Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalmar and Sohar Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalmar and Sohar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,926 per month in Kalmar vs $1,428 in Sohar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,839 per month in Kalmar vs $2,124 in Sohar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,751 per month in Kalmar vs $2,820 in Sohar, rent included.

Kalmar costs about 35% more than Sohar, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Kalmar and Sohar sit above the global median – Kalmar by 44%, Sohar by 7%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kalmar
Sohar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.76 SEK 152
$6.65 OMR 2.56
136.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.7 SEK 720
$21.08 OMR 8.11
254.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.34 SEK 99.7
$9.12 OMR 3.51
13.38%
Cappuccino
$4.68 SEK 45.05
$7.01 OMR 2.70
-33.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81 SEK 27.10
$0.64 OMR 0.25
339.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 SEK 26.33
$0.25 OMR 0.10
992.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.90 SEK 95.4
$13.09 OMR 5.04
-24.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.59 SEK 73.1
$14.16 OMR 5.45
-46.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kalmar
Sohar
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 SEK 14.50
$2.27 OMR 0.87
-33.92%
White Bread (500g)
$2.48 SEK 23.88
$1.06 OMR 0.41
133.96%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.71 SEK 26.14
$3.33 OMR 1.28
-18.62%
Eggs
$4.88 SEK 47.04
$2.73 OMR 1.05
78.75%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.18 SEK 98.1
$13.68 OMR 5.26
-25.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.54 SEK 111
$8.89 OMR 3.42
29.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.07 SEK 155
$14.06 OMR 5.41
14.30%
Apples (1kg)
$2.67 SEK 25.72
$3.30 OMR 1.27
-19.09%
Banana (1kg)
$2.73 SEK 26.35
$2.10 OMR 0.81
30.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.17 SEK 30.54
$2.58 OMR 0.99
22.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.78 SEK 36.43
$1.17 OMR 0.45
223.08%
Potato (1kg)
$1.49 SEK 14.31
$1.75 OMR 0.67
-14.86%
Onion (1kg)
$2.33 SEK 22.42
$1.83 OMR 0.71
27.32%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.07 SEK 19.95
$1.74 OMR 0.67
18.97%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 SEK 16.16
$0.98 OMR 0.38
71.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.12 SEK 68.6
$5.85 OMR 2.25
21.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.11 SEK 87.8
$25.86 OMR 9.95
-64.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.00 SEK 19.31
$3.96 OMR 1.52
-49.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 SEK 16.53
$8.79 OMR 3.38
-80.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Kalmar
Sohar
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.98 SEK 28.73
$2.62 OMR 1.01
13.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$87.1 SEK 839
$51.3 OMR 19.74
69.81%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.08 SEK 68.3
$3.34 OMR 1.28
111.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.59 SEK 15.36
$1.60 OMR 0.62
-0.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$52.6 SEK 507
$10.37 OMR 3.99
407.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.91 SEK 18.36
$0.60 OMR 0.23
218.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K SEK 265.6K
$18.2K OMR 7,016
51.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.1K SEK 270.7K
$20.6K OMR 7,923
36.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kalmar
Sohar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$117 SEK 1,125
$102 OMR 39.11
14.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.56 SEK 275
$29.28 OMR 11.27
-2.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.64 SEK 295
$87.1 OMR 33.53
-64.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kalmar
Sohar
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.77 SEK 287
$52.4 OMR 20.15
-43.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.73 SEK 152
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.39 SEK 139
$11.69 OMR 4.50
23.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kalmar
Sohar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$146 SEK 1,406
$267 OMR 103
-45.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,077 SEK 39.3K
$7,155 OMR 2,754
-43.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kalmar
Sohar
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.2 SEK 619
$50.6 OMR 19.48
26.93%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.00 SEK 202
$43.88 OMR 16.89
-52.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$60.4 SEK 582
$80.2 OMR 30.88
-24.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.9 SEK 731
$46.41 OMR 17.86
63.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kalmar
Sohar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$947 SEK 9,125
$497 OMR 191
90.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$812 SEK 7,820
$383 OMR 148
111.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,363 SEK 13.1K
$780 OMR 300
74.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,203 SEK 11.6K
$683 OMR 263
76.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,262 SEK 41.1K
$1,184 OMR 456
260.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,835 SEK 27.3K
$775 OMR 298
265.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kalmar
Sohar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,928 SEK 28.2K
$2,506 OMR 965
16.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.66
5.62
-17.08%

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

Last update for Kalmar: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sohar: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Kalmar versus $497 in Sohar. 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 17% higher in Kalmar, 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 $75.0 in Kalmar versus $21.00 in Sohar. Groceries tell a different story – $337 in Kalmar vs $347 in Sohar – so Kalmar 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
Kalmar vs Sohar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Kalmar and in Sohar compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,926 in Kalmar, $1,428 in Sohar – roughly 35% apart. Kalmar costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Kalmar compared to Sohar?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,889 per month in Kalmar and $2,142 in Sohar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Kalmar and Sohar?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Sohar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Kalmar and Sohar?
Kindergarten costs $146 per month in Kalmar and $267 in Sohar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Kalmar – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sohar, where all-in costs run around $1,428, than in Kalmar at $1,926. In Sohar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kalmar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Kalmar or Sohar?
Families tend to lean toward Sohar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Kalmar or Sohar safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Kalmar and Sohar?
If budget matters most, go with Sohar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kalmar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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