Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Dakar Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Dakar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,331 in Muscat versus $1,327 in Dakar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,982 in Muscat versus $2,194 in Dakar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,633 in Muscat versus $3,061 in Dakar.

Monthly costs are close between Muscat and Dakar; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Muscat 1% lower, Dakar 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 OMR 2.04

$5.42 F CFA 3,058

-2.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.39 OMR 10.16

$53.3 F CFA 30.1K

-50.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 OMR 3.02

$10.21 F CFA 5,755

-23.21%

Cappuccino

$4.95 OMR 1.90

$4.43 F CFA 2,498

11.74%

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

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$0.86 F CFA 484

18.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 OMR 0.13

$1.09 F CFA 615

-68.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.16 OMR 4.68

$2.57 F CFA 1,450

373.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.87 OMR 4.57

$4.36 F CFA 2,457

172.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$2.52 F CFA 1,423

-20.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 OMR 0.46

$0.64 F CFA 360

87.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 OMR 0.65

$1.61 F CFA 906

5.59%

Eggs

$2.45 OMR 0.94

$2.88 F CFA 1,625

-14.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.84 OMR 1.48

$12.78 F CFA 7,209

-69.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 OMR 1.98

$9.50 F CFA 5,357

-45.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.46 OMR 3.26

$10.76 F CFA 6,069

-21.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 OMR 0.98

$2.72 F CFA 1,536

-6.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$1.99 F CFA 1,121

-13.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 OMR 0.68

$2.61 F CFA 1,473

-32.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 OMR 0.44

$2.08 F CFA 1,174

-45.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 OMR 0.38

$1.50 F CFA 844

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.34 F CFA 758

-23.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$1.06 F CFA 600

-2.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 OMR 0.22

$0.82 F CFA 460

-31.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.22 OMR 2.39

$1.61 F CFA 908

286.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.55 OMR 5.99

$15.38 F CFA 8,674

1.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.25 OMR 1.64

$1.18 F CFA 667

260.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 OMR 3.04

$2.22 F CFA 1,254

255.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$0.36 F CFA 204

252.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.3 OMR 23.99

$80.5 F CFA 45.4K

-22.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.22

$2.68 F CFA 1,514

17.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$2.83 F CFA 1,598

-71.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 OMR 3.98

$17.99 F CFA 10.1K

-42.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

$1.71 F CFA 963

-64.91%

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

$22.8K OMR 8,778

$36.1K F CFA 20.4M

-36.82%

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

$21.8K OMR 8,405

$49.2K F CFA 27.8M

-55.66%

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

$107 OMR 41.32

$138 F CFA 78.0K

-22.43%

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

$40.60 OMR 15.63

$9.92 F CFA 5,597

309.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 OMR 27.13

$50.4 F CFA 28.4K

39.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.24 OMR 18.19

$56.4 F CFA 31.8K

-16.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.99 OMR 8.85

$21.41 F CFA 12.1K

7.38%

Cinema Ticket

$10.47 OMR 4.03

$9.02 F CFA 5,086

16.08%

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

$192 OMR 74.1

$272 F CFA 153.4K

-29.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,757 OMR 3,756

$7,169 F CFA 4.0M

36.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 OMR 19.53

$68.6 F CFA 38.7K

-26.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.51 OMR 15.21

$43.93 F CFA 24.8K

-10.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 OMR 30.56

$103 F CFA 58.2K

-23.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 OMR 34.66

$131 F CFA 74.1K

-31.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 OMR 238

$914 F CFA 515.2K

-32.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 OMR 158

$369 F CFA 208.2K

11.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 OMR 470

$1,863 F CFA 1.1M

-34.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 OMR 281

$938 F CFA 528.9K

-22.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,666 OMR 1,026

$4,996 F CFA 2.8M

-46.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,552 OMR 597

$1,491 F CFA 841.1K

4.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,654 OMR 637

$431 F CFA 243.2K

283.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

8.25

-37.58%

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

Last update for Muscat: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dakar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Muscat and $914 in Dakar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Muscat pays 283% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $26.00 in Muscat vs $53.0 in Dakar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $276 per month, with Muscat cheaper across the board.

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 Dakar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Muscat pays 283% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Muscat versus $914 in Dakar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $192 in Muscat versus $272 in Dakar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Dakar – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $26.00 in Muscat. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,327 in Dakar versus $1,331 in Muscat, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dakar but tight or insufficient in Muscat. The gap between the two cities makes Dakar 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 Dakar are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Dakar wins on affordability, Muscat on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.