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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,322 per month in Muscat vs $1,944 in Doha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,928 per month in Muscat vs $3,080 in Doha, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,533 per month in Muscat vs $4,216 in Doha, rent included.

Muscat is about 32% cheaper than Doha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Muscat sits 1% below the global median, while Doha is 46% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 OMR 2.04

$6.76 QAR 24.61

-21.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.50 OMR 9.82

$54.0 QAR 197

-52.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 OMR 3.08

$6.96 QAR 25.35

14.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.62 QAR 42.29

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.90 QAR 39.66

Cappuccino

$4.86 OMR 1.87

$4.97 QAR 18.10

-2.21%

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

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$0.86 QAR 3.13

17.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 OMR 0.13

$0.33 QAR 1.20

3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.41 OMR 4.78

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.66 OMR 4.49

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 OMR 0.76

$2.04 QAR 7.44

-2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 OMR 0.47

$1.64 QAR 5.95

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 OMR 0.66

$2.20 QAR 8.01

-22.73%

Eggs

$2.42 OMR 0.93

$2.67 QAR 9.70

-9.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.71 OMR 1.43

$11.57 QAR 42.12

-67.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 OMR 1.88

$7.91 QAR 28.80

-38.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.27 OMR 3.18

$10.73 QAR 39.04

-22.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 OMR 0.97

$2.03 QAR 7.40

23.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$1.62 QAR 5.91

6.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 OMR 0.69

$1.53 QAR 5.56

16.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 OMR 0.44

$1.39 QAR 5.06

-17.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.03 QAR 3.77

-0.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$1.12 QAR 4.07

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 OMR 0.42

$1.34 QAR 4.86

-18.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 OMR 0.20

$0.48 QAR 1.75

8.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.16 QAR 37.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 QAR 6.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 QAR 10.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 OMR 2.42

$6.35 QAR 23.12

-1.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.71 OMR 6.05

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 OMR 1.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 OMR 3.09

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$0.57 QAR 2.08

122.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 OMR 24.26

$32.81 QAR 119

92.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.22

$2.24 QAR 8.15

41.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$2.13 QAR 7.77

-62.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 OMR 3.92

$13.68 QAR 49.81

-25.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 OMR 0.25

$0.59 QAR 2.15

8.47%

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

$22.5K OMR 8,654

$22.2K QAR 80.9K

1.20%

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

$21.5K OMR 8,279

$20.4K QAR 74.3K

5.34%

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

$109 OMR 41.78

$93.4 QAR 340

16.22%

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

$40.41 OMR 15.55

$37.55 QAR 137

7.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.5 OMR 26.38

$88.7 QAR 323

-22.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.75 OMR 18.76

$120 QAR 435

-59.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 OMR 8.94

$31.64 QAR 115

-26.58%

Cinema Ticket

$10.28 OMR 3.96

$12.46 QAR 45.34

-17.50%

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

$190 OMR 73.0

$802 QAR 2,918

-76.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K OMR 3,861

$11.6K QAR 42.3K

-13.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 OMR 19.62

$61.1 QAR 223

-16.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.14 OMR 15.07

$55.1 QAR 200

-28.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 OMR 29.87

$100 QAR 365

-22.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 OMR 33.72

$90.2 QAR 328

-2.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 OMR 237

$1,638 QAR 5,963

-62.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 OMR 157

$1,064 QAR 3,872

-61.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 OMR 478

$2,901 QAR 10.6K

-57.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 OMR 275

$2,098 QAR 7,636

-65.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,866 OMR 1,103

$4,212 QAR 15.3K

-31.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,593 OMR 613

$2,509 QAR 9,134

-36.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,576 OMR 607

$3,128 QAR 11.4K

-49.61%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Doha: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Muscat versus $1,638 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 98% 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 – $230 in Muscat vs $212 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 47%, 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 $1,983 per month in Muscat and $2,916 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 92% less in Muscat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $190 per month in Muscat and $802 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 $1,322, than in Doha at $1,944. 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.