Cost of Living Comparison Between Madinat As Sultan Qaboos and Muscat Cost of Living Comparison Between Madinat As Sultan Qaboos and Muscat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $935 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $1,525 in Muscat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,410 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $2,272 in Muscat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,885 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $3,019 in Muscat.

Living in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos costs roughly 39% less than in Muscat, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Madinat As Sultan Qaboos is 32% below, Muscat is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.35 OMR 2.06

$5.34 OMR 2.06

0.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.65 OMR 12.95

$34.00 OMR 13.09

-1.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 OMR 3.05

$7.74 OMR 2.98

2.33%

Cappuccino

$4.89 OMR 1.88

$4.73 OMR 1.82

3.38%

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

$0.85 OMR 0.33

$0.86 OMR 0.33

-1.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.29 OMR 0.11

-6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.04 OMR 5.02

$13.07 OMR 5.03

-0.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.75 OMR 4.91

$12.79 OMR 4.92

-0.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 OMR 0.88

$2.25 OMR 0.87

1.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.25 OMR 0.48

1.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 OMR 0.70

$1.90 OMR 0.73

-4.74%

Eggs

$2.89 OMR 1.11

$2.94 OMR 1.13

-1.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.61 OMR 2.93

$7.65 OMR 2.94

-0.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 OMR 2.63

$6.57 OMR 2.53

3.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.67 OMR 4.11

$10.54 OMR 4.06

1.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 OMR 1.34

$3.41 OMR 1.31

2.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 OMR 0.73

$2.00 OMR 0.77

-5.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 OMR 0.90

$2.32 OMR 0.89

0.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 OMR 0.48

$1.20 OMR 0.46

3.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 OMR 0.46

$1.22 OMR 0.47

-0.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 OMR 0.48

$1.29 OMR 0.50

-3.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 OMR 0.70

$1.80 OMR 0.69

1.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 OMR 0.24

$0.67 OMR 0.26

-5.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.63 OMR 2.55

$6.30 OMR 2.43

5.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.57 OMR 6.00

$15.43 OMR 5.94

0.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.44 OMR 2.09

$5.68 OMR 2.19

-4.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.69 OMR 3.34

$8.72 OMR 3.36

-0.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 OMR 0.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.7 OMR 29.52

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 OMR 1.24

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 OMR 1.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.94 OMR 3.06

$7.82 OMR 3.01

1.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 OMR 0.25

$0.61 OMR 0.23

4.92%

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

$25.2K OMR 9,698

$25.1K OMR 9,665

0.34%

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

$22.5K OMR 8,645

$22.2K OMR 8,564

0.94%

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

$172 OMR 66.1

$170 OMR 65.5

1.04%

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

$31.31 OMR 12.06

$30.94 OMR 11.91

1.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 OMR 27.13

$69.9 OMR 26.92

0.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.7 OMR 24.14

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.20 OMR 11.24

Cinema Ticket

$10.49 OMR 4.04

$10.34 OMR 3.98

1.45%

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

$287 OMR 111

$289 OMR 111

-0.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K OMR 4,044

$10.7K OMR 4,110

-1.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 OMR 21.91

$55.7 OMR 21.42

2.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.63 OMR 16.80

$43.19 OMR 16.63

1.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 OMR 34.39

$92.0 OMR 35.43

-2.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.5 OMR 36.77

$96.0 OMR 36.95

-0.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 OMR 259

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 OMR 175

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,366 OMR 526

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$857 OMR 330

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,835 OMR 1,092

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,595 OMR 614

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,660 OMR 639

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

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

Last update for Madinat As Sultan Qaboos: September 1, 2026

Last update for Muscat: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $34.00 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos vs $34.00 in Muscat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $284 vs $284 per month, with Madinat As Sultan Qaboos cheaper across the board.

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

Madinat As Sultan Qaboos vs Muscat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madinat As Sultan Qaboos wins on cost – living expenses run 63% lower than in Muscat. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Madinat As Sultan Qaboos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,402 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos and $2,288 in Muscat to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Muscat pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $935 per month in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $1,525 in Muscat – a 63% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $935 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $1,525 in Muscat, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos but tight or insufficient in Muscat. The gap between the two cities makes Madinat As Sultan Qaboos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Madinat As Sultan Qaboos delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $935 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Madinat As Sultan Qaboos hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Madinat As Sultan Qaboos and Muscat are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Madinat As Sultan Qaboos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.