Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Al Ghubra

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Ghubra: $89.8 a month against $1,555 in Muscat, rent and utilities included – about $17,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Muscat
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Muscat Living Index

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Muscat

🇴🇲 Oman

$1,555

/mo nomad

Al Ghubra

🇴🇲 Oman

$89.8

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Muscat and in Al Ghubra

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Muscat and in Al Ghubra actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,555 in Muscat versus $90 in Al Ghubra.

Muscat $1,555
Al Ghubra $90

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,287 in Muscat versus $159 in Al Ghubra.

Muscat $2,287
Al Ghubra $159

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,020 in Muscat versus $228 in Al Ghubra.

Muscat $3,020
Al Ghubra $228

Living in Muscat is roughly 1631% more expensive than in Al Ghubra, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Muscat is 15% above, Al Ghubra is 93% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.26 OMR 2.03

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.68 OMR 14.89

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.99 OMR 3.46

Cappuccino

$5.09 OMR 1.96

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

$0.91 OMR 0.35

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 OMR 0.11

$0.25 OMR 0.10

16.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.20 OMR 5.08

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.90 OMR 4.97

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 OMR 0.82

$2.62 OMR 1.01

-18.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 OMR 0.46

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 OMR 0.72

Eggs

$3.08 OMR 1.19

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.27 OMR 2.80

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 OMR 2.64

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.21 OMR 3.93

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 OMR 1.41

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 OMR 0.78

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 OMR 0.90

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 OMR 0.48

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 OMR 0.46

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 OMR 0.48

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 OMR 0.69

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 OMR 0.26

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.42 OMR 2.47

Wine (Bottle)

$15.67 OMR 6.03

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.99 OMR 2.30

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.25 OMR 3.94

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 OMR 0.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 OMR 29.77

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 OMR 1.26

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 OMR 1.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 OMR 2.97

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 OMR 0.25

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

$24.8K OMR 9,551

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

$20.8K OMR 7,991

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

$181 OMR 69.7

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

$30.82 OMR 11.86

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.7 OMR 27.59

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.7 OMR 26.07

$44.49 OMR 17.12

52.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.82 OMR 11.48

$35.85 OMR 13.80

-16.82%

Cinema Ticket

$10.51 OMR 4.05

$9.06 OMR 3.49

16.00%

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

$495 OMR 191

$182 OMR 70.1

172.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K OMR 6,091

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 OMR 21.34

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.33 OMR 16.68

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 OMR 34.94

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 OMR 34.04

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$708 OMR 273

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$442 OMR 170

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 OMR 466

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$768 OMR 296

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,821 OMR 1,086

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,621 OMR 624

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,551 OMR 597

$3,071 OMR 1,182

-49.48%

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: November 2, 2026

Last update for Al Ghubra: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Muscat

$442 28.4%

Al Ghubra

–

Groceries & Markets

Muscat

$289 18.6%

Al Ghubra

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Muscat

$284 18.3%

Al Ghubra

–

Eating Out

Muscat

$227 14.6%

Al Ghubra

–

Clothing & Footwear

Muscat

$125 8.1%

Al Ghubra

–

Getting Around

Muscat

$99 6.4%

Al Ghubra

–

Sport & Entertainment

Muscat

$89 5.7%

Al Ghubra

–

Cost Breakdown

Al Ghubra pays 98% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Good to know

🇴🇲 Muscat

🇴🇲 Al Ghubra

🕒 Local time

22:35 10:35 PM

Same time as Muscat

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,090,797 Capital

797,000

💱 Currency

Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.

📈 Exchange rate

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.32 EUR

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.32 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Muscat Al Ghubra 2 km

From you

Muscat
Al Ghubra

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ghubra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,555 in Muscat and $90 in Al Ghubra, so Al Ghubra is about 94% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 49% lower in Muscat. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $495 in Muscat versus $182 in Al Ghubra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you’ll spend $1,555 per month in Muscat versus $90 in Al Ghubra – Al Ghubra is about 94% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $90 in Al Ghubra versus $1,555 in Muscat, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Al Ghubra but tight or insufficient in Muscat. The gap between the two cities makes Al Ghubra 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 Al Ghubra are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.