Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Salalah Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Salalah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,525 in Muscat versus $1,022 in Salalah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,272 in Muscat versus $1,542 in Salalah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,019 in Muscat versus $2,061 in Salalah.

Living in Muscat is roughly 49% more expensive than in Salalah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Muscat is 11% above, Salalah is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 OMR 2.06

$5.28 OMR 2.03

1.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.00 OMR 13.09

$26.36 OMR 10.15

28.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.74 OMR 2.98

$13.14 OMR 5.06

-41.10%

Cappuccino

$4.73 OMR 1.82

$6.29 OMR 2.42

-24.80%

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

$0.86 OMR 0.33

$0.85 OMR 0.33

1.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 OMR 0.11

$0.27 OMR 0.10

7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.07 OMR 5.03

$8.90 OMR 3.43

46.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.79 OMR 4.92

$10.43 OMR 4.02

22.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 OMR 0.87

$2.00 OMR 0.77

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 OMR 0.48

$1.21 OMR 0.47

3.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 OMR 0.73

$2.67 OMR 1.03

-28.84%

Eggs

$2.94 OMR 1.13

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.65 OMR 2.94

$4.62 OMR 1.78

65.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 OMR 2.53

$4.63 OMR 1.78

41.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.54 OMR 4.06

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 OMR 1.31

$1.94 OMR 0.75

75.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$1.80 OMR 0.69

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 OMR 0.89

$2.12 OMR 0.82

9.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 OMR 0.46

$1.87 OMR 0.72

-35.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 OMR 0.47

$1.44 OMR 0.55

-15.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 OMR 0.50

$1.02 OMR 0.39

26.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 OMR 0.69

$1.09 OMR 0.42

65.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 OMR 0.26

$0.49 OMR 0.19

36.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 OMR 2.43

$5.94 OMR 2.29

6.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.43 OMR 5.94

$20.10 OMR 7.74

-23.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.68 OMR 2.19

$3.88 OMR 1.50

46.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.72 OMR 3.36

$4.82 OMR 1.85

80.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 OMR 0.49

$1.32 OMR 0.51

-2.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.7 OMR 29.52

$55.0 OMR 21.17

39.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 OMR 1.24

$2.23 OMR 0.86

43.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 OMR 1.00

$1.27 OMR 0.49

103.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 OMR 3.01

$11.51 OMR 4.43

-32.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 OMR 0.23

$0.63 OMR 0.24

-3.17%

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

$25.1K OMR 9,665

$21.1K OMR 8,121

19.01%

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

$22.2K OMR 8,564

$18.2K OMR 6,998

22.38%

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

$170 OMR 65.5

$79.6 OMR 30.63

113.64%

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

$30.94 OMR 11.91

$48.86 OMR 18.81

-36.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 OMR 26.92

$73.1 OMR 28.14

-4.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.7 OMR 24.14

$39.76 OMR 15.31

57.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.20 OMR 11.24

$25.79 OMR 9.93

13.22%

Cinema Ticket

$10.34 OMR 3.98

$7.76 OMR 2.99

33.25%

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

$289 OMR 111

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K OMR 4,110

$1,912 OMR 736

458.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 OMR 21.42

$28.56 OMR 11.00

94.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.19 OMR 16.63

$30.61 OMR 11.78

41.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 OMR 35.43

$57.4 OMR 22.10

60.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.0 OMR 36.95

$45.61 OMR 17.56

110.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 OMR 259

$248 OMR 95.6

171.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 OMR 175

$206 OMR 79.4

120.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,366 OMR 526

$621 OMR 239

120.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$857 OMR 330

$393 OMR 151

118.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,835 OMR 1,092

$2,001 OMR 770

41.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,595 OMR 614

$1,246 OMR 480

28.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,660 OMR 639

$1,813 OMR 698

-8.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

4.58

14.63%

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

Last update for Muscat: September 1, 2026

Last update for Salalah: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $673 in Muscat and $248 in Salalah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salalah pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Muscat vs $26.00 in Salalah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $284 vs $204 per month, with Salalah 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 Salalah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Muscat and Salalah differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($1,525 vs $1,022 including rent). Salalah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Salalah. 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: $673 in Muscat versus $248 in Salalah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Muscat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,525 per month in Muscat versus $1,022 in Salalah – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,022 in Salalah versus $1,525 in Muscat, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Salalah but tight or insufficient in Muscat. The gap between the two cities makes Salalah 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 Salalah 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 Salalah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.