Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Al Ghubra Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Al Ghubra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,331 in Muscat versus $345 in Al Ghubra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,982 in Muscat versus $465 in Al Ghubra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,633 in Muscat versus $585 in Al Ghubra.

Living in Muscat is roughly 286% more expensive than Al Ghubra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Muscat 1% lower, Al Ghubra 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 OMR 2.04

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.39 OMR 10.16

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 OMR 3.02

Cappuccino

$4.95 OMR 1.90

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

$1.02 OMR 0.39

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 OMR 0.13

$0.27 OMR 0.10

25.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.16 OMR 4.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.87 OMR 4.57

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$1.87 OMR 0.72

6.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 OMR 0.46

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 OMR 0.65

$2.12 OMR 0.82

-19.81%

Eggs

$2.45 OMR 0.94

$5.18 OMR 1.99

-52.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.84 OMR 1.48

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 OMR 1.98

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.46 OMR 3.26

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 OMR 0.98

$2.12 OMR 0.82

19.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$1.87 OMR 0.72

-8.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 OMR 0.68

$1.85 OMR 0.71

-4.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 OMR 0.44

$1.31 OMR 0.51

-13.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 OMR 0.38

$0.68 OMR 0.26

47.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$0.68 OMR 0.26

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

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

Wine (Bottle)

$15.55 OMR 5.99

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.25 OMR 1.64

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 OMR 3.04

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

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 OMR 3.98

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

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

$22.8K OMR 8,778

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

$21.8K OMR 8,405

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

$107 OMR 41.32

$113 OMR 43.36

-4.71%

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

$40.60 OMR 15.63

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 OMR 27.13

$84.3 OMR 32.46

-16.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.24 OMR 18.19

$43.59 OMR 16.78

8.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.99 OMR 8.85

$36.90 OMR 14.21

-37.70%

Cinema Ticket

$10.47 OMR 4.03

$9.02 OMR 3.47

16.08%

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

$192 OMR 74.1

$185 OMR 71.1

4.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,757 OMR 3,756

$10.6K OMR 4,066

-7.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 OMR 19.53

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.51 OMR 15.21

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 OMR 30.56

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 OMR 34.66

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 OMR 238

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 OMR 158

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 OMR 470

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 OMR 281

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

$2,669 OMR 1,028

-38.04%

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 Al Ghubra: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Al Ghubra pays 61% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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

Muscat and Al Ghubra differ by about 286% in total monthly costs ($1,331 vs $345 including rent). Al Ghubra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Al Ghubra earns 61% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $192 in Muscat versus $185 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 $1,331 per month in Muscat versus $345 in Al Ghubra – a 286% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $345 in Al Ghubra versus $1,331 in Muscat, a $2,000 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 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 Al Ghubra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 286% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.