Bahrain (BH)

Expat-focused cheap rental finder at expatcheaprent.com — compares listings across major rental portals to help newcomers find affordable apartments.

Bahrain's leading real estate portal for apartment and villa rentals in Manama, Juffair, Seef and across the Kingdom.

Bahrain's national retail payment platform. Instant bank-to-bank transfers (using CPR or mobile number), QR code payments at merchants, bill payments (EWA, telecom, school fees at some schools), salary splitting, and charity donations. Linked to all major Bahrain banks. Essential from day one — many small businesses, parking, and services accept QR payment exclusively.

The unified Bahrain government portal app. eKey authentication, CPR services, visa and residence management, traffic, municipality, and health appointment links. Your primary digital interface with Bahraini government agencies.

Traffic fine checking and payment, driving licence renewal, vehicle registration renewal, and traffic court services. Covers your vehicle and your driving licence in one app. Essential for any resident who drives or owns a vehicle in Bahrain.

Electricity and Water Authority account management. View and pay bills, check meter readings, report outages, request new connections, and monitor consumption patterns. Essential for managing summer AC bills which can spike dramatically.

Check your work permit status, sponsor details, occupation category, and permit expiry date. Also allows checking dependant visa status. Every employed resident should check this monthly and screenshot the result.

One of the largest Bahrain banks with comprehensive mobile banking, SWIFT transfers, IBAN management, loan management, and BenefitPay integration. Popular with mid-to-senior expats for its English-language service.

Major Bahrain bank mobile app with full online banking, international transfers, credit card management, and investment products.

Bahrain's leading digital-first bank (subsidiary of Bank ABC). Fully app-based current account with instant opening, high-yield savings vault, BenefitPay integration, and competitive exchange rates. Popular with younger expats for its speed and digital experience.

Islamic and conventional banking products, good international transfer capabilities, and widely used by corporate employees for salary accounts.

Primary ride-hailing platform across Bahrain. Covers Manama, Muharraq, Riffa, Saar, and most residential and commercial areas. Surge pricing applies during school run hours, iftar time, and late-night weekend periods.

Alternative ride-hailing and delivery platform. Some users prefer Careem for availability during peak hours or specific areas.

The dominant food and grocery delivery platform in Bahrain. Covers most restaurants, Talabat Mart grocery delivery, and some pharmacy deliveries. App is in English and Arabic.

The essential communication tool for every aspect of Bahrain life: landlords, schools, building security, drivers, delivery riders, parent groups, compound management, customer service, and community groups. If you use only one app in Bahrain, this is it.

Route maps, schedules, and journey planning for the Bahrain Bus Rapid Transit and urban bus network. Limited network coverage but expanding; useful for bus-route planning in Manama, Riffa, and Muharraq.

Some petrol stations and parking areas use specific payment apps — check the provider at your regular locations.