Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Al-masna'ah

For one person, living is cheaper in Al-masna’ah: $952 a month against $1,544 in Muscat, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Muscat, Oman
Al-masna'ah, Oman
Muscat
🇴🇲 Oman
$1,544
/mo nomad
Al-masna'ah
🇴🇲 Oman
$952
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Muscat and in Al-masna'ah

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-masna'ah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,544 per month in Muscat vs $952 in Al-masna’ah, rent included.

  • Muscat $1,544
  • Al-masna'ah $952

A couple spends around $2,271 per month in Muscat vs $1,432 in Al-masna’ah, rent included.

  • Muscat $2,271
  • Al-masna'ah $1,432

A family of three spends $2,998 per month in Muscat vs $1,912 in Al-masna’ah, rent included.

  • Muscat $2,998
  • Al-masna'ah $1,912

Muscat costs about 62% more than Al-masna’ah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Muscat sits 13% above the global median, while Al-masna’ah is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Muscat
Al-masna'ah
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.26 OMR 2.02
$5.15 OMR 1.98
2.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.02 OMR 15.02
$39.68 OMR 15.28
-1.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.99 OMR 3.07
$7.60 OMR 2.93
5.13%
Cappuccino
$5.17 OMR 1.99
$4.97 OMR 1.91
4.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92 OMR 0.35
$0.87 OMR 0.33
5.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27 OMR 0.10
$0.27 OMR 0.10
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$12.92 OMR 4.97
$12.99 OMR 5.00
-0.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$13.10 OMR 5.04
$12.83 OMR 4.94
2.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Muscat
Al-masna'ah
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.36 OMR 0.91
$2.28 OMR 0.88
3.51%
White Bread (500g)
$1.24 OMR 0.48
$1.19 OMR 0.46
4.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 OMR 0.74
$1.88 OMR 0.72
2.13%
Eggs
$3.12 OMR 1.20
$3.01 OMR 1.16
3.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.16 OMR 2.76
$7.49 OMR 2.88
-4.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.88 OMR 2.65
$7.01 OMR 2.70
-1.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.22 OMR 3.94
$10.45 OMR 4.02
-2.20%
Apples (1kg)
$3.65 OMR 1.41
$3.65 OMR 1.40
-
Banana (1kg)
$2.01 OMR 0.78
$1.94 OMR 0.75
3.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.41 OMR 0.93
$2.40 OMR 0.92
0.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.25 OMR 0.48
$1.30 OMR 0.50
-3.85%
Potato (1kg)
$1.21 OMR 0.47
$1.21 OMR 0.46
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.24 OMR 0.48
$1.28 OMR 0.49
-3.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.86 OMR 0.72
$1.80 OMR 0.69
3.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 OMR 0.26
$0.69 OMR 0.27
-1.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.39 OMR 2.46
$6.48 OMR 2.49
-1.39%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.38 OMR 5.92
$15.70 OMR 6.05
-2.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$6.06 OMR 2.33
$5.98 OMR 2.30
1.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.29 OMR 3.96
$10.36 OMR 3.99
-0.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Muscat
Al-masna'ah
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.31 OMR 0.51
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$79.1 OMR 30.44
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 OMR 1.25
$3.35 OMR 1.29
-3.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.62 OMR 1.01
$2.53 OMR 0.97
3.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.89 OMR 3.04
$7.89 OMR 3.04
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.60 OMR 0.23
$0.61 OMR 0.23
-1.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.5K OMR 9,819
$24.6K OMR 9,472
3.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.9K OMR 8,061
$20.8K OMR 8,024
0.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Muscat
Al-masna'ah
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$177 OMR 68.2
$177 OMR 68.3
-0.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.23 OMR 11.64
$30.86 OMR 11.88
-2.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.6 OMR 26.79
$69.8 OMR 26.87
-0.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Muscat
Al-masna'ah
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.3 OMR 26.29
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.66 OMR 11.42
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.56 OMR 4.06
$10.23 OMR 3.94
3.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Muscat
Al-masna'ah
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$508 OMR 196
$493 OMR 190
3.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.3K OMR 3,978
$10.4K OMR 4,015
-0.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Muscat
Al-masna'ah
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.2 OMR 22.03
$57.5 OMR 22.15
-0.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.63 OMR 16.80
$44.09 OMR 16.97
-1.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.9 OMR 35.01
$90.1 OMR 34.69
0.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.3 OMR 33.23
$87.8 OMR 33.81
-1.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Muscat
Al-masna'ah
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$720 OMR 277
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$436 OMR 168
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,188 OMR 457
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$745 OMR 287
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,815 OMR 1,084
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,619 OMR 623
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Muscat
Al-masna'ah
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,682 OMR 647
$4,094 OMR 1,576
-58.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.25
5.25
-

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

Last update for Muscat: October 26, 2026

Last update for Al-masna'ah: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Muscat
$436
Al-masna'ah
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Muscat
$292
Al-masna'ah
$293 0.1% $0.4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Muscat
$277
Al-masna'ah
$278 0.3% $1
Eating Out
Muscat
$224
Al-masna'ah
$219 2.2% $4.8
Clothing & Footwear
Muscat
$125
Al-masna'ah
$126 0.5% $0.6
Getting Around
Muscat
$101
Al-masna'ah
$16 * 84.1% $85
Sport & Entertainment
Muscat
$89
Al-masna'ah
$20 * 77.1% $69

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Al-masna’ah are about 2.4 times higher, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39 in Muscat versus $40 in Al-masna’ah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $293 – making Muscat the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇴🇲 Muscat
🇴🇲 Al-masna'ah
🕒 Local time
14:22 2:22 PM
14:22 2:22 PM
Same time as Muscat
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,090,797 Capital
💱 Currency
Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.
Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to OMR – Omani Rial Converter

Omani Rial exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.428 OMR (1 OMR = 2.33 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Muscat Al-masna'ah 79 km
From you
  • Muscat
  • Al-masna'ah

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-masna'ah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Muscat and in Al-masna’ah compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,544 in Muscat, $952 in Al-masna’ah – roughly 62% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Muscat compared to Al-masna’ah?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,316 per month in Muscat and $1,428 in Al-masna’ah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Muscat and Al-masna’ah?
Kindergarten costs $508 per month in Muscat and $493 in Al-masna’ah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Muscat or Al-masna’ah?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,544 in Muscat and $952 in Al-masna’ah. That’s a gap of about 62%.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Al-masna’ah, where all-in costs run around $952, than in Muscat at $1,544. In Al-masna’ah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Muscat it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Muscat and Al-masna’ah?
It depends on your priorities. Muscat has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $952 in Al-masna’ah to $1,544 in Muscat. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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