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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,146 per month in Doha vs $1,525 in Muscat, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,347 per month in Doha vs $2,272 in Muscat, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,548 per month in Doha vs $3,019 in Muscat, rent included.

Doha costs about 41% more than Muscat, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Doha and Muscat sit above the global median – Doha by 56%, Muscat by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.74 QAR 39.11

$5.34 OMR 2.06

101.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.3 QAR 267

$34.00 OMR 13.09

115.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.41 QAR 30.62

$7.74 OMR 2.98

8.66%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.13 QAR 44.16

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.59 QAR 49.46

Cappuccino

$5.88 QAR 21.41

$4.73 OMR 1.82

24.31%

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

$0.92 QAR 3.35

$0.86 OMR 0.33

6.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 QAR 1.62

$0.29 OMR 0.11

51.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.07 OMR 5.03

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.79 OMR 4.92

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 QAR 7.89

$2.25 OMR 0.87

-3.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 QAR 5.23

$1.25 OMR 0.48

15.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 QAR 7.03

$1.90 OMR 0.73

1.58%

Eggs

$3.58 QAR 13.04

$2.94 OMR 1.13

21.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.43 QAR 41.61

$7.65 OMR 2.94

49.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.93 QAR 28.85

$6.57 OMR 2.53

20.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.18 QAR 40.69

$10.54 OMR 4.06

6.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 QAR 7.84

$3.41 OMR 1.31

-36.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 QAR 6.54

$2.00 OMR 0.77

-10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 QAR 5.67

$2.32 OMR 0.89

-32.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 QAR 4.41

$1.20 OMR 0.46

0.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 QAR 3.62

$1.22 OMR 0.47

-18.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 QAR 3.76

$1.29 OMR 0.50

-20.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 QAR 5.18

$1.80 OMR 0.69

-21.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 QAR 1.97

$0.67 OMR 0.26

-19.40%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.35 QAR 34.03

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 QAR 6.98

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 QAR 8.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 QAR 23.70

$6.30 OMR 2.43

3.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.43 OMR 5.94

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.68 OMR 2.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.72 OMR 3.36

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 QAR 2.08

$1.29 OMR 0.49

-55.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.90 QAR 97.9

$76.7 OMR 29.52

-64.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 QAR 7.07

$3.21 OMR 1.24

-39.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 QAR 7.26

$2.59 OMR 1.00

-23.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.82 QAR 50.3

$7.82 OMR 3.01

76.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 QAR 1.96

$0.61 OMR 0.23

-11.48%

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

$27.3K QAR 99.3K

$25.1K OMR 9,665

8.64%

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

$22.2K QAR 80.9K

$22.2K OMR 8,564

-0.14%

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

$89.0 QAR 324

$170 OMR 65.5

-47.66%

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

$35.75 QAR 130

$30.94 OMR 11.91

15.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.7 QAR 316

$69.9 OMR 26.92

23.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$129 QAR 470

$62.7 OMR 24.14

106.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.63 QAR 67.8

$29.20 OMR 11.24

-36.20%

Cinema Ticket

$12.52 QAR 45.57

$10.34 OMR 3.98

21.08%

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

$691 QAR 2,515

$289 OMR 111

139.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,960 QAR 36.3K

$10.7K OMR 4,110

-6.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 QAR 224

$55.7 OMR 21.42

10.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.2 QAR 190

$43.19 OMR 16.63

20.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 QAR 385

$92.0 OMR 35.43

14.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.3 QAR 322

$96.0 OMR 36.95

-7.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,976 QAR 7,194

$673 OMR 259

193.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 QAR 4,339

$455 OMR 175

162.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,503 QAR 12.8K

$1,366 OMR 526

156.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,325 QAR 8,461

$857 OMR 330

171.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,104 QAR 14.9K

$2,835 OMR 1,092

44.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,415 QAR 8,790

$1,595 OMR 614

51.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,183 QAR 11.6K

$1,660 OMR 639

91.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

5.25

12.00%

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

Last update for Doha: August 31, 2026

Last update for Muscat: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,976 in Doha versus $673 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 92% 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 $73.0 in Doha versus $34.00 in Muscat. Groceries tell a different story – $217 in Doha vs $284 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 41%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,218 per month in Doha and $2,288 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 $691 per month in Doha and $289 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 $1,525, than in Doha at $2,146. 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.