Cost of Living Comparison Between 'ibri and Ruwi Cost of Living Comparison Between 'ibri and Ruwi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $839 in 'ibri versus $493 in Ruwi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,311 in 'ibri versus $753 in Ruwi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,783 in 'ibri versus $1,013 in Ruwi.

Living in 'ibri is roughly 70% more expensive than Ruwi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: 'ibri 37% lower, Ruwi 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.66 OMR 1.02

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.59 OMR 9.85

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 OMR 2.55

Cappuccino

$3.11 OMR 1.20

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 OMR 0.26

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 OMR 0.10

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.32 OMR 2.05

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.50 OMR 4.43

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 OMR 0.44

$1.97 OMR 0.76

-41.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$2.01 OMR 0.77

-60.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$1.02 OMR 0.39

68.63%

Eggs

$2.40 OMR 0.93

$1.22 OMR 0.47

96.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.83 OMR 1.48

$2.05 OMR 0.79

86.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 OMR 1.44

$1.96 OMR 0.76

90.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.58 OMR 3.30

$4.92 OMR 1.90

74.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 OMR 0.99

$1.01 OMR 0.39

154.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 OMR 0.54

$0.97 OMR 0.37

45.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 OMR 0.69

$0.98 OMR 0.38

82.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 OMR 0.34

$1.02 OMR 0.39

-11.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 OMR 0.39

$0.99 OMR 0.38

1.01%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 OMR 0.22

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 OMR 0.29

$0.98 OMR 0.38

-21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 OMR 0.19

$1.02 OMR 0.39

-50.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.62 OMR 2.16

Wine (Bottle)

$15.53 OMR 5.98

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.26 OMR 1.64

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.92 OMR 3.05

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 OMR 0.98

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.30 OMR 3.97

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 OMR 0.24

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$23.1K OMR 8,879

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.6K OMR 8,302

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$79.2 OMR 30.50

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$38.52 OMR 14.83

$26.00 OMR 10.01

48.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.6 OMR 26.80

$77.2 OMR 29.71

-9.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.4 OMR 22.87

Cinema Ticket

$9.01 OMR 3.47

$9.25 OMR 3.56

-2.59%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$193 OMR 74.1

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,783 OMR 3,766

$13.2K OMR 5,080

-25.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 OMR 19.71

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.98 OMR 15.01

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 OMR 29.86

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.8 OMR 33.79

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$207 OMR 79.7

$391 OMR 151

-47.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$129 OMR 49.52

$255 OMR 98.2

-49.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 OMR 189

$920 OMR 354

-46.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 OMR 132

$573 OMR 221

-40.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,981 OMR 1,148

$2,566 OMR 988

16.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for 'ibri: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ruwi: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $207 in 'ibri and $391 in Ruwi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

'ibri pays 16% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

'ibri vs Ruwi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

'ibri and Ruwi differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($839 vs $493 including rent). Ruwi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

'ibri pays 16% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $207 in 'ibri versus $391 in Ruwi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 74% higher in 'ibri. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $839 per month in 'ibri versus $493 in Ruwi – a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Ruwi gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, 'ibri and Ruwi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ruwi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in 'ibri. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.