Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Peristeri Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Peristeri

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,553 in Muscat versus $1,456 in Peristeri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,303 in Muscat versus $2,224 in Peristeri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,052 in Muscat versus $2,991 in Peristeri.

Living in Muscat is roughly 7% more expensive than in Peristeri, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Muscat 14% above, Peristeri 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.31 OMR 2.05

$15.47 €13.48

-65.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.16 OMR 13.15

$68.4 €59.6

-50.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 OMR 3.07

$11.57 €10.09

-30.94%

Cappuccino

$4.77 OMR 1.84

$4.27 €3.73

11.71%

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

$0.84 OMR 0.32

$2.39 €2.08

-64.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 OMR 0.11

$0.59 €0.52

-50.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.94 OMR 4.98

$4.64 €4.04

178.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.96 OMR 4.99

$5.29 €4.61

144.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 OMR 0.91

$1.60 €1.39

47.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 OMR 0.47

$1.50 €1.31

-18.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 OMR 0.73

$2.48 €2.17

-23.79%

Eggs

$2.88 OMR 1.11

$4.72 €4.12

-38.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.54 OMR 2.90

$11.79 €10.28

-36.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.78 OMR 2.61

$9.93 €8.66

-31.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 OMR 4.14

$15.08 €13.14

-28.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 OMR 1.32

$2.28 €1.99

50.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 OMR 0.76

$2.03 €1.77

-2.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 OMR 0.89

$1.46 €1.28

58.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 OMR 0.47

$1.96 €1.71

-37.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 OMR 0.44

$1.13 €0.99

1.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 OMR 0.47

$1.20 €1.05

2.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 OMR 0.69

$0.90 €0.78

97.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 OMR 0.25

$0.90 €0.78

-26.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.66 OMR 2.57

$5.42 €4.72

22.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.40 OMR 5.93

$6.74 €5.87

128.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.48 OMR 2.11

$1.70 €1.48

222.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.11 OMR 3.51

$2.71 €2.36

236.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.33 OMR 0.51

$1.36 €1.19

-2.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.1 OMR 30.47

$49.86 €43.46

58.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 OMR 1.22

$4.57 €3.98

-30.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.58 OMR 0.99

$1.06 €0.93

143.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 OMR 2.95

$14.20 €12.38

-45.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 OMR 0.23

$2.17 €1.89

-72.81%

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

$25.4K OMR 9,783

$29.0K €25.3K

-12.48%

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

$22.8K OMR 8,786

$23.9K €20.9K

-4.71%

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

$169 OMR 65.2

$170 €148

-0.33%

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

$30.44 OMR 11.72

$25.12 €21.90

21.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 OMR 27.41

$29.02 €25.30

145.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 OMR 23.72

$46.85 €40.84

31.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.88 OMR 11.12

$28.34 €24.70

1.91%

Cinema Ticket

$10.55 OMR 4.06

$9.03 €7.88

16.83%

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

$286 OMR 110

$498 €434

-42.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K OMR 4,026

$4,717 €4,112

121.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 OMR 21.38

$71.9 €62.7

-22.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.21 OMR 16.64

$36.10 €31.47

19.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 OMR 35.14

$80.0 €69.7

14.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 OMR 36.59

$111 €97.2

-14.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$674 OMR 259

$520 €454

29.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 OMR 175

$462 €403

-1.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,361 OMR 524

$768 €669

77.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$854 OMR 329

$627 €547

36.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,821 OMR 1,086

$2,708 €2,361

4.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,613 OMR 621

$2,293 €1,999

-29.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,674 OMR 645

$776 €676

115.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

4.36

20.41%

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

Last update for Muscat: September 15, 2026

Last update for Peristeri: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $674 in Muscat and $520 in Peristeri. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Muscat pays 116% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $34.00 in Muscat vs $68.0 in Peristeri. Groceries flip the comparison at $286 vs $277, with Peristeri 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 Peristeri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Muscat and Peristeri differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($1,553 vs $1,456 including rent). Peristeri is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 116% higher in Muscat, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $674 in Muscat versus $520 in Peristeri. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Peristeri – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $34.00 in Muscat. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,553 per month in Muscat versus $1,456 in Peristeri – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,456 in Peristeri versus $1,553 in Muscat, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Peristeri but tight or insufficient in Muscat. The gap between the two cities makes Peristeri 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 Peristeri 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 Peristeri gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.