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: $796 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $1,331 in Muscat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,214 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $1,982 in Muscat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,632 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $2,633 in Muscat.

Living in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos costs roughly 40% less than in Muscat, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Madinat As Sultan Qaboos 41% lower, Muscat 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.05 OMR 1.94

$5.29 OMR 2.04

-4.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.54 OMR 9.83

$26.39 OMR 10.16

-3.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 OMR 3.06

$7.84 OMR 3.02

1.28%

Cappuccino

$4.84 OMR 1.86

$4.95 OMR 1.90

-2.22%

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

$1.04 OMR 0.40

$1.02 OMR 0.39

1.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 OMR 0.12

$0.34 OMR 0.13

-8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.20 OMR 4.70

$12.16 OMR 4.68

0.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.72 OMR 4.51

$11.87 OMR 4.57

-1.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 OMR 0.73

$2.00 OMR 0.77

-5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 OMR 0.46

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$1.70 OMR 0.65

1.18%

Eggs

$2.37 OMR 0.91

$2.45 OMR 0.94

-3.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.82 OMR 1.47

$3.84 OMR 1.48

-0.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 OMR 1.94

$5.16 OMR 1.98

-2.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.72 OMR 3.36

$8.46 OMR 3.26

3.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 OMR 0.99

$2.54 OMR 0.98

1.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 OMR 0.65

$1.72 OMR 0.66

-1.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 OMR 0.71

$1.77 OMR 0.68

4.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 OMR 0.43

$1.13 OMR 0.44

-0.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 OMR 0.37

$1.00 OMR 0.38

-4.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$1.02 OMR 0.39

-2.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 OMR 0.42

$1.03 OMR 0.40

5.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 OMR 0.20

$0.56 OMR 0.22

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.29 OMR 2.42

$6.22 OMR 2.39

1.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.55 OMR 5.99

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.27 OMR 1.65

$4.25 OMR 1.64

0.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.84 OMR 3.02

$7.90 OMR 3.04

-0.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.3 OMR 23.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 OMR 1.20

$3.16 OMR 1.22

-1.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 OMR 0.29

$0.80 OMR 0.31

-6.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.31 OMR 3.97

$10.34 OMR 3.98

-0.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

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

$22.9K OMR 8,823

$22.8K OMR 8,778

0.51%

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

$21.6K OMR 8,308

$21.8K OMR 8,405

-1.16%

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

$109 OMR 41.88

$107 OMR 41.32

1.34%

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

$40.91 OMR 15.75

$40.60 OMR 15.63

0.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.8 OMR 27.26

$70.5 OMR 27.13

0.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.24 OMR 18.19

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.99 OMR 8.85

Cinema Ticket

$10.28 OMR 3.96

$10.47 OMR 4.03

-1.81%

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

$194 OMR 74.7

$192 OMR 74.1

0.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,991 OMR 3,847

$9,757 OMR 3,756

2.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 OMR 19.51

$50.7 OMR 19.53

-0.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.53 OMR 15.22

$39.51 OMR 15.21

0.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 OMR 30.84

$79.4 OMR 30.56

0.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 OMR 34.04

$90.0 OMR 34.66

-1.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 OMR 238

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 OMR 158

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 OMR 470

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 OMR 281

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,666 OMR 1,026

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,552 OMR 597

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,654 OMR 637

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

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

Last update for Madinat As Sultan Qaboos: May 30, 2026

Last update for Muscat: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $26.00 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos vs $26.00 in Muscat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $231 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 67% 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 $1,194 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos and $1,997 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Muscat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $796 per month in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $1,331 in Muscat – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $796 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $1,331 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 $796 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 67% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.