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: $1,009 in Al-Buraimi versus $1,106 in Salalah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,303 in Al-Buraimi versus $1,665 in Salalah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,596 in Al-Buraimi versus $2,225 in Salalah.

Living in Al-Buraimi costs roughly 9% less than in Salalah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-Buraimi 24% lower, Salalah 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.28 OMR 2.03

$5.13 OMR 1.98

2.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.64 OMR 9.87

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 OMR 2.92

$13.10 OMR 5.04

-42.14%

Cappuccino

$4.76 OMR 1.83

$6.19 OMR 2.38

-23.10%

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

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$0.68 OMR 0.26

48.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 OMR 0.13

$0.25 OMR 0.10

36.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.37 OMR 4.76

$8.92 OMR 3.43

38.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.87 OMR 4.57

$10.37 OMR 3.99

14.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 OMR 0.76

$1.76 OMR 0.68

13.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 OMR 0.47

$1.27 OMR 0.49

-3.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 OMR 0.63

$2.02 OMR 0.78

-18.32%

Eggs

$2.40 OMR 0.92

$1.90 OMR 0.73

26.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.81 OMR 1.46

$6.73 OMR 2.59

-43.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.13 OMR 1.97

$4.65 OMR 1.79

10.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.77 OMR 3.38

$8.84 OMR 3.40

-0.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 OMR 0.97

$2.04 OMR 0.79

23.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 OMR 0.67

$1.09 OMR 0.42

59.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 OMR 0.71

$1.59 OMR 0.61

16.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 OMR 0.44

$1.14 OMR 0.44

-0.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.12 OMR 0.43

-8.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 OMR 0.37

$0.78 OMR 0.30

24.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 OMR 0.40

$0.54 OMR 0.21

94.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 OMR 0.21

$0.54 OMR 0.21

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.44 OMR 2.48

$5.88 OMR 2.26

9.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.73 OMR 6.05

$20.01 OMR 7.70

-21.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.42 OMR 1.70

$3.84 OMR 1.48

15.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.79 OMR 3.00

$4.82 OMR 1.85

61.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 OMR 0.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.3 OMR 20.88

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 OMR 1.01

$2.35 OMR 0.90

11.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 OMR 0.21

$1.33 OMR 0.51

-60.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.34 OMR 2.06

$11.83 OMR 4.55

-54.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 OMR 0.23

$0.60 OMR 0.23

-1.67%

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

$23.3K OMR 8,966

$21.1K OMR 8,112

10.53%

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

$21.5K OMR 8,288

$18.5K OMR 7,125

16.32%

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

$105 OMR 40.58

$63.8 OMR 24.54

65.36%

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

$40.41 OMR 15.55

$49.44 OMR 19.03

-18.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.4 OMR 26.71

$77.0 OMR 29.61

-9.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.1 OMR 35.80

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.71 OMR 9.89

Cinema Ticket

$10.24 OMR 3.94

$8.03 OMR 3.09

27.52%

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

$196 OMR 75.3

$111 OMR 42.86

75.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,765 OMR 3,758

$2,399 OMR 923

307.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 OMR 19.41

$27.70 OMR 10.66

82.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.07 OMR 15.42

$30.71 OMR 11.82

30.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 OMR 30.70

$62.2 OMR 23.94

28.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.1 OMR 34.29

$42.75 OMR 16.45

108.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$259 OMR 99.7

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 OMR 79.9

$208 OMR 80.2

-0.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 OMR 193

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 OMR 141

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,034 OMR 783

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,218 OMR 469

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,590 OMR 1,382

$1,785 OMR 687

101.09%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Salalah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Al-Buraimi pays 101% 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 $233 vs $227, 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 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 101% higher in Al-Buraimi, 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 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,009 per month in Al-Buraimi versus $1,106 in Salalah – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,009 in Al-Buraimi versus $1,106 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 10% less than in Salalah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.