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: $796 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $1,441 in Sohar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,214 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $2,151 in Sohar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,632 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $2,862 in Sohar.

Living in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos costs roughly 45% less than in Sohar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Madinat As Sultan Qaboos is 41% below, Sohar is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.05 OMR 1.94

$6.53 OMR 2.51

-22.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.54 OMR 9.83

$21.05 OMR 8.10

21.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 OMR 3.06

$8.87 OMR 3.41

-10.48%

Cappuccino

$4.84 OMR 1.86

$6.62 OMR 2.55

-26.89%

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

$1.04 OMR 0.40

$0.65 OMR 0.25

60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 OMR 0.12

$0.27 OMR 0.10

14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.20 OMR 4.70

$12.74 OMR 4.91

-4.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.72 OMR 4.51

$14.10 OMR 5.43

-16.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 OMR 0.73

$2.24 OMR 0.86

-15.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 OMR 0.46

$1.11 OMR 0.43

8.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$3.22 OMR 1.24

-46.58%

Eggs

$2.37 OMR 0.91

$2.82 OMR 1.09

-15.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.82 OMR 1.47

$13.59 OMR 5.23

-71.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 OMR 1.94

$9.31 OMR 3.58

-45.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.72 OMR 3.36

$14.40 OMR 5.54

-39.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 OMR 0.99

$3.21 OMR 1.24

-19.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 OMR 0.65

$2.11 OMR 0.81

-19.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 OMR 0.71

$2.55 OMR 0.98

-27.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 OMR 0.43

$1.18 OMR 0.46

-5.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 OMR 0.37

$1.74 OMR 0.67

-44.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$1.86 OMR 0.72

-46.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 OMR 0.42

$1.72 OMR 0.66

-36.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 OMR 0.20

$0.99 OMR 0.38

-47.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.29 OMR 2.42

$6.14 OMR 2.36

2.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.55 OMR 5.99

$26.43 OMR 10.18

-41.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.27 OMR 1.65

$4.00 OMR 1.54

6.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.84 OMR 3.02

$8.47 OMR 3.26

-7.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 OMR 1.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.9 OMR 20.00

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 OMR 1.20

$3.16 OMR 1.21

-1.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 OMR 0.29

$1.53 OMR 0.59

-50.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.31 OMR 3.97

$10.51 OMR 4.05

-1.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

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

$22.9K OMR 8,823

$18.1K OMR 6,963

26.71%

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

$21.6K OMR 8,308

$20.8K OMR 8,000

3.85%

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

$109 OMR 41.88

$101 OMR 38.93

7.57%

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

$40.91 OMR 15.75

$29.04 OMR 11.18

40.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.8 OMR 27.26

$87.4 OMR 33.63

-18.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 OMR 19.86

Cinema Ticket

$10.28 OMR 3.96

$11.78 OMR 4.54

-12.73%

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

$194 OMR 74.7

$269 OMR 104

-27.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,991 OMR 3,847

$7,119 OMR 2,741

40.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 OMR 19.51

$51.6 OMR 19.88

-1.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.53 OMR 15.22

$43.42 OMR 16.72

-8.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 OMR 30.84

$78.3 OMR 30.14

2.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 OMR 34.04

$46.95 OMR 18.08

88.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 OMR 187

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 OMR 149

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 OMR 290

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 OMR 257

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,154 OMR 444

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$774 OMR 298

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,455 OMR 945

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

5.62

-8.36%

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 Sohar: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $26.00 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos vs $21.00 in Sohar. Groceries flip the comparison at $230 vs $351, 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 81% 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 $1,194 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos and $2,161 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 53% higher in Sohar. 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 $1,441 in Sohar – a 81% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $796 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $1,441 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 $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 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 81% less than in Sohar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.