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: $1,525 in Muscat versus $1,470 in Dakar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,272 in Muscat versus $2,312 in Dakar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,019 in Muscat versus $3,154 in Dakar.

Living in Muscat is roughly 4% more expensive than in Dakar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Muscat 11% above, Dakar 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 OMR 2.06

$5.22 F CFA 2,943

2.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.00 OMR 13.09

$55.8 F CFA 31.5K

-39.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.74 OMR 2.98

$11.44 F CFA 6,446

-32.34%

Cappuccino

$4.73 OMR 1.82

$3.56 F CFA 2,006

32.87%

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

$0.86 OMR 0.33

$1.25 F CFA 707

-31.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 OMR 0.11

$0.89 F CFA 501

-67.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.07 OMR 5.03

$2.61 F CFA 1,470

400.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.79 OMR 4.92

$4.38 F CFA 2,467

192.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 OMR 0.87

$2.85 F CFA 1,604

-21.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 OMR 0.48

$0.77 F CFA 434

62.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 OMR 0.73

$1.77 F CFA 996

7.34%

Eggs

$2.94 OMR 1.13

$2.54 F CFA 1,431

15.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.65 OMR 2.94

$17.81 F CFA 10.0K

-57.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 OMR 2.53

$9.26 F CFA 5,220

-29.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.54 OMR 4.06

$11.35 F CFA 6,395

-7.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 OMR 1.31

$3.35 F CFA 1,886

1.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$2.01 F CFA 1,136

-0.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 OMR 0.89

$2.97 F CFA 1,674

-21.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 OMR 0.46

$1.87 F CFA 1,054

-35.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 OMR 0.47

$1.39 F CFA 784

-12.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 OMR 0.50

$0.99 F CFA 556

30.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 OMR 0.69

$1.14 F CFA 642

57.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 OMR 0.26

$0.67 F CFA 378

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 OMR 2.43

$2.17 F CFA 1,225

190.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.43 OMR 5.94

$18.05 F CFA 10.2K

-14.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.68 OMR 2.19

$1.62 F CFA 911

250.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.72 OMR 3.36

$3.37 F CFA 1,897

158.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 OMR 0.49

$0.38 F CFA 215

239.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.7 OMR 29.52

$81.3 F CFA 45.8K

-5.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 OMR 1.24

$2.25 F CFA 1,270

42.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 OMR 1.00

$2.25 F CFA 1,267

15.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 OMR 3.01

$17.99 F CFA 10.1K

-56.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 OMR 0.23

$1.68 F CFA 946

-63.69%

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

$25.1K OMR 9,665

$52.4K F CFA 29.5M

-52.07%

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

$22.2K OMR 8,564

$49.8K F CFA 28.1M

-55.37%

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

$170 OMR 65.5

$213 F CFA 119.9K

-20.08%

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

$30.94 OMR 11.91

$11.99 F CFA 6,756

158.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 OMR 26.92

$47.19 F CFA 26.6K

48.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.7 OMR 24.14

$46.17 F CFA 26.0K

35.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.20 OMR 11.24

$24.08 F CFA 13.6K

21.26%

Cinema Ticket

$10.34 OMR 3.98

$8.72 F CFA 4,916

18.58%

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

$289 OMR 111

$330 F CFA 186.1K

-12.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K OMR 4,110

$10.8K F CFA 6.1M

-0.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 OMR 21.42

$59.7 F CFA 33.6K

-6.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.19 OMR 16.63

$47.50 F CFA 26.8K

-9.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 OMR 35.43

$89.6 F CFA 50.5K

2.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.0 OMR 36.95

$100 F CFA 56.4K

-4.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 OMR 259

$841 F CFA 474.1K

-19.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 OMR 175

$445 F CFA 250.8K

2.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,366 OMR 526

$1,781 F CFA 1.0M

-23.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$857 OMR 330

$957 F CFA 539.4K

-10.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,835 OMR 1,092

$4,987 F CFA 2.8M

-43.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,595 OMR 614

$1,582 F CFA 891.6K

0.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,660 OMR 639

$352 F CFA 198.4K

371.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

8.75

-40.00%

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

Last update for Muscat: September 1, 2026

Last update for Dakar: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $673 in Muscat and $841 in Dakar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Muscat pays 372% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $34.00 in Muscat vs $56.0 in Dakar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $284 vs $307 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 and Dakar differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,525 vs $1,470 including rent). Dakar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 372% higher in Muscat, 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: $673 in Muscat versus $841 in Dakar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,525 per month in Muscat versus $1,470 in Dakar – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dakar runs roughly 6% less than in Muscat. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,470 in Dakar versus $1,525 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.

Expats usually find Dakar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.