Most Expat Workers in Bahrain Earn Less Than BD200, New Report Reveals

TDT | Manama

Email : ashen@newsofbahrain.com

A recent report by the Social Insurance Organisation (SIO) has shed light on a growing income gap between expatriates and Bahraini workers in the private sector, revealing that the vast majority of foreign workers earn less than BD200 a month.

According to the data, only 4% of expats earn over BD1,000 per month—compared to 21% of Bahrainis. This is despite expatriates outnumbering locals by more than three to one in the private sector.

By the end of the first quarter of 2025, there were 470,145 insured expat workers, yet 71% of them—roughly 332,270 people—earned under BD200 a month. In comparison, just 2% of Bahrainis (2,142 people) were in that same lowest income bracket. Interestingly, women made up the majority of that Bahraini group, with 1,659 women versus 483 men.

The next largest group of expat workers earned between BD200 and BD399, accounting for 14% of the total. This income group included over 64,000 expats, with men making up nearly 80% of them. Among Bahrainis, about a third fell into this income category.

As salaries climbed up the scale, the number of expatriates steadily declined. Around 8% of expats earned between BD400 and BD599, while only 2% made between BD600 and BD799. At the higher end—BD800 to BD999—just 1% of expats were recorded, in contrast to 8% of Bahrainis.

The top income bracket—over BD1,000 per month—included 20,431 non-Bahrainis and 22,790 Bahrainis.

Gender Divide Still Strong

The report also highlighted a sharp gender divide. Of the total insured expat workforce, a significant 89.6% were men (421,722), and only 11.5% were women. Among Bahrainis, however, women made up the majority (56.3%) of the insured workforce, with 37,636 women compared to 66,822 men.

The Wage Gap in Numbers

When it comes to overall averages, Bahraini workers earned an average of BD881 per month, while expats averaged just BD271. The highest-paid Bahrainis were those aged 60 and above, earning BD1,732 on average. Among expats, the top earners were in the 50–59 age group, with an average salary of BD664.