Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-Buraimi and Salalah Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-Buraimi and Salalah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,011 in Al-Buraimi versus $1,086 in Salalah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,298 in Al-Buraimi versus $1,648 in Salalah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,586 in Al-Buraimi versus $2,209 in Salalah.

Living in Al-Buraimi costs roughly 7% less than in Salalah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-Buraimi 25% lower, Salalah 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.12 OMR 1.97

$5.35 OMR 2.06

-4.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.59 OMR 9.85

$26.28 OMR 10.12

-2.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 OMR 2.98

$12.82 OMR 4.93

-39.55%

Cappuccino

$4.96 OMR 1.91

$6.01 OMR 2.32

-17.47%

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

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$0.64 OMR 0.25

65.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 OMR 0.12

$0.25 OMR 0.10

28.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.15 OMR 4.68

$9.21 OMR 3.55

31.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.65 OMR 4.49

$10.59 OMR 4.08

10.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$1.69 OMR 0.65

18.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 OMR 0.48

$1.28 OMR 0.49

-3.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 OMR 0.67

$2.11 OMR 0.81

-17.54%

Eggs

$2.47 OMR 0.95

$1.95 OMR 0.75

26.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.87 OMR 1.49

$6.92 OMR 2.66

-44.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.08 OMR 1.96

$4.57 OMR 1.76

11.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.79 OMR 3.38

$8.90 OMR 3.43

-1.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 OMR 1.00

$2.13 OMR 0.82

22.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 OMR 0.67

$1.11 OMR 0.43

55.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 OMR 0.71

$1.61 OMR 0.62

14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 OMR 0.45

$1.20 OMR 0.46

-1.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 OMR 0.37

$1.14 OMR 0.44

-14.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 OMR 0.38

$0.78 OMR 0.30

24.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 OMR 0.42

$0.54 OMR 0.21

101.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 OMR 0.21

$0.58 OMR 0.22

-3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 OMR 2.52

$5.75 OMR 2.21

13.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.77 OMR 6.07

$19.58 OMR 7.54

-19.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.32 OMR 1.66

$3.88 OMR 1.49

11.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.74 OMR 2.98

$4.65 OMR 1.79

66.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 OMR 0.51

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.7 OMR 21.44

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 OMR 1.00

$2.25 OMR 0.87

15.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 OMR 0.21

$1.27 OMR 0.49

-57.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 OMR 1.98

$11.58 OMR 4.46

-55.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 OMR 0.25

$0.60 OMR 0.23

8.33%

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

$22.5K OMR 8,664

$20.9K OMR 8,064

7.44%

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

$21.6K OMR 8,300

$18.0K OMR 6,917

20.00%

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

$105 OMR 40.56

$65.8 OMR 25.32

60.19%

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

$41.88 OMR 16.12

$49.61 OMR 19.10

-15.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.6 OMR 26.80

$76.6 OMR 29.48

-9.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.7 OMR 36.09

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.21 OMR 10.09

Cinema Ticket

$10.36 OMR 3.99

$7.93 OMR 3.05

30.64%

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

$193 OMR 74.2

$111 OMR 42.88

72.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,914 OMR 3,817

$2,377 OMR 915

317.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.99 OMR 19.25

$27.90 OMR 10.74

79.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.43 OMR 15.18

$31.60 OMR 12.17

24.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 OMR 30.42

$64.5 OMR 24.82

22.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.2 OMR 33.97

$43.98 OMR 16.93

100.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 OMR 98.1

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 OMR 79.4

$215 OMR 82.8

-4.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$492 OMR 189

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 OMR 142

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,991 OMR 766

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,225 OMR 472

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,613 OMR 1,391

$1,753 OMR 675

106.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

4.58

12.45%

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

Last update for Al-Buraimi: June 1, 2026

Last update for Salalah: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Al-Buraimi pays 106% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Al-Buraimi vs $26.00 in Salalah. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 vs $228, with Salalah cheaper for home cooking.

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

Al-Buraimi vs Salalah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-Buraimi is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Al-Buraimi pays 106% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Salalah pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,011 per month in Al-Buraimi versus $1,086 in Salalah – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,011 in Al-Buraimi versus $1,086 in Salalah, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-Buraimi but tight or insufficient in Salalah. The gap between the two cities makes Al-Buraimi 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, Al-Buraimi and Salalah 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 Al-Buraimi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Salalah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.