Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Madinat As Sultan Qaboos Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Madinat As Sultan Qaboos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,322 in Muscat versus $816 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,928 in Muscat versus $1,207 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,533 in Muscat versus $1,597 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos.

Living in Muscat is roughly 62% more expensive than in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Muscat 1% lower, Madinat As Sultan Qaboos 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 OMR 2.04

$5.07 OMR 1.95

4.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.50 OMR 9.81

$26.53 OMR 10.21

-3.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 OMR 3.07

$7.83 OMR 3.01

2.04%

Cappuccino

$4.86 OMR 1.87

$5.02 OMR 1.93

-3.19%

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

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$1.06 OMR 0.41

-4.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 OMR 0.13

$0.32 OMR 0.12

6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.41 OMR 4.78

$12.50 OMR 4.81

-0.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.66 OMR 4.49

$11.84 OMR 4.56

-1.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 OMR 0.76

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 OMR 0.47

$1.22 OMR 0.47

0.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 OMR 0.66

$1.73 OMR 0.67

-1.73%

Eggs

$2.42 OMR 0.93

$2.35 OMR 0.91

2.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.71 OMR 1.43

$3.69 OMR 1.42

0.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 OMR 1.88

$4.91 OMR 1.89

-0.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.27 OMR 3.18

$8.28 OMR 3.19

-0.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 OMR 0.97

$2.52 OMR 0.97

-0.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$1.68 OMR 0.65

2.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 OMR 0.69

$1.85 OMR 0.71

-3.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 OMR 0.44

$1.17 OMR 0.45

-2.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$0.95 OMR 0.36

7.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$0.97 OMR 0.37

1.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 OMR 0.42

$1.07 OMR 0.41

1.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 OMR 0.20

$0.53 OMR 0.20

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 OMR 2.42

$6.25 OMR 2.41

0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.71 OMR 6.05

$15.81 OMR 6.09

-0.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 OMR 1.68

$4.39 OMR 1.69

-0.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 OMR 3.09

$7.68 OMR 2.96

4.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 OMR 24.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.22

$3.03 OMR 1.16

4.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$0.75 OMR 0.29

6.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 OMR 3.92

$10.57 OMR 4.07

-3.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 OMR 0.25

$0.65 OMR 0.25

-1.54%

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

$22.5K OMR 8,652

$23.1K OMR 8,893

-2.71%

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

$21.5K OMR 8,277

$21.4K OMR 8,226

0.62%

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

$109 OMR 41.77

$107 OMR 41.12

1.59%

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

$40.41 OMR 15.55

$40.73 OMR 15.67

-0.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.5 OMR 26.37

$70.9 OMR 27.27

-3.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.75 OMR 18.76

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 OMR 8.94

Cinema Ticket

$10.28 OMR 3.96

$10.28 OMR 3.95

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

$190 OMR 73.0

$189 OMR 72.9

0.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K OMR 3,860

$10.0K OMR 3,867

-0.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 OMR 19.62

$49.39 OMR 19.01

3.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.14 OMR 15.06

$39.11 OMR 15.05

0.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 OMR 29.86

$78.7 OMR 30.30

-1.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 OMR 33.71

$87.3 OMR 33.59

0.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 OMR 237

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 OMR 157

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 OMR 478

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 OMR 275

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,866 OMR 1,103

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,593 OMR 613

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,576 OMR 607

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

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

Last update for Muscat: July 13, 2026

Last update for Madinat As Sultan Qaboos: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $26.00 in Muscat vs $27.00 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos. Groceries flip the comparison at $230 vs $229, with Madinat As Sultan Qaboos cheaper for home cooking.

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 Madinat As Sultan Qaboos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madinat As Sultan Qaboos wins on cost – living expenses run 62% lower than in Muscat. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Madinat As Sultan Qaboos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,983 in Muscat and $1,225 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos 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 0% higher in Muscat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,322 per month in Muscat versus $816 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $816 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $1,322 in Muscat, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos but tight or insufficient in Muscat. The gap between the two cities makes Madinat As Sultan Qaboos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Madinat As Sultan Qaboos delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $816 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Madinat As Sultan Qaboos hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Muscat and Madinat As Sultan Qaboos are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Madinat As Sultan Qaboos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.