Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Nizwa

For one person, living is cheaper in Nizwa: $44.08 a month against $1,549 in Muscat, rent and utilities included – about $18,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Muscat
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Muscat Living Index

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Muscat

🇴🇲 Oman

$1,549

/mo nomad

Nizwa

🇴🇲 Oman

$44.08

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Muscat and in Nizwa

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,549 in Muscat versus $44 in Nizwa.

Muscat $1,549
Nizwa $44

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,294 in Muscat versus $65 in Nizwa.

Muscat $2,294
Nizwa $65

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,038 in Muscat versus $86 in Nizwa.

Muscat $3,038
Nizwa $86

Living in Muscat is roughly 3413% more expensive than in Nizwa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Muscat is 14% above, Nizwa is 97% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.21 OMR 2.01

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.54 OMR 15.22

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 OMR 3.02

Cappuccino

$4.96 OMR 1.91

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

$0.85 OMR 0.33

$1.06 OMR 0.41

-19.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.99 OMR 5.00

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.02 OMR 5.01

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 OMR 0.89

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 OMR 0.47

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 OMR 0.72

Eggs

$2.89 OMR 1.11

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.12 OMR 2.74

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 OMR 2.64

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.54 OMR 4.06

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 OMR 1.38

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 OMR 0.78

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 OMR 0.89

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 OMR 0.51

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 OMR 0.45

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 OMR 0.50

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 OMR 0.72

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 OMR 0.26

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.64 OMR 2.56

Wine (Bottle)

$15.54 OMR 5.98

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.78 OMR 2.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.16 OMR 3.91

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 OMR 0.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.6 OMR 30.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 OMR 1.23

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 OMR 1.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 OMR 2.98

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 OMR 0.25

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

$25.5K OMR 9,821

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

$20.9K OMR 8,025

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

$182 OMR 70.0

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

$30.88 OMR 11.89

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.4 OMR 26.70

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 OMR 23.58

$38.77 OMR 14.92

58.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.84 OMR 11.48

Cinema Ticket

$10.51 OMR 4.04

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

$283 OMR 109

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K OMR 4,088

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 OMR 21.32

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.74 OMR 16.84

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 OMR 34.00

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.2 OMR 33.57

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$685 OMR 263

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 OMR 174

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 OMR 502

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 OMR 311

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,866 OMR 1,103

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,643 OMR 632

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,656 OMR 638

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 19, 2026

Last update for Nizwa: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Muscat

$451 29.1%

Nizwa

–

Groceries & Markets

Muscat

$289 18.7%

Nizwa

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Muscat

$282 18.2%

Nizwa

–

Eating Out

Muscat

$220 14.2%

Nizwa

–

Clothing & Footwear

Muscat

$124 8%

Nizwa

–

Getting Around

Muscat

$100 6.5%

Nizwa

–

Sport & Entertainment

Muscat

$82 5.3%

Nizwa

–

Good to know

🇴🇲 Muscat

🇴🇲 Nizwa

🕒 Local time

00:11 12:11 AM

Same time as Muscat

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,090,797 Capital

700,000

💱 Currency

Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.

📈 Exchange rate

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.32 EUR

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.32 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Muscat Nizwa 110 km

From you

Muscat
Nizwa

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 Nizwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Muscat and Nizwa differ by about 3413% in total monthly costs ($1,549 vs $44 including rent). Nizwa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You’d need roughly $2,323 in Muscat and $66 in Nizwa 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.

At $44 in Nizwa versus $1,549 in Muscat, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nizwa but tight or insufficient in Muscat. The gap between the two cities makes Nizwa 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 Nizwa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.