Gold Rate Today in Bahrain
The live table shows the gold rate in Bahrain in Bahraini dinars per gram for 24K, 22K, 21K and 18K, plus tola and ounce prices. It is the world price at the fixed dinar rate; jewellers add a margin and making charges, and jewellery is subject to Bahrain's 10% VAT.
Live gold rate in Bahrain (BHD)
| Weight & purity | Live price |
|---|---|
| 24K gold · 1 gram | live |
| 22K gold · 1 gram | live |
| 21K gold · 1 gram | live |
| 18K gold · 1 gram | live |
| 21K gold · 10 grams | live |
| 24K gold · 1 tola | live |
| 24K gold · 1 troy ounce | live |
International parity from XAUUSD × USD/BHD (the dinar is pegged at 0.376 per dollar). Shop margins, making charges and VAT are extra. How we calculate
How the Bahraini gold rate works
The Bahraini dinar is pegged to the US dollar at 0.376 dinar per dollar (about 2.66 dollars per dinar), so the dinar gold price follows the dollar chart above exactly. Manama jewellers post per-gram rates for each karat, slightly above parity. As with the Kuwaiti dinar and Omani rial, one dinar equals 1,000 fils, so prices run to three decimal places.
VAT on gold in Bahrain
Bahrain introduced VAT in 2019 at 5% and raised the standard rate to 10% from January 2022. Gold jewellery is subject to VAT, and the tax invoice shows how it has been calculated. Investment gold of high purity, such as bars and bullion coins traded at market value, is zero-rated under Bahrain's VAT rules, which makes bars considerably cheaper to buy than jewellery relative to their gold content.
Compared with its neighbours, Bahrain's VAT rate on jewellery sits between the UAE and Oman (5%) and Saudi Arabia (15%), while Qatar and Kuwait levy none. Many Saudi residents cross the King Fahd Causeway to shop in Bahrain, and the comparison with Saudi VAT is one reason.
Karats sold in Bahrain
| Karat | Gold content | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 24K | 99.9% | Bars and coins |
| 22K | 91.6% | South Asian jewellery |
| 21K | 87.5% | Traditional Bahraini and Gulf jewellery |
| 18K | 75% | Diamond, pearl and designer pieces |
Gold and pearls
Bahrain was for centuries a centre of natural pearl diving, and pearls set in gold remain a local speciality. Bahrain's pearl-testing laboratory has a long-standing reputation, and the country's rules have historically restricted trade in cultured pearls to protect the natural pearl market. If you buy pearl jewellery, ask for the pearl to be described on the invoice and the gold weight given separately from the pearls.
Worked example
Illustrative only. Suppose 21K is BHD 43.900 per gram and the making charge is BHD 0.800 per gram.
| Item | Calculation | BHD |
|---|---|---|
| 21K bracelet, 15 g | 15 × 43.900 | 658.500 |
| Making charge | 15 × 0.800 | 12.000 |
| Subtotal before VAT | 670.500 |
VAT is then charged as shown on the tax invoice; at 10% on the full subtotal it would be BHD 67.050. Try other weights in the jewellery price calculator.
Selling gold in Bahrain
Manama jewellers buy back gold at the day's rate for the karat less a deduction, and neither the making charge nor the VAT you paid is returned. With 10% VAT on new jewellery, the cost of buying and later selling a piece is noticeably higher than for a zero-rated bar of the same gold content. If you expect to sell, a bar or a plain, low-making-charge piece loses the least. Exchanges for new jewellery at the same shop typically get a smaller deduction than cash sales. See our guide to selling gold.
Where to buy in Bahrain
Gold City in Manama, near the Bab Al Bahrain gateway and the old souk, houses many jewellers under one roof and is the best-known place to compare designs and rates. Jewellery chains also operate in the large malls. The country's South Asian residents buy 22K and small bars, while Bahraini families favour 21K sets for weddings.
Checklist
- Compare the shop's per-gram rate with the parity table, to three decimals.
- Negotiate the making charge per gram before weighing.
- Get a tax invoice with karat, weight, rate, making charge and VAT.
- For pearl jewellery, ask for the pearls and gold to be described separately.
- For bars, confirm purity and refiner stamp so the zero rate applies.