Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Ruwi Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Ruwi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,331 in Muscat versus $493 in Ruwi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,982 in Muscat versus $753 in Ruwi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,633 in Muscat versus $1,013 in Ruwi.

Living in Muscat is roughly 170% more expensive than Ruwi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Muscat 1% lower, Ruwi 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 OMR 2.04

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.39 OMR 10.16

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 OMR 3.02

Cappuccino

$4.95 OMR 1.90

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

$1.02 OMR 0.39

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 OMR 0.13

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.16 OMR 4.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.87 OMR 4.57

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$1.97 OMR 0.76

1.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 OMR 0.46

$2.01 OMR 0.77

-40.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 OMR 0.65

$1.02 OMR 0.39

66.67%

Eggs

$2.45 OMR 0.94

$1.22 OMR 0.47

100.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.84 OMR 1.48

$2.05 OMR 0.79

87.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 OMR 1.98

$1.96 OMR 0.76

163.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.46 OMR 3.26

$4.92 OMR 1.90

71.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 OMR 0.98

$1.01 OMR 0.39

151.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$0.97 OMR 0.37

77.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 OMR 0.68

$0.98 OMR 0.38

80.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 OMR 0.44

$1.02 OMR 0.39

10.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 OMR 0.38

$0.99 OMR 0.38

1.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$0.98 OMR 0.38

5.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 OMR 0.22

$1.02 OMR 0.39

-45.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.22 OMR 2.39

Wine (Bottle)

$15.55 OMR 5.99

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.25 OMR 1.64

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 OMR 3.04

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.3 OMR 23.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.22

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 OMR 3.98

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

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

$22.8K OMR 8,778

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

$21.8K OMR 8,405

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

$107 OMR 41.32

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

$40.60 OMR 15.63

$26.00 OMR 10.01

56.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 OMR 27.13

$77.2 OMR 29.71

-8.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.24 OMR 18.19

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.99 OMR 8.85

Cinema Ticket

$10.47 OMR 4.03

$9.25 OMR 3.56

13.19%

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

$192 OMR 74.1

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,757 OMR 3,756

$13.2K OMR 5,080

-26.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 OMR 19.53

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.51 OMR 15.21

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 OMR 30.56

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 OMR 34.66

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 OMR 238

$391 OMR 151

58.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 OMR 158

$255 OMR 98.2

60.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 OMR 470

$920 OMR 354

32.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 OMR 281

$573 OMR 221

27.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,666 OMR 1,026

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,552 OMR 597

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,654 OMR 637

$2,566 OMR 988

-35.56%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ruwi: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Muscat and $391 in Ruwi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ruwi pays 55% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 170% in total monthly costs ($1,331 vs $493 including rent). Ruwi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Ruwi earns 55% less. 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: $619 in Muscat versus $391 in Ruwi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 95% higher in Muscat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,331 per month in Muscat versus $493 in Ruwi – a 170% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $493 in Ruwi versus $1,331 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 170% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.