Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Ghubra and Salalah

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Ghubra: $90.0 a month against $1,055 in Salalah, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

52

Cost of Living Index in Salalah
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Salalah Living Index

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Al Ghubra

🇴🇲 Oman

$90.0

/mo nomad

Salalah

🇴🇲 Oman

$1,055

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Salalah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $90.0 in Al Ghubra versus $1,055 in Salalah.

Al Ghubra $90.0
Salalah $1,055

Estimated couple costs with rent: $159 in Al Ghubra versus $1,587 in Salalah.

Al Ghubra $159
Salalah $1,587

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $229 in Al Ghubra versus $2,118 in Salalah.

Al Ghubra $229
Salalah $2,118

Living in Al Ghubra costs roughly 91% less than in Salalah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Ghubra 93% lower, Salalah 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.07 OMR 1.95

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.69 OMR 9.89

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.75 OMR 4.91

Cappuccino

$6.05 OMR 2.33

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

$0.90 OMR 0.35

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 OMR 0.10

$0.27 OMR 0.10

-7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.98 OMR 3.46

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.22 OMR 3.94

Milk (1 liter)

$2.56 OMR 0.99

$1.89 OMR 0.73

35.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 OMR 1.01

Eggs

$1.91 OMR 0.74

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.58 OMR 1.76

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 OMR 1.82

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.37 OMR 2.45

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 OMR 0.75

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 OMR 0.71

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 OMR 0.79

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 OMR 0.69

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 OMR 0.57

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 OMR 0.39

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 OMR 0.42

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 OMR 0.20

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.87 OMR 2.26

Wine (Bottle)

$20.15 OMR 7.76

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.98 OMR 1.53

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 OMR 1.81

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.33 OMR 0.51

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.8 OMR 21.09

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 OMR 0.87

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.87 OMR 4.57

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 OMR 0.25

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

$21.1K OMR 8,112

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

$18.3K OMR 7,061

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

$77.6 OMR 29.89

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

$48.92 OMR 18.84

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.7 OMR 28.39

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.01 OMR 17.33

$39.07 OMR 15.04

15.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.68 OMR 14.12

$26.08 OMR 10.04

40.64%

Cinema Ticket

$9.16 OMR 3.53

$7.67 OMR 2.95

19.43%

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

$180 OMR 69.5

$105 OMR 40.24

72.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,925 OMR 741

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.01 OMR 11.17

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.47 OMR 12.12

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.0 OMR 22.69

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.02 OMR 17.72

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 OMR 94.1

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 OMR 79.0

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 OMR 241

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 OMR 149

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,999 OMR 770

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,203 OMR 463

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,110 OMR 1,197

$1,769 OMR 681

75.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.58

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

Last update for Al Ghubra: October 11, 2026

Last update for Salalah: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Al Ghubra

–

Salalah

$231 21.9%

Eating Out

Al Ghubra

–

Salalah

$222 21%

Accommodation & Living

Al Ghubra

–

Salalah

$205 19.4%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Al Ghubra

–

Salalah

$200 19%

Clothing & Footwear

Al Ghubra

–

Salalah

$74 7.1%

Getting Around

Al Ghubra

–

Salalah

$69 6.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Al Ghubra

–

Salalah

$54 5.2%

Cost Breakdown

Al Ghubra pays 76% 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

🇴🇲 Salalah

🕒 Local time

09:31 9:31 AM

Same time as Al Ghubra

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

797,000

178,469

💱 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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Between locations

Al Ghubra Salalah 860 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Al Ghubra
Salalah

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 Salalah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Ghubra and Salalah differ by about 1073% in total monthly costs ($90.0 vs $1,055 including rent). Al Ghubra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 76% 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 $105 in Salalah. 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 $1,055 in Salalah – a 1073% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $90.0 in Al Ghubra versus $1,055 in Salalah, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al Ghubra but tight or insufficient in Salalah. 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 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 Ghubra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1073% less than in Salalah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.