Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Al-`awabi Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Al-`awabi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,525 per month in Muscat vs $957 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,272 per month in Muscat vs $1,420 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,019 per month in Muscat vs $1,884 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

Muscat costs about 59% more than Al-`awabi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Muscat sits 11% above the global median, while Al-`awabi is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 OMR 2.06

$5.16 OMR 1.98

3.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.00 OMR 13.09

$34.34 OMR 13.22

-0.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.74 OMR 2.98

$8.00 OMR 3.08

-3.25%

Cappuccino

$4.73 OMR 1.82

$4.84 OMR 1.86

-2.27%

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

$0.86 OMR 0.33

$0.84 OMR 0.32

2.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 OMR 0.11

$0.27 OMR 0.10

7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.07 OMR 5.03

$13.16 OMR 5.07

-0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.79 OMR 4.92

$12.90 OMR 4.97

-0.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 OMR 0.87

$2.27 OMR 0.87

-0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 OMR 0.48

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 OMR 0.73

$1.82 OMR 0.70

4.40%

Eggs

$2.94 OMR 1.13

$2.98 OMR 1.15

-1.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.65 OMR 2.94

$7.79 OMR 3.00

-1.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 OMR 2.53

$6.91 OMR 2.66

-4.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.54 OMR 4.06

$10.67 OMR 4.11

-1.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 OMR 1.31

$3.55 OMR 1.37

-3.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 OMR 0.77

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 OMR 0.89

$2.37 OMR 0.91

-2.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 OMR 0.46

$1.21 OMR 0.46

-0.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 OMR 0.47

$1.16 OMR 0.45

5.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 OMR 0.50

$1.24 OMR 0.48

4.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 OMR 0.69

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 OMR 0.26

$0.63 OMR 0.24

6.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 OMR 2.43

$6.63 OMR 2.55

-4.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.43 OMR 5.94

$15.56 OMR 5.99

-0.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.68 OMR 2.19

$5.64 OMR 2.17

0.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.72 OMR 3.36

$9.01 OMR 3.47

-3.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 OMR 0.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.7 OMR 29.52

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 OMR 1.24

$3.18 OMR 1.22

0.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 OMR 1.00

$2.67 OMR 1.03

-3.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 OMR 3.01

$7.75 OMR 2.98

0.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 OMR 0.23

$0.64 OMR 0.25

-4.69%

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

$25.1K OMR 9,665

$25.8K OMR 9,926

-2.62%

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

$22.2K OMR 8,564

$22.8K OMR 8,766

-2.30%

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

$170 OMR 65.5

$169 OMR 65.0

0.66%

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

$30.94 OMR 11.91

$31.28 OMR 12.04

-1.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 OMR 26.92

$71.1 OMR 27.37

-1.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.7 OMR 24.14

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.20 OMR 11.24

Cinema Ticket

$10.34 OMR 3.98

$10.52 OMR 4.05

-1.71%

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

$289 OMR 111

$288 OMR 111

0.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K OMR 4,110

$10.5K OMR 4,033

1.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 OMR 21.42

$57.0 OMR 21.94

-2.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.19 OMR 16.63

$43.75 OMR 16.85

-1.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 OMR 35.43

$91.3 OMR 35.14

0.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.0 OMR 36.95

$94.5 OMR 36.38

1.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 OMR 259

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 OMR 175

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,366 OMR 526

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$857 OMR 330

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,835 OMR 1,092

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,595 OMR 614

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,660 OMR 639

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

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

Last update for Muscat: September 1, 2026

Last update for Al-`awabi: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Muscat versus $34.00 in Al-`awabi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $284 vs $288 – making Muscat the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Al-`awabi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Muscat is pricier by about 59%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,288 per month in Muscat and $1,435 in Al-`awabi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,525 in Muscat and $957 in Al-`awabi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $289 per month in Muscat and $288 in Al-`awabi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-`awabi, where all-in costs run around $957, than in Muscat at $1,525. In Al-`awabi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Muscat it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al-`awabi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Al-`awabi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Muscat makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.