Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and 'ibri Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and 'ibri

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,331 in Muscat versus $839 in 'ibri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,982 in Muscat versus $1,311 in 'ibri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,633 in Muscat versus $1,783 in 'ibri.

Living in Muscat is roughly 59% more expensive than 'ibri, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Muscat 1% lower, 'ibri 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 OMR 2.04

$2.66 OMR 1.02

98.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.39 OMR 10.16

$25.59 OMR 9.85

3.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 OMR 3.02

$6.63 OMR 2.55

18.25%

Cappuccino

$4.95 OMR 1.90

$3.11 OMR 1.20

59.16%

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

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$0.67 OMR 0.26

52.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 OMR 0.13

$0.25 OMR 0.10

36.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.16 OMR 4.68

$5.32 OMR 2.05

128.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.87 OMR 4.57

$11.50 OMR 4.43

3.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$1.15 OMR 0.44

73.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 OMR 0.46

$0.80 OMR 0.31

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 OMR 0.65

$1.72 OMR 0.66

-1.16%

Eggs

$2.45 OMR 0.94

$2.40 OMR 0.93

2.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.84 OMR 1.48

$3.83 OMR 1.48

0.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 OMR 1.98

$3.73 OMR 1.44

38.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.46 OMR 3.26

$8.58 OMR 3.30

-1.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 OMR 0.98

$2.57 OMR 0.99

-1.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$1.41 OMR 0.54

21.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 OMR 0.68

$1.79 OMR 0.69

-1.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 OMR 0.44

$0.90 OMR 0.34

25.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 OMR 0.38

$1.00 OMR 0.39

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$0.57 OMR 0.22

78.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$0.77 OMR 0.29

33.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 OMR 0.22

$0.50 OMR 0.19

12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.22 OMR 2.39

$5.62 OMR 2.16

10.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.55 OMR 5.99

$15.53 OMR 5.98

0.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.25 OMR 1.64

$4.26 OMR 1.64

-0.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 OMR 3.04

$7.92 OMR 3.05

-0.25%

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)

$3.16 OMR 1.22

$2.55 OMR 0.98

23.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 OMR 3.98

$10.30 OMR 3.97

0.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

$0.61 OMR 0.24

-1.64%

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

$22.8K OMR 8,778

$23.1K OMR 8,879

-1.14%

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

$21.8K OMR 8,405

$21.6K OMR 8,302

1.24%

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

$107 OMR 41.32

$79.2 OMR 30.50

35.48%

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

$40.60 OMR 15.63

$38.52 OMR 14.83

5.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 OMR 27.13

$69.6 OMR 26.80

1.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.24 OMR 18.19

$59.4 OMR 22.87

-20.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.99 OMR 8.85

Cinema Ticket

$10.47 OMR 4.03

$9.01 OMR 3.47

16.20%

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

$192 OMR 74.1

$193 OMR 74.1

-0.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,757 OMR 3,756

$9,783 OMR 3,766

-0.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 OMR 19.53

$51.2 OMR 19.71

-0.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.51 OMR 15.21

$38.98 OMR 15.01

1.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 OMR 30.56

$77.6 OMR 29.86

2.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 OMR 34.66

$87.8 OMR 33.79

2.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 OMR 238

$207 OMR 79.7

198.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 OMR 158

$129 OMR 49.52

219.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 OMR 470

$491 OMR 189

148.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 OMR 281

$343 OMR 132

112.92%

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

$2,981 OMR 1,148

-44.51%

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 Muscat: May 31, 2026

Last update for 'ibri: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Muscat and $207 in 'ibri. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

'ibri pays 80% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Muscat vs $26.00 in 'ibri. Groceries flip the comparison at $231 vs $206, with 'ibri 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

Muscat vs 'ibri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Muscat and 'ibri differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($1,331 vs $839 including rent). 'ibri is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, 'ibri earns 80% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Muscat versus $207 in 'ibri. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Muscat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,331 per month in Muscat versus $839 in 'ibri – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $839 in 'ibri versus $1,331 in Muscat, a $2,000 budget is realistic in 'ibri but tight or insufficient in Muscat. The gap between the two cities makes 'ibri the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Muscat and 'ibri 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 'ibri gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.