1kg 0.350
Banana (Philippines), 1kg 0.300
Cabbage (Saudi), 1kg 0.300
Red onions (India), 1kg 0.225
Tomatoes (Syria), 1kg 0.650
White grapes (Turkey), 1kg 1.000
Maza basmati rice, 5kg 5.800
Nescafe coffee, 100gm 0.775
Weetabix original, 430gm 1.650
Olite cooking oil, 1.8ltr 1.900
Flora margarine, 250ml 0.650
Farley's Rusk, 300gm 1.600
Clean n Clear facewash 2.050
Sunsilk hair cream, 100ml 0.950
Aquafresh mouthwash,
250ml 1.250
Kiri cheese, 8 slices 0.575
Nivea body lotion, 150ml 0.900
Rexona roll-on deodarant,
50ml 0.800
Lifebuoy handwash, 200ml 0.700
Herbal Essences shampoo, 400ml 1.250
Grand Total: BD26.825
Lulu Hypermarket, Manama
Al Marai fresh milk, 2lt 0.950
Potatoes (Saudi), 1kg 0.325
Green capsicum (Jordan),
1kg 0.525
Cucumber (Saudi), 1kg 0.325
Ginger (China), 1kg 0.325
Carrots (Australia), 1kg 0.345
Banana (Philippines), 1kg 0.445
Cabbage (Saudi), 1kg 0.325
Red onions (India), 1kg 0.295
Tomatoes (Jordan), 1kg 0.665
White grapes (Turkey), 1kg 0.945
Maza basmati rice, 5kg 4.700
Nescafe coffee, 100gm 0.735
Weetabix original, 430gm 1.450
Olite cooking oil, 1.8ltr 1.865
Flora margarine, 250ml 0.625
Farley's Rusk, 300gm 1.500
Clean n Clear facewash 1.770
Sunsilk hair cream, 100ml 0.870
Aquafresh mouthwash,
250ml 1.070
Kiri cheese, 8 slices 0.575
Nivea body lotion, 150ml 0.730
Rexona roll-on deodarant,
50ml 0.740
Lifebuoy handwash, 200ml 0.510
Herbal Essences shampoo, 400ml 1.180
Grand Total: BD23.790
Mega Mart, Central Market, Manama
Al Marai fresh milk, 2lt 0.950
Potatoes (Saudi), 1kg 0.395
Green capsicum (Saudi),
1kg 0.700
Cucumber (Jordan), 1kg 0.425
Ginger (China), 1kg 0.600
Carrots (Australia), 1kg 0.495
Banana (Philippines), 1kg 0.500
Cabbage (Saudi), 1kg 0.295
Red onions (India), 1kg 0.325
Tomatoes (Turkey), 1kg 0.795
White grapes (Turkey), 1kg 1.300
Maza basmati rice, 5kg 5.600
Nescafe coffee, 100gm 0.825
Weetabix original, 430gm 1.450
Olite cooking oil, 1.8ltr 1.750
Flora margarine, 250ml 0.695
Farley's Rusk, 300gm 1.495
Clean n Clear facewash 1.950
Sunsilk hair cream, 100ml 0.925
Aquafresh mouthwash,
250ml 1.195
Kiri cheese, 8 slices 0.575
Nivea body lotion, 150ml 0.850
Rexona roll-on deodarant,
50ml 0.825
Lifebuoy handwash,
200ml 0.690
Herbal Essences shampoo, 400ml 1.195
Grand Total: BD26.800