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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $935 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $1,430 in Sohar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,410 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $2,090 in Sohar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,885 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $2,750 in Sohar.

Living in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos costs roughly 35% less than in Sohar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Madinat As Sultan Qaboos is 32% below, Sohar is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.35 OMR 2.06

$6.56 OMR 2.53

-18.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.65 OMR 12.95

$20.53 OMR 7.90

63.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 OMR 3.05

$8.86 OMR 3.41

-10.61%

Cappuccino

$4.89 OMR 1.88

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

$0.85 OMR 0.33

$0.69 OMR 0.27

23.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.28 OMR 0.11

-3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.04 OMR 5.02

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.75 OMR 4.91

$14.15 OMR 5.45

-9.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 OMR 0.88

$2.20 OMR 0.85

4.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.07 OMR 0.41

18.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 OMR 0.70

$3.18 OMR 1.22

-43.08%

Eggs

$2.89 OMR 1.11

$2.83 OMR 1.09

2.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.61 OMR 2.93

$13.76 OMR 5.30

-44.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 OMR 2.63

$9.08 OMR 3.49

-24.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.67 OMR 4.11

$14.25 OMR 5.49

-25.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 OMR 1.34

$3.25 OMR 1.25

7.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 OMR 0.73

$2.13 OMR 0.82

-10.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 OMR 0.90

$2.49 OMR 0.96

-6.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 OMR 0.48

$1.21 OMR 0.47

2.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 OMR 0.46

$1.80 OMR 0.69

-32.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 OMR 0.48

$1.77 OMR 0.68

-29.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 OMR 0.70

$1.71 OMR 0.66

7.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 OMR 0.24

$0.93 OMR 0.36

-32.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.63 OMR 2.55

$5.90 OMR 2.27

12.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.57 OMR 6.00

$26.28 OMR 10.12

-40.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.44 OMR 2.09

$3.86 OMR 1.49

40.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.69 OMR 3.34

$8.61 OMR 3.31

0.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.54 OMR 0.98

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.5 OMR 19.81

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 OMR 1.24

$3.22 OMR 1.24

-0.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 OMR 1.00

$1.52 OMR 0.58

70.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.94 OMR 3.06

$10.30 OMR 3.97

-22.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 OMR 0.25

$0.59 OMR 0.23

8.47%

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

$25.2K OMR 9,698

$18.1K OMR 6,959

39.34%

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

$22.5K OMR 8,645

$20.1K OMR 7,727

11.88%

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

$172 OMR 66.1

$104 OMR 40.01

65.26%

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

$31.31 OMR 12.06

$29.51 OMR 11.36

6.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 OMR 27.13

$89.7 OMR 34.53

-21.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.03 OMR 18.49

Cinema Ticket

$10.49 OMR 4.04

$11.87 OMR 4.57

-11.63%

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

$287 OMR 111

$301 OMR 116

-4.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K OMR 4,044

$6,971 OMR 2,684

50.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 OMR 21.91

$50.5 OMR 19.43

12.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.63 OMR 16.80

$44.86 OMR 17.27

-2.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 OMR 34.39

$78.5 OMR 30.21

13.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.5 OMR 36.77

$45.98 OMR 17.70

107.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 OMR 187

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 OMR 146

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 OMR 310

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 OMR 263

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,188 OMR 457

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$784 OMR 302

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,465 OMR 949

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

6.33

-17.06%

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 Sohar: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $34.00 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos vs $21.00 in Sohar. Groceries flip the comparison at $284 vs $347, with Madinat As Sultan Qaboos cheaper for home cooking.

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 Sohar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madinat As Sultan Qaboos wins on cost – living expenses run 53% lower than in Sohar. 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 $2,145 in Sohar 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 22% higher in Sohar. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $935 per month in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $1,430 in Sohar – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $935 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $1,430 in Sohar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos but tight or insufficient in Sohar. 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 Sohar 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 53% less than in Sohar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.