Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Doha and Muscat

For one person, living is cheaper in Muscat: $1,556 a month against $2,102 in Doha, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Doha outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

102

Cost of Living Index in Doha
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Doha Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Muscat
Learn more

Muscat Living Index

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Doha

🇶🇦 Qatar

$2,102

/mo nomad

Muscat

🇴🇲 Oman

$1,556

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Doha 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 Doha and in Muscat actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,102 per month in Doha vs $1,556 in Muscat, rent included.

Doha $2,102
Muscat $1,556

A couple spends around $3,272 per month in Doha vs $2,299 in Muscat, rent included.

Doha $3,272
Muscat $2,299

A family of three spends $4,443 per month in Doha vs $3,042 in Muscat, rent included.

Doha $4,443
Muscat $3,042

Doha costs about 35% more than Muscat, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Doha and Muscat sit above the global median – Doha by 56%, Muscat by 15%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.64 QAR 35.11

$5.33 OMR 2.05

80.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 QAR 253

$39.12 OMR 15.06

77.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.09 QAR 29.43

$7.76 OMR 2.99

4.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.38 QAR 45.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.39 QAR 48.74

Cappuccino

$5.93 QAR 21.60

$4.93 OMR 1.90

20.28%

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

$0.88 QAR 3.19

$0.85 OMR 0.33

3.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 QAR 1.59

$0.27 OMR 0.10

62.96%

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)

$2.11 QAR 7.70

$2.31 OMR 0.89

-8.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 QAR 5.14

$1.24 OMR 0.48

13.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 QAR 6.75

$1.87 OMR 0.72

-1.07%

Eggs

$3.41 QAR 12.42

$3.02 OMR 1.16

12.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.34 QAR 41.29

$7.23 OMR 2.78

56.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.89 QAR 28.73

$6.91 OMR 2.66

14.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.36 QAR 41.35

$10.57 OMR 4.07

7.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 QAR 7.93

$3.51 OMR 1.35

-37.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 QAR 6.73

$2.01 OMR 0.77

-7.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 QAR 5.75

$2.33 OMR 0.90

-32.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 QAR 4.53

$1.26 OMR 0.49

-1.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 QAR 3.61

$1.16 OMR 0.44

-14.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 QAR 3.39

$1.28 OMR 0.49

-27.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 QAR 5.23

$1.79 OMR 0.69

-19.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 QAR 1.99

$0.68 OMR 0.26

-19.12%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.60 QAR 34.95

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 QAR 6.98

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 QAR 8.02

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 QAR 23.90

$6.62 OMR 2.55

-0.91%

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)

$0.53 QAR 1.94

$1.33 OMR 0.51

-60.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.37 QAR 99.6

$77.9 OMR 30.00

-64.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 QAR 6.90

$3.18 OMR 1.23

-40.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 QAR 7.64

$2.62 OMR 1.01

-19.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.52 QAR 49.20

$7.83 OMR 3.01

72.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.55 QAR 1.99

$0.60 OMR 0.23

-8.33%

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

$28.2K QAR 102.8K

$25.9K OMR 9,986

8.91%

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

$22.5K QAR 82.0K

$22.4K OMR 8,624

0.54%

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

$86.1 QAR 314

$176 OMR 67.9

-51.14%

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

$34.37 QAR 125

$28.30 OMR 10.90

21.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.4 QAR 311

$70.9 OMR 27.28

20.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$124 QAR 453

$62.7 OMR 24.14

98.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 QAR 67.2

$29.94 OMR 11.53

-38.38%

Cinema Ticket

$12.19 QAR 44.36

$10.52 OMR 4.05

15.87%

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

$672 QAR 2,447

$283 OMR 109

137.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,561 QAR 34.8K

$10.6K OMR 4,070

-9.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 QAR 216

$56.6 OMR 21.79

5.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 QAR 192

$43.33 OMR 16.68

21.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 QAR 362

$91.1 OMR 35.08

9.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 QAR 309

$86.4 OMR 33.28

-1.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,881 QAR 6,845

$674 OMR 260

178.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 QAR 4,288

$461 OMR 177

155.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,522 QAR 12.8K

$1,324 OMR 510

165.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,266 QAR 8,250

$813 OMR 313

178.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,083 QAR 14.9K

$2,871 OMR 1,105

42.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,377 QAR 8,654

$1,614 OMR 621

47.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,299 QAR 12.0K

$1,650 OMR 635

99.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.25

12.76%

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

Last update for Doha: 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

Doha

$1.2K 56.1%

Muscat

$461 29.6% 60.9% $717

Groceries & Markets

Doha

$216 10.3%

Muscat

$292 18.8% 35.5% $76

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Doha

$206 9.8%

Muscat

$275 17.7% 33.7% $70

Eating Out

Doha

$178 8.5%

Muscat

$220 14.1% 23.7% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Doha

$149 7.1%

Muscat

$84 5.4% 43.7% $65

Clothing & Footwear

Doha

$134 6.4%

Muscat

$125 8% 6.5% $8.7

Getting Around

Doha

$42 2%

Muscat

$100 6.4% 138% $58

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,881 in Doha versus $674 in Muscat. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 100% higher in Doha, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Doha versus $39.00 in Muscat. Groceries tell a different story – $216 in Doha vs $292 in Muscat – so Doha wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇶🇦 Doha

🇴🇲 Muscat

🕒 Local time

09:25 9:25 AM

10:25 10:25 AM

1 h ahead of Doha

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,312,947 Capital

1,090,797 Capital

💱 Currency

Qatari Riyal QAR ر.ق

Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.

📈 Exchange rate

1 QAR = 0.275 USD

1 QAR = 0.244 EUR

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.31 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

OMR, USD, EUR to QAR – Qatari Riyal Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇶🇦 Qatari Riyal (ر.ق)

Qatari Riyal exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3.64 QAR (1 QAR = 0.275 USD). 1 EUR = 4.09 QAR (1 QAR = 0.244 EUR).

Omani Rial exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.433 OMR (1 OMR = 2.31 EUR).

USD to QAR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Doha Muscat 720 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Doha
Muscat

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

Doha vs Muscat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Doha is pricier by about 35%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,152 per month in Doha and $2,334 in Muscat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Muscat, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 185% less in Muscat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $672 per month in Doha and $283 in Muscat. 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 Muscat, where all-in costs run around $1,556, than in Doha at $2,102. In Muscat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Doha it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Muscat – 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 Muscat. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Doha makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.