Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Dakar

For one person, living is cheaper in Dakar: $1,406 a month against $1,556 in Muscat, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Muscat
🇴🇲 Oman
$1,556
/mo nomad
Dakar
🇸🇳 Senegal
$1,406
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Muscat and in Dakar

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 Dakar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,556 in Muscat versus $1,406 in Dakar.

  • Muscat $1,556
  • Dakar $1,406

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,299 in Muscat versus $2,203 in Dakar.

  • Muscat $2,299
  • Dakar $2,203

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,042 in Muscat versus $2,999 in Dakar.

  • Muscat $3,042
  • Dakar $2,999

Living in Muscat is roughly 11% more expensive than in Dakar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Muscat 15% above, Dakar 4% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Muscat
Dakar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.33 OMR 2.05
$5.25 F CFA 3,061
1.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.12 OMR 15.06
$53.6 F CFA 31.2K
-26.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.76 OMR 2.99
$11.03 F CFA 6,430
-29.65%
Cappuccino
$4.93 OMR 1.90
$3.29 F CFA 1,920
49.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 OMR 0.33
$1.21 F CFA 704
-29.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27 OMR 0.10
$0.85 F CFA 496
-68.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$12.87 OMR 4.95
$2.61 F CFA 1,521
393.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$13.07 OMR 5.03
$4.19 F CFA 2,443
211.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Muscat
Dakar
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.31 OMR 0.89
$2.61 F CFA 1,523
-11.49%
White Bread (500g)
$1.24 OMR 0.48
$0.69 F CFA 401
79.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.87 OMR 0.72
$1.69 F CFA 988
10.65%
Eggs
$3.02 OMR 1.16
$2.47 F CFA 1,441
22.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.23 OMR 2.78
$17.16 F CFA 10.0K
-57.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.91 OMR 2.66
$9.04 F CFA 5,274
-23.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.57 OMR 4.07
$10.90 F CFA 6,357
-3.03%
Apples (1kg)
$3.51 OMR 1.35
$3.16 F CFA 1,844
11.08%
Banana (1kg)
$2.01 OMR 0.77
$1.91 F CFA 1,115
5.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 OMR 0.90
$2.82 F CFA 1,645
-17.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.26 OMR 0.49
$1.78 F CFA 1,040
-29.21%
Potato (1kg)
$1.16 OMR 0.44
$1.34 F CFA 783
-13.43%
Onion (1kg)
$1.28 OMR 0.49
$0.98 F CFA 571
30.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.79 OMR 0.69
$1.09 F CFA 636
64.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 OMR 0.26
$0.64 F CFA 375
6.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.62 OMR 2.55
$2.10 F CFA 1,226
215.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.83 OMR 6.09
$17.14 F CFA 9,996
-7.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$6.03 OMR 2.32
$1.60 F CFA 933
276.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.33 OMR 3.98
$3.31 F CFA 1,933
212.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Muscat
Dakar
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.33 OMR 0.51
$0.41 F CFA 238
224.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.9 OMR 30.00
$76.6 F CFA 44.6K
1.79%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.18 OMR 1.23
$2.07 F CFA 1,206
53.62%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.62 OMR 1.01
$2.17 F CFA 1,266
20.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.83 OMR 3.01
$17.28 F CFA 10.1K
-54.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.60 OMR 0.23
$1.61 F CFA 938
-62.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.9K OMR 9,986
$49.3K F CFA 28.8M
-47.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.4K OMR 8,624
$48.1K F CFA 28.0M
-53.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Muscat
Dakar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$176 OMR 67.9
$202 F CFA 118.0K
-12.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.30 OMR 10.90
$11.58 F CFA 6,751
144.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.9 OMR 27.28
$45.58 F CFA 26.6K
55.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Muscat
Dakar
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$62.7 OMR 24.14
$43.85 F CFA 25.6K
43.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.94 OMR 11.53
$23.41 F CFA 13.7K
27.89%
Cinema Ticket
$10.52 OMR 4.05
$8.41 F CFA 4,905
25.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Muscat
Dakar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$283 OMR 109
$326 F CFA 190.2K
-13.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.6K OMR 4,070
$10.3K F CFA 6.0M
2.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Muscat
Dakar
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.6 OMR 21.79
$58.5 F CFA 34.1K
-3.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.33 OMR 16.68
$45.32 F CFA 26.4K
-4.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.1 OMR 35.08
$85.8 F CFA 50.0K
6.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4 OMR 33.28
$95.1 F CFA 55.4K
-9.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Muscat
Dakar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$674 OMR 260
$795 F CFA 463.7K
-15.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$461 OMR 177
$429 F CFA 250.3K
7.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,324 OMR 510
$1,699 F CFA 990.8K
-22.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$813 OMR 313
$898 F CFA 523.7K
-9.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,871 OMR 1,105
$4,899 F CFA 2.9M
-41.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,614 OMR 621
$1,479 F CFA 862.6K
9.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Muscat
Dakar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,650 OMR 635
$342 F CFA 199.5K
382.04%
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: October 11, 2026

Last update for Dakar: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Muscat
$461
Dakar
$429 6.8% $31
Groceries & Markets
Muscat
$292
Dakar
$294 0.5% $1.5
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Muscat
$275
Dakar
$259 5.8% $16
Eating Out
Muscat
$220
Dakar
$144 34.4% $76
Clothing & Footwear
Muscat
$125
Dakar
$128 2.6% $3.2
Getting Around
Muscat
$100
Dakar
$91 8.5% $8.4
Sport & Entertainment
Muscat
$84
Dakar
$61 27.6% $23

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $674 in Muscat and $795 in Dakar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Muscat pays 382% 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: $39.00 in Muscat vs $54.0 in Dakar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $294 per month, with Muscat cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇴🇲 Muscat
🇸🇳 Dakar
🕒 Local time
12:41 12:41 PM
08:41 8:41 AM
4 h behind Muscat
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,090,797 Capital
2,396,800 Capital
💱 Currency
Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.
Exchange rates and currency converter

XOF, USD, EUR to OMR – Omani Rial Converter

Omani Rial exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.433 OMR (1 OMR = 2.31 EUR).

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 583 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Muscat Dakar 7,940 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Muscat
  • Dakar

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 Dakar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Muscat and in Dakar?
Muscat and Dakar differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,556 vs $1,406 including rent). Dakar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Muscat or Dakar?
Average pay runs 382% higher in Muscat, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Muscat and in Dakar?
Rent for a central apartment: $674 in Muscat versus $795 in Dakar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Muscat or Dakar?
All in, you'll spend $1,556 per month in Muscat versus $1,406 in Dakar – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How do commuting costs compare in Muscat and in Dakar?
A monthly transit pass in Dakar runs roughly 2% less than in Muscat. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,406 in Dakar versus $1,556 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.
How does quality of life compare between Muscat and Dakar?
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.
Is Muscat or Dakar safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Muscat or Dakar?
Expats usually find Dakar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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