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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $816 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $1,106 in Salalah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,207 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $1,665 in Salalah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,597 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $2,225 in Salalah.

Living in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos costs roughly 26% less than in Salalah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Madinat As Sultan Qaboos 39% lower, Salalah 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.07 OMR 1.95

$5.13 OMR 1.98

-1.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.53 OMR 10.21

$25.64 OMR 9.87

3.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 OMR 3.01

$13.10 OMR 5.04

-40.23%

Cappuccino

$5.02 OMR 1.93

$6.19 OMR 2.38

-18.90%

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

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$0.68 OMR 0.26

55.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 OMR 0.12

$0.25 OMR 0.10

28.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.50 OMR 4.81

$8.92 OMR 3.43

40.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.84 OMR 4.56

$10.37 OMR 3.99

14.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 OMR 0.76

$1.76 OMR 0.68

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 OMR 0.47

$1.27 OMR 0.49

-3.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 OMR 0.67

$2.02 OMR 0.78

-14.36%

Eggs

$2.35 OMR 0.91

$1.90 OMR 0.73

23.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.69 OMR 1.42

$6.73 OMR 2.59

-45.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.91 OMR 1.89

$4.65 OMR 1.79

5.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.28 OMR 3.19

$8.84 OMR 3.40

-6.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 OMR 0.97

$2.04 OMR 0.79

23.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 OMR 0.65

$1.09 OMR 0.42

54.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 OMR 0.71

$1.59 OMR 0.61

16.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 OMR 0.45

$1.14 OMR 0.44

2.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 OMR 0.36

$1.12 OMR 0.43

-15.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 OMR 0.37

$0.78 OMR 0.30

24.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 OMR 0.41

$0.54 OMR 0.21

98.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 OMR 0.20

$0.54 OMR 0.21

-1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.25 OMR 2.41

$5.88 OMR 2.26

6.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.81 OMR 6.09

$20.01 OMR 7.70

-20.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.39 OMR 1.69

$3.84 OMR 1.48

14.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.68 OMR 2.96

$4.82 OMR 1.85

59.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 OMR 0.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.3 OMR 20.88

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 OMR 1.16

$2.35 OMR 0.90

28.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 OMR 0.29

$1.33 OMR 0.51

-43.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.57 OMR 4.07

$11.83 OMR 4.55

-10.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 OMR 0.25

$0.60 OMR 0.23

8.33%

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

$23.1K OMR 8,893

$21.1K OMR 8,112

9.62%

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

$21.4K OMR 8,226

$18.5K OMR 7,125

15.44%

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

$107 OMR 41.12

$63.8 OMR 24.54

67.57%

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

$40.73 OMR 15.67

$49.44 OMR 19.03

-17.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.9 OMR 27.27

$77.0 OMR 29.61

-7.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.1 OMR 35.80

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.71 OMR 9.89

Cinema Ticket

$10.28 OMR 3.95

$8.03 OMR 3.09

28.02%

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

$189 OMR 72.9

$111 OMR 42.86

69.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K OMR 3,867

$2,399 OMR 923

318.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.39 OMR 19.01

$27.70 OMR 10.66

78.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.11 OMR 15.05

$30.71 OMR 11.82

27.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 OMR 30.30

$62.2 OMR 23.94

26.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.3 OMR 33.59

$42.75 OMR 16.45

104.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$259 OMR 99.7

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 OMR 80.2

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 OMR 193

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 OMR 141

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,034 OMR 783

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,218 OMR 469

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,785 OMR 687

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

4.58

12.45%

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

Last update for Madinat As Sultan Qaboos: July 14, 2026

Last update for Salalah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $27.00 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos vs $26.00 in Salalah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $229 vs $227 per month, with Salalah 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 Salalah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madinat As Sultan Qaboos wins on cost – living expenses run 35% lower than in Salalah. 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 $1,225 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos and $1,658 in Salalah 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 Salalah pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $816 per month in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $1,106 in Salalah – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $816 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $1,106 in Salalah, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos but tight or insufficient in Salalah. 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 $816 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 Salalah 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 35% less than in Salalah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.