Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Ghubra and Muscat

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Ghubra: $90.0 a month against $1,556 in Muscat, rent and utilities included – about $17,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Muscat
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Muscat Living Index

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Al Ghubra

🇴🇲 Oman

$90.0

/mo nomad

Muscat

🇴🇲 Oman

$1,556

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Al Ghubra and in Muscat

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Al Ghubra and in Muscat actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $90.0 in Al Ghubra versus $1,556 in Muscat.

Al Ghubra $90.0
Muscat $1,556

Estimated couple costs with rent: $159 in Al Ghubra versus $2,299 in Muscat.

Al Ghubra $159
Muscat $2,299

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $229 in Al Ghubra versus $3,042 in Muscat.

Al Ghubra $229
Muscat $3,042

Living in Al Ghubra costs roughly 94% less than in Muscat, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Ghubra is 93% below, Muscat is 15% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.33 OMR 2.05

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.12 OMR 15.06

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 OMR 2.99

Cappuccino

$4.93 OMR 1.90

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

$0.85 OMR 0.33

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 OMR 0.10

$0.27 OMR 0.10

-7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.87 OMR 4.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.07 OMR 5.03

Milk (1 liter)

$2.56 OMR 0.99

$2.31 OMR 0.89

10.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 OMR 0.48

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 OMR 0.72

Eggs

$3.02 OMR 1.16

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 OMR 2.78

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.91 OMR 2.66

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.57 OMR 4.07

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 OMR 1.35

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 OMR 0.77

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 OMR 0.90

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 OMR 0.49

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 OMR 0.44

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 OMR 0.49

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 OMR 0.69

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 OMR 0.26

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.62 OMR 2.55

Wine (Bottle)

$15.83 OMR 6.09

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$6.03 OMR 2.32

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.33 OMR 3.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.33 OMR 0.51

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 OMR 30.00

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 OMR 1.23

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 OMR 1.01

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 OMR 3.01

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

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

$25.9K OMR 9,986

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

$22.4K OMR 8,624

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

$176 OMR 67.9

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

$28.30 OMR 10.90

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.9 OMR 27.28

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.01 OMR 17.33

$62.7 OMR 24.14

-28.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.68 OMR 14.12

$29.94 OMR 11.53

22.51%

Cinema Ticket

$9.16 OMR 3.53

$10.52 OMR 4.05

-12.93%

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

$180 OMR 69.5

$283 OMR 109

-36.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K OMR 4,070

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.6 OMR 21.79

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.33 OMR 16.68

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 OMR 35.08

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 OMR 33.28

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$674 OMR 260

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$461 OMR 177

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,324 OMR 510

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$813 OMR 313

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 OMR 1,105

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,614 OMR 621

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,110 OMR 1,197

$1,650 OMR 635

88.51%

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 Al Ghubra: October 11, 2026

Last update for Muscat: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Al Ghubra

–

Muscat

$461 29.6%

Groceries & Markets

Al Ghubra

–

Muscat

$292 18.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Al Ghubra

–

Muscat

$275 17.7%

Eating Out

Al Ghubra

–

Muscat

$220 14.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Al Ghubra

–

Muscat

$125 8%

Getting Around

Al Ghubra

–

Muscat

$100 6.4%

Sport & Entertainment

Al Ghubra

–

Muscat

$84 5.4%

Cost Breakdown

Al Ghubra pays 89% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Good to know

🇴🇲 Al Ghubra

🇴🇲 Muscat

🕒 Local time

08:27 8:27 AM

Same time as Al Ghubra

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

797,000

1,090,797 Capital

💱 Currency

Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.

📈 Exchange rate

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.31 EUR

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.31 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Al Ghubra Muscat 2 km

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ghubra vs Muscat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Ghubra and Muscat differ by about 1630% in total monthly costs ($90.0 vs $1,556 including rent). Al Ghubra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 89% higher in Al Ghubra, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $180 in Al Ghubra versus $283 in Muscat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you'll spend $90.0 per month in Al Ghubra versus $1,556 in Muscat – a 1630% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $90.0 in Al Ghubra versus $1,556 in Muscat, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al Ghubra but tight or insufficient in Muscat. The gap between the two cities makes Al Ghubra 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 Ghubra and Muscat 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 Ghubra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1630% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.