Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-masna'ah and Sohar Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-masna'ah and Sohar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $818 per month in Al-masna'ah vs $1,476 in Sohar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,219 per month in Al-masna'ah vs $2,133 in Sohar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,619 per month in Al-masna'ah vs $2,790 in Sohar, rent included.

Al-masna'ah is about 45% cheaper than Sohar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Al-masna'ah sits 39% below the global median, while Sohar is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.09 OMR 1.95

$6.62 OMR 2.54

-23.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.23 OMR 10.07

$20.47 OMR 7.86

28.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.59 OMR 2.92

$9.03 OMR 3.47

-15.95%

Cappuccino

$4.95 OMR 1.90

$6.66 OMR 2.56

-25.68%

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 0.09

28.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.52 OMR 4.81

$13.08 OMR 5.02

-4.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.83 OMR 4.54

$14.22 OMR 5.46

-16.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 OMR 0.73

$2.22 OMR 0.85

-13.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 OMR 0.45

$1.11 OMR 0.43

6.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 OMR 0.66

$3.17 OMR 1.22

-46.06%

Eggs

$2.39 OMR 0.92

$2.83 OMR 1.08

-15.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.81 OMR 1.46

$13.66 OMR 5.25

-72.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 OMR 1.97

$9.26 OMR 3.56

-44.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.66 OMR 3.33

$14.41 OMR 5.53

-39.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 OMR 0.99

$3.33 OMR 1.28

-22.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 OMR 0.64

$2.17 OMR 0.83

-23.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 OMR 0.67

$2.54 OMR 0.98

-30.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 OMR 0.44

$1.18 OMR 0.45

-3.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$1.81 OMR 0.69

-45.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 OMR 0.39

$1.86 OMR 0.71

-44.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 OMR 0.40

$1.65 OMR 0.63

-36.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 OMR 0.21

$0.92 OMR 0.35

-39.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.45 OMR 2.48

$5.82 OMR 2.24

10.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.42 OMR 5.92

$26.37 OMR 10.13

-41.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.33 OMR 1.66

$3.94 OMR 1.51

9.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.58 OMR 2.91

$8.71 OMR 3.34

-12.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.67 OMR 1.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.0 OMR 20.35

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 OMR 1.19

$3.32 OMR 1.28

-6.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 OMR 0.31

$1.61 OMR 0.62

-49.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.28 OMR 3.95

$10.48 OMR 4.02

-1.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 OMR 0.25

$0.63 OMR 0.24

1.59%

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

$22.5K OMR 8,634

$18.4K OMR 7,075

22.03%

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

$22.0K OMR 8,434

$20.2K OMR 7,744

8.91%

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

$109 OMR 41.69

$103 OMR 39.65

5.12%

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

$41.99 OMR 16.12

$29.27 OMR 11.24

43.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 OMR 26.94

$86.6 OMR 33.24

-18.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.5 OMR 20.15

Cinema Ticket

$10.59 OMR 4.07

$11.47 OMR 4.40

-7.67%

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

$190 OMR 73.1

$267 OMR 103

-28.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,774 OMR 3,753

$7,019 OMR 2,695

39.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 OMR 19.25

$52.1 OMR 19.99

-3.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.12 OMR 15.02

$43.89 OMR 16.85

-10.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 OMR 30.38

$79.2 OMR 30.42

-0.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 OMR 34.14

$47.49 OMR 18.24

87.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 OMR 187

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 OMR 146

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 OMR 298

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$672 OMR 258

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,153 OMR 443

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$772 OMR 296

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,049 OMR 1,555

$2,442 OMR 938

65.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

5.62

-8.36%

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

Last update for Al-masna'ah: April 25, 2026

Last update for Sohar: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 66% higher in Al-masna'ah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Al-masna'ah versus $20.00 in Sohar. Groceries tell a different story – $229 in Al-masna'ah vs $350 in Sohar – so Al-masna'ah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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-masna'ah vs Sohar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $818 in Al-masna'ah, $1,476 in Sohar – roughly 81% apart. Sohar costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,227 per month in Al-masna'ah and $2,214 in Sohar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $818 in Al-masna'ah and $1,476 in Sohar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $190 per month in Al-masna'ah and $267 in Sohar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al-masna'ah, where all-in costs run around $818, than in Sohar at $1,476. In Al-masna'ah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sohar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al-masna'ah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Al-masna'ah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sohar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.