Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Doha Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Doha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,331 per month in Muscat vs $2,003 in Doha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,982 per month in Muscat vs $3,069 in Doha, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,633 per month in Muscat vs $4,134 in Doha, rent included.

Muscat is about 34% cheaper than Doha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Muscat sits 1% below the global median, while Doha is 49% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 OMR 2.04

$6.77 QAR 24.64

-21.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.39 OMR 10.16

$54.0 QAR 196

-51.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 OMR 3.02

$6.78 QAR 24.69

15.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.76 QAR 42.80

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.10 QAR 40.40

Cappuccino

$4.95 OMR 1.90

$4.98 QAR 18.14

-0.60%

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

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$0.84 QAR 3.07

21.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 OMR 0.13

$0.31 QAR 1.13

9.68%

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

$2.04 QAR 7.44

-1.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 OMR 0.46

$1.63 QAR 5.92

-26.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 OMR 0.65

$2.15 QAR 7.82

-20.93%

Eggs

$2.45 OMR 0.94

$2.62 QAR 9.55

-6.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.84 OMR 1.48

$11.34 QAR 41.26

-66.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 OMR 1.98

$7.55 QAR 27.48

-31.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.46 OMR 3.26

$10.43 QAR 37.97

-18.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 OMR 0.98

$1.98 QAR 7.21

28.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$1.57 QAR 5.73

9.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 OMR 0.68

$1.59 QAR 5.77

11.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 OMR 0.44

$1.45 QAR 5.26

-22.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 OMR 0.38

$0.98 QAR 3.57

2.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.07 QAR 3.88

-4.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$1.38 QAR 5.03

-25.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 OMR 0.22

$0.46 QAR 1.66

21.74%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.27 QAR 30.10

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 QAR 6.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 QAR 10.92

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.22 OMR 2.39

$6.47 QAR 23.53

-3.86%

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

$0.53 QAR 1.91

139.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.3 OMR 23.99

$32.91 QAR 120

89.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.22

$2.23 QAR 8.11

41.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$2.22 QAR 8.07

-63.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 OMR 3.98

$13.60 QAR 49.50

-23.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

$0.59 QAR 2.16

1.69%

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

$22.8K OMR 8,778

$22.2K QAR 80.7K

2.80%

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

$21.8K OMR 8,405

$20.3K QAR 73.9K

7.53%

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

$107 OMR 41.32

$93.5 QAR 340

14.82%

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

$40.60 OMR 15.63

$37.48 QAR 136

8.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 OMR 27.13

$86.1 QAR 313

-18.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.24 OMR 18.19

$120 QAR 436

-60.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.99 OMR 8.85

$32.38 QAR 118

-29.00%

Cinema Ticket

$10.47 OMR 4.03

$12.20 QAR 44.41

-14.18%

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

$192 OMR 74.1

$794 QAR 2,891

-75.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,757 OMR 3,756

$11.7K QAR 42.7K

-16.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 OMR 19.53

$62.3 QAR 227

-18.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.51 OMR 15.21

$54.6 QAR 199

-27.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 OMR 30.56

$99.4 QAR 362

-20.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 OMR 34.66

$90.2 QAR 328

-0.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 OMR 238

$1,609 QAR 5,857

-61.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 OMR 158

$1,094 QAR 3,983

-62.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 OMR 470

$2,926 QAR 10.7K

-58.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 OMR 281

$2,079 QAR 7,567

-64.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,666 OMR 1,026

$4,471 QAR 16.3K

-40.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,552 OMR 597

$2,709 QAR 9,860

-42.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,654 OMR 637

$3,111 QAR 11.3K

-46.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

6.08

-15.30%

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

Last update for Muscat: May 31, 2026

Last update for Doha: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Muscat versus $1,609 in Doha. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 88% higher in Doha, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Muscat versus $54.0 in Doha. Groceries tell a different story – $231 in Muscat vs $208 in Doha – so Doha wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Doha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Doha is pricier by about 50%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,997 per month in Muscat and $3,004 in Doha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Muscat, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 89% less in Muscat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $192 per month in Muscat and $794 in Doha. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Muscat, where all-in costs run around $1,331, than in Doha at $2,003. In Muscat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Doha it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Muscat – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Muscat. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Doha makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.