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: $1,038 in 'ibri versus $624 in Ruwi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,615 in 'ibri versus $824 in Ruwi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in 'ibri versus $1,023 in Ruwi.

Living in 'ibri is roughly 66% more expensive than in Ruwi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: 'ibri 24% lower, Ruwi 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.15 OMR 1.98

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.97 OMR 13.08

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 OMR 2.92

Cappuccino

$4.73 OMR 1.82

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

$0.90 OMR 0.35

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 OMR 0.11

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.81 OMR 4.93

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.23 OMR 5.09

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 OMR 0.50

$1.98 OMR 0.76

-33.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 OMR 0.29

$1.97 OMR 0.76

-61.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 OMR 0.51

$1.01 OMR 0.39

31.68%

Eggs

$2.11 OMR 0.81

$1.22 OMR 0.47

72.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.66 OMR 2.95

$2.02 OMR 0.78

279.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.08 OMR 1.95

$1.99 OMR 0.77

155.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.46 OMR 4.03

$4.87 OMR 1.87

114.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 OMR 1.02

$0.97 OMR 0.37

172.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 OMR 0.74

$1.03 OMR 0.40

87.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 OMR 0.62

$1.03 OMR 0.40

55.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$1.02 OMR 0.39

3.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$0.98 OMR 0.38

8.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 OMR 0.29

$0.99 OMR 0.38

-23.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 OMR 0.21

$1.03 OMR 0.40

-47.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.34 OMR 2.44

Wine (Bottle)

$15.31 OMR 5.89

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.71 OMR 2.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.90 OMR 3.43

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 OMR 0.99

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 OMR 0.51

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 OMR 2.97

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 OMR 0.24

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

$25.9K OMR 9,967

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

$22.4K OMR 8,611

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

$79.0 OMR 30.40

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

$30.98 OMR 11.93

$25.65 OMR 9.88

20.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 OMR 26.97

$77.9 OMR 30.00

-10.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 OMR 29.45

Cinema Ticket

$10.33 OMR 3.98

$8.93 OMR 3.44

15.68%

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

$290 OMR 112

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K OMR 4,040

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 OMR 21.90

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.50 OMR 16.75

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 OMR 34.34

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.7 OMR 36.45

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$232 OMR 89.4

$396 OMR 153

-41.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 OMR 70.7

$385 OMR 148

-52.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 OMR 183

$912 OMR 351

-47.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 OMR 143

$582 OMR 224

-36.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,956 OMR 1,138

$4,419 OMR 1,701

-33.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

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

Last update for 'ibri: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ruwi: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $232 in 'ibri and $396 in Ruwi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ruwi pays 50% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 66% in total monthly costs ($1,038 vs $624 including rent). Ruwi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 50% lower in Ruwi. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $232 in 'ibri versus $396 in Ruwi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 104% higher in 'ibri. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,038 per month in 'ibri versus $624 in Ruwi – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $624 in Ruwi versus $1,038 in 'ibri, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ruwi but tight or insufficient in 'ibri. The gap between the two cities makes Ruwi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 66% less than in 'ibri. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.