Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Duqm

For one person, living is cheaper in Duqm: $306 a month against $1,544 in Muscat, rent and utilities included – about $14,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Muscat
Learn more

Muscat Living Index

Jump to prices

Muscat

🇴🇲 Oman

$1,544

/mo nomad

Duqm

🇴🇲 Oman

$306

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Muscat and in Duqm

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,544 in Muscat versus $306 in Duqm.

Muscat $1,544
Duqm $306

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,271 in Muscat versus $503 in Duqm.

Muscat $2,271
Duqm $503

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,998 in Muscat versus $701 in Duqm.

Muscat $2,998
Duqm $701

Living in Muscat is roughly 404% more expensive than in Duqm, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Muscat is 13% above, Duqm is 78% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.26 OMR 2.02

$4.78 OMR 1.84

10.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.02 OMR 15.02

$12.92 OMR 4.98

202.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 OMR 3.07

Cappuccino

$5.17 OMR 1.99

$2.29 OMR 0.88

125.76%

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

$0.92 OMR 0.35

$0.53 OMR 0.21

73.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.37 OMR 0.14

-27.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.92 OMR 4.97

$7.62 OMR 2.93

69.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.10 OMR 5.04

$12.82 OMR 4.94

2.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 OMR 0.91

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 OMR 0.48

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 OMR 0.74

$2.62 OMR 1.01

-26.72%

Eggs

$3.12 OMR 1.20

$2.78 OMR 1.07

12.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.16 OMR 2.76

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.88 OMR 2.65

$5.25 OMR 2.02

31.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.22 OMR 3.94

Apples (1kg)

$3.65 OMR 1.41

$3.47 OMR 1.34

5.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 OMR 0.78

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 OMR 0.93

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 OMR 0.48

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 OMR 0.47

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 OMR 0.48

$0.76 OMR 0.29

63.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 OMR 0.72

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 OMR 0.26

$0.21 OMR 0.08

223.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.39 OMR 2.46

Wine (Bottle)

$15.38 OMR 5.92

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$6.06 OMR 2.33

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.29 OMR 3.96

$13.10 OMR 5.04

-21.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 OMR 0.51

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.1 OMR 30.44

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 OMR 1.25

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 OMR 1.01

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 OMR 3.04

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

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

$25.5K OMR 9,819

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

$20.9K OMR 8,061

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

$177 OMR 68.2

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

$30.23 OMR 11.64

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.6 OMR 26.79

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 OMR 26.29

$77.6 OMR 29.88

-12.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.66 OMR 11.42

Cinema Ticket

$10.56 OMR 4.06

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

$508 OMR 196

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K OMR 3,978

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 OMR 22.03

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.63 OMR 16.80

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 OMR 35.01

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.3 OMR 33.23

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 OMR 277

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 OMR 168

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 OMR 457

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$745 OMR 287

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,815 OMR 1,084

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,619 OMR 623

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,682 OMR 647

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

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

Last update for Muscat: October 26, 2026

Last update for Duqm: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Muscat

$436 28.2%

Duqm

–

Groceries & Markets

Muscat

$292 18.9%

Duqm

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Muscat

$277 17.9%

Duqm

–

Eating Out

Muscat

$224 14.5%

Duqm

–

Clothing & Footwear

Muscat

$125 8.1%

Duqm

–

Getting Around

Muscat

$101 6.5%

Duqm

–

Sport & Entertainment

Muscat

$89 5.8%

Duqm

–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $39 in Muscat vs $13 in Duqm for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $95 per month, with Duqm cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇴🇲 Muscat

🇴🇲 Duqm

🕒 Local time

17:19 5:19 PM

Same time as Muscat

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,090,797 Capital

12,000

💱 Currency

Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.

📈 Exchange rate

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.33 EUR

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.33 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Muscat Duqm 450 km

From you

Muscat
Duqm

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 Duqm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Duqm is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 404% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $2,316 in Muscat and $459 in Duqm to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 206% higher in Muscat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Duqm – a meal for two runs $13 versus $39 in Muscat. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $306 in Duqm versus $1,544 in Muscat, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Duqm but tight or insufficient in Muscat. The gap between the two cities makes Duqm 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 Duqm are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.