Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Saham Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Saham

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,338 in Muscat versus $798 in Saham.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,954 in Muscat versus $1,208 in Saham.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,569 in Muscat versus $1,618 in Saham.

Living in Muscat is roughly 68% more expensive than in Saham, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Muscat is 1% above, Saham is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.26 OMR 2.02

$5.30 OMR 2.04

-0.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.76 OMR 9.92

$26.47 OMR 10.19

-2.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.85 OMR 3.02

$7.92 OMR 3.05

-0.88%

Cappuccino

$4.83 OMR 1.86

$5.01 OMR 1.93

-3.59%

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

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$1.05 OMR 0.40

-3.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 OMR 0.12

$0.34 OMR 0.13

-5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.40 OMR 4.77

$12.19 OMR 4.69

1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.90 OMR 4.58

$11.50 OMR 4.43

3.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 OMR 0.76

$2.00 OMR 0.77

-1.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 OMR 0.48

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 OMR 0.67

$1.68 OMR 0.65

3.57%

Eggs

$2.37 OMR 0.91

$2.38 OMR 0.92

-0.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.76 OMR 1.45

$3.68 OMR 1.42

2.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 OMR 1.91

$4.99 OMR 1.92

-0.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.57 OMR 3.30

$8.35 OMR 3.21

2.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 OMR 0.96

$2.53 OMR 0.98

-0.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 OMR 0.64

$1.66 OMR 0.64

-0.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 OMR 0.68

$1.84 OMR 0.71

-4.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 OMR 0.45

$1.14 OMR 0.44

2.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$0.96 OMR 0.37

6.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 OMR 0.40

$1.05 OMR 0.40

-0.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 OMR 0.22

$0.53 OMR 0.20

7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.23 OMR 2.40

$6.54 OMR 2.52

-4.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.50 OMR 5.96

$15.78 OMR 6.07

-1.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 OMR 1.60

$4.25 OMR 1.63

-1.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 OMR 3.04

$8.00 OMR 3.08

-1.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 OMR 0.51

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.7 OMR 23.76

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 OMR 1.22

$3.18 OMR 1.22

-0.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 OMR 0.31

$0.79 OMR 0.30

3.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.49 OMR 4.04

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

$0.61 OMR 0.23

-1.64%

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

$22.9K OMR 8,820

$23.1K OMR 8,895

-0.84%

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

$22.0K OMR 8,472

$21.5K OMR 8,267

2.47%

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

$106 OMR 40.64

$107 OMR 41.14

-1.22%

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

$41.28 OMR 15.89

$40.40 OMR 15.55

2.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 OMR 26.92

$68.6 OMR 26.39

2.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.51 OMR 18.67

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.39 OMR 9.00

Cinema Ticket

$10.54 OMR 4.06

$10.58 OMR 4.07

-0.38%

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

$193 OMR 74.3

$196 OMR 75.4

-1.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,748 OMR 3,752

$9,807 OMR 3,775

-0.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.70 OMR 19.13

$50.2 OMR 19.31

-0.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.31 OMR 15.13

$38.72 OMR 14.90

1.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 OMR 30.49

$79.0 OMR 30.40

0.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 OMR 34.76

$87.3 OMR 33.58

3.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 OMR 238

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 OMR 156

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 OMR 478

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$734 OMR 282

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,884 OMR 1,110

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,603 OMR 617

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,588 OMR 611

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 28, 2026

Last update for Saham: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $26.00 in Muscat vs $26.00 in Saham for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $229 vs $230 per month, with Muscat cheaper across the board.

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 Saham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Muscat and Saham differ by about 68% in total monthly costs ($1,338 vs $798 including rent). Saham is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,007 in Muscat and $1,196 in Saham 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.

Shoppers in Muscat pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,338 per month in Muscat versus $798 in Saham – a 68% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $798 in Saham versus $1,338 in Muscat, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Saham but tight or insufficient in Muscat. The gap between the two cities makes Saham 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 Saham 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 Saham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.