Cost of Living Comparison Between Doha and Muscat Cost of Living Comparison Between Doha and Muscat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,003 per month in Doha vs $1,331 in Muscat, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,069 per month in Doha vs $1,982 in Muscat, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,134 per month in Doha vs $2,633 in Muscat, rent included.

Doha costs about 50% more than Muscat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Doha sits 49% above the global median, while Muscat is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.77 QAR 24.64

$5.29 OMR 2.04

27.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 QAR 196

$26.39 OMR 10.16

104.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 QAR 24.69

$7.84 OMR 3.02

-13.52%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.76 QAR 42.80

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.10 QAR 40.40

Cappuccino

$4.98 QAR 18.14

$4.95 OMR 1.90

0.61%

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

$0.84 QAR 3.07

$1.02 OMR 0.39

-17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 QAR 1.13

$0.34 OMR 0.13

-8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.16 OMR 4.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.87 OMR 4.57

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 QAR 7.44

$2.00 OMR 0.77

2.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 QAR 5.92

$1.20 OMR 0.46

35.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 QAR 7.82

$1.70 OMR 0.65

26.47%

Eggs

$2.62 QAR 9.55

$2.45 OMR 0.94

6.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.34 QAR 41.26

$3.84 OMR 1.48

195.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.55 QAR 27.48

$5.16 OMR 1.98

46.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 QAR 37.97

$8.46 OMR 3.26

23.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 QAR 7.21

$2.54 OMR 0.98

-22.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 QAR 5.73

$1.72 OMR 0.66

-8.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 QAR 5.77

$1.77 OMR 0.68

-10.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 QAR 5.26

$1.13 OMR 0.44

28.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 QAR 3.57

$1.00 OMR 0.38

-2.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 QAR 3.88

$1.02 OMR 0.39

4.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 QAR 5.03

$1.03 OMR 0.40

33.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 QAR 1.66

$0.56 OMR 0.22

-17.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.27 QAR 30.10

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 QAR 6.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 QAR 10.92

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 QAR 23.53

$6.22 OMR 2.39

4.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.55 OMR 5.99

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.25 OMR 1.64

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 OMR 3.04

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 QAR 1.91

$1.27 OMR 0.49

-58.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.91 QAR 120

$62.3 OMR 23.99

-47.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 QAR 8.11

$3.16 OMR 1.22

-29.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 QAR 8.07

$0.80 OMR 0.31

177.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.60 QAR 49.50

$10.34 OMR 3.98

31.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 QAR 2.16

$0.60 OMR 0.23

-1.67%

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

$22.2K QAR 80.7K

$22.8K OMR 8,778

-2.73%

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

$20.3K QAR 73.9K

$21.8K OMR 8,405

-7.01%

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

$93.5 QAR 340

$107 OMR 41.32

-12.90%

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

$37.48 QAR 136

$40.60 OMR 15.63

-7.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 QAR 313

$70.5 OMR 27.13

22.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 QAR 436

$47.24 OMR 18.19

153.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.38 QAR 118

$22.99 OMR 8.85

40.84%

Cinema Ticket

$12.20 QAR 44.41

$10.47 OMR 4.03

16.52%

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

$794 QAR 2,891

$192 OMR 74.1

312.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K QAR 42.7K

$9,757 OMR 3,756

20.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 QAR 227

$50.7 OMR 19.53

22.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 QAR 199

$39.51 OMR 15.21

38.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.4 QAR 362

$79.4 OMR 30.56

25.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.2 QAR 328

$90.0 OMR 34.66

0.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,609 QAR 5,857

$619 OMR 238

160.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 QAR 3,983

$410 OMR 158

166.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,926 QAR 10.7K

$1,222 OMR 470

139.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,079 QAR 7,567

$730 OMR 281

184.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,471 QAR 16.3K

$2,666 OMR 1,026

67.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,709 QAR 9,860

$1,552 OMR 597

74.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,111 QAR 11.3K

$1,654 OMR 637

88.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

5.15

18.06%

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

Last update for Doha: May 31, 2026

Last update for Muscat: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,609 in Doha versus $619 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 88% 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 $54.0 in Doha versus $26.00 in Muscat. Groceries tell a different story – $208 in Doha vs $231 in Muscat – so Doha 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

Doha vs Muscat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Doha is pricier by about 50%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,004 per month in Doha and $1,997 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 89% less in Muscat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $794 per month in Doha and $192 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 $1,331, than in Doha at $2,003. 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.