Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Ruwi

For one person, living is cheaper in Ruwi: $639 a month against $1,556 in Muscat, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 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

$1,556

/mo nomad

Ruwi

🇴🇲 Oman

$639

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Muscat and in Ruwi

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,556 in Muscat versus $639 in Ruwi.

Muscat $1,556
Ruwi $639

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,299 in Muscat versus $833 in Ruwi.

Muscat $2,299
Ruwi $833

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,042 in Muscat versus $1,028 in Ruwi.

Muscat $3,042
Ruwi $1,028

Living in Muscat is roughly 144% more expensive than in Ruwi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Muscat is 15% above, Ruwi is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.33 OMR 2.05

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.12 OMR 15.06

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 OMR 2.99

Cappuccino

$4.93 OMR 1.90

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

$0.85 OMR 0.33

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.87 OMR 4.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.07 OMR 5.03

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 OMR 0.89

$1.99 OMR 0.77

16.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 OMR 0.48

$1.98 OMR 0.76

-37.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 OMR 0.72

$0.99 OMR 0.38

88.89%

Eggs

$3.02 OMR 1.16

$1.17 OMR 0.45

158.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 OMR 2.78

$2.03 OMR 0.78

256.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.91 OMR 2.66

$2.05 OMR 0.79

237.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.57 OMR 4.07

$4.93 OMR 1.90

114.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 OMR 1.35

$0.98 OMR 0.38

258.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 OMR 0.77

$1.02 OMR 0.39

97.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 OMR 0.90

$1.02 OMR 0.39

128.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 OMR 0.49

$1.03 OMR 0.40

22.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 OMR 0.44

$0.99 OMR 0.38

17.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 OMR 0.49

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 OMR 0.69

$0.98 OMR 0.38

82.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 OMR 0.26

$1.02 OMR 0.39

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.62 OMR 2.55

Wine (Bottle)

$15.83 OMR 6.09

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$6.03 OMR 2.32

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.33 OMR 3.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.33 OMR 0.51

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 OMR 30.00

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 OMR 1.23

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 OMR 1.01

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 OMR 3.01

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

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

$25.9K OMR 9,986

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

$22.4K OMR 8,624

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

$176 OMR 67.9

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

$28.30 OMR 10.90

$25.53 OMR 9.83

10.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.9 OMR 27.28

$79.3 OMR 30.55

-10.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.7 OMR 24.14

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.94 OMR 11.53

Cinema Ticket

$10.52 OMR 4.05

$8.97 OMR 3.45

17.28%

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

$283 OMR 109

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K OMR 4,070

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.6 OMR 21.79

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.33 OMR 16.68

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 OMR 35.08

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 OMR 33.28

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$674 OMR 260

$396 OMR 152

70.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$461 OMR 177

$397 OMR 153

16.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,324 OMR 510

$901 OMR 347

46.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$813 OMR 313

$581 OMR 224

39.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 OMR 1,105

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,614 OMR 621

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,650 OMR 635

$4,398 OMR 1,693

-62.50%

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 11, 2026

Last update for Ruwi: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Muscat

$461 29.6%

Ruwi

–

Groceries & Markets

Muscat

$292 18.8%

Ruwi

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Muscat

$275 17.7%

Ruwi

–

Eating Out

Muscat

$220 14.1%

Ruwi

–

Clothing & Footwear

Muscat

$125 8%

Ruwi

–

Getting Around

Muscat

$100 6.4%

Ruwi

–

Sport & Entertainment

Muscat

$84 5.4%

Ruwi

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $674 in Muscat and $396 in Ruwi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ruwi pays 167% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Good to know

🇴🇲 Muscat

🇴🇲 Ruwi

🕒 Local time

12:41 12:41 PM

Same time as Muscat

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,090,797 Capital

💱 Currency

Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.

📈 Exchange rate

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.31 EUR

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.31 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Muscat Ruwi 17 km

From you

Muscat
Ruwi

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 Ruwi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Muscat and Ruwi differ by about 144% in total monthly costs ($1,556 vs $639 including rent). Ruwi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 167% lower in Ruwi. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $674 in Muscat versus $396 in Ruwi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 146% higher in Muscat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,556 per month in Muscat versus $639 in Ruwi – a 144% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $639 in Ruwi versus $1,556 in Muscat, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ruwi but tight or insufficient in Muscat. The gap between the two cities makes Ruwi 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 Ruwi 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 Ruwi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 144% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.