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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,525 per month in Muscat vs $2,146 in Doha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,272 per month in Muscat vs $3,347 in Doha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,019 per month in Muscat vs $4,548 in Doha, rent included.

Muscat is about 29% cheaper than Doha, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Muscat and Doha sit above the global median – Muscat by 11%, Doha by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 OMR 2.06

$10.74 QAR 39.11

-50.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.00 OMR 13.09

$73.3 QAR 267

-53.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.74 OMR 2.98

$8.41 QAR 30.62

-7.97%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.13 QAR 44.16

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.59 QAR 49.46

Cappuccino

$4.73 OMR 1.82

$5.88 QAR 21.41

-19.56%

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

$0.86 OMR 0.33

$0.92 QAR 3.35

-6.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 OMR 0.11

$0.44 QAR 1.62

-34.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.07 OMR 5.03

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.79 OMR 4.92

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 OMR 0.87

$2.17 QAR 7.89

3.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 OMR 0.48

$1.44 QAR 5.23

-13.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 OMR 0.73

$1.93 QAR 7.03

-1.55%

Eggs

$2.94 OMR 1.13

$3.58 QAR 13.04

-17.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.65 OMR 2.94

$11.43 QAR 41.61

-33.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 OMR 2.53

$7.93 QAR 28.85

-17.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.54 OMR 4.06

$11.18 QAR 40.69

-5.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 OMR 1.31

$2.15 QAR 7.84

58.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$1.80 QAR 6.54

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 OMR 0.89

$1.56 QAR 5.67

48.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 OMR 0.46

$1.21 QAR 4.41

-0.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 OMR 0.47

$1.00 QAR 3.62

22.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 OMR 0.50

$1.03 QAR 3.76

25.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 OMR 0.69

$1.42 QAR 5.18

26.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 OMR 0.26

$0.54 QAR 1.97

24.07%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.35 QAR 34.03

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 QAR 6.98

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 QAR 8.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 OMR 2.43

$6.51 QAR 23.70

-3.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.43 OMR 5.94

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.68 OMR 2.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.72 OMR 3.36

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 OMR 0.49

$0.57 QAR 2.08

126.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.7 OMR 29.52

$26.90 QAR 97.9

185.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 OMR 1.24

$1.94 QAR 7.07

65.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 OMR 1.00

$1.99 QAR 7.26

30.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 OMR 3.01

$13.82 QAR 50.3

-43.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 OMR 0.23

$0.54 QAR 1.96

12.96%

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

$25.1K OMR 9,665

$27.3K QAR 99.3K

-7.95%

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

$22.2K OMR 8,564

$22.2K QAR 80.9K

0.14%

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

$170 OMR 65.5

$89.0 QAR 324

91.04%

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

$30.94 OMR 11.91

$35.75 QAR 130

-13.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 OMR 26.92

$86.7 QAR 316

-19.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.7 OMR 24.14

$129 QAR 470

-51.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.20 OMR 11.24

$18.63 QAR 67.8

56.74%

Cinema Ticket

$10.34 OMR 3.98

$12.52 QAR 45.57

-17.41%

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

$289 OMR 111

$691 QAR 2,515

-58.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K OMR 4,110

$9,960 QAR 36.3K

7.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 OMR 21.42

$61.4 QAR 224

-9.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.19 OMR 16.63

$52.2 QAR 190

-17.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 OMR 35.43

$106 QAR 385

-12.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.0 OMR 36.95

$88.3 QAR 322

8.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 OMR 259

$1,976 QAR 7,194

-65.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 OMR 175

$1,192 QAR 4,339

-61.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,366 OMR 526

$3,503 QAR 12.8K

-61.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$857 OMR 330

$2,325 QAR 8,461

-63.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,835 OMR 1,092

$4,104 QAR 14.9K

-30.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,595 OMR 614

$2,415 QAR 8,790

-33.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,660 OMR 639

$3,183 QAR 11.6K

-47.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

5.88

-10.71%

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

Last update for Muscat: September 1, 2026

Last update for Doha: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $673 in Muscat versus $1,976 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 92% 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 $34.00 in Muscat versus $73.0 in Doha. Groceries tell a different story – $284 in Muscat vs $217 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 41%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,288 per month in Muscat and $3,218 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 185% less in Muscat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $289 per month in Muscat and $691 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 $1,525, than in Doha at $2,146. 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.