Bahrain has one of the lowest costs of operating a financial services business in the GCC region, a new report released by KPMG said.

The average cost of key aspects such as licensing and registration, commercial rental rates, manpower costs, and communication and utility expenses, are significantly lower, it said in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

The report compared the cost of operating a financial services business to other selected GCC countries, and concludes that the cost would be, on average, around 40 per cent lower in the kingdom.

The report, which can be found on the Economic Development Board's (EDB) website, also includes an overview of the average cost of living, focusing on the cost of education and the cost of renting residential properties.

Both cost of living measures were higher in other GCC states, making Bahrain the most affordable country to live in.

“The report's findings reflect the kingdom's competitive advantage and the strong fundamentals of its investment environment,” Transportation Minister and Economic EDB acting chief executive Kamal Ahmed said.

“Bahrain continues to offer investors an opportunity to access the region through a business environment that has low operating costs, a highly skilled local workforce and a strong regulatory environment,” he added.

According to KPMG in Bahrain head of management consulting Nael Nasr, Gulf economies are expanding at a rapid pace and with this local, regional, and international businesses are seeking to build and expand their presence in the GCC.

“It's essential for these businesses to choose a location that offers the right platform for sustainable growth, and this report highlights that Bahrain offers both a very competitive cost environment and an attractive local labour pool,” Nasr added. - TradeArabia News Service