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: $1,322 in Muscat versus $1,106 in Salalah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,928 in Muscat versus $1,665 in Salalah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,533 in Muscat versus $2,225 in Salalah.

Living in Muscat is roughly 20% more expensive than in Salalah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Muscat 1% lower, Salalah 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 OMR 2.04

$5.13 OMR 1.98

3.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.50 OMR 9.82

$25.64 OMR 9.87

-0.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 OMR 3.08

$13.10 OMR 5.04

-39.01%

Cappuccino

$4.86 OMR 1.87

$6.19 OMR 2.38

-21.49%

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

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$0.68 OMR 0.26

48.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 OMR 0.13

$0.25 OMR 0.10

36.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.41 OMR 4.78

$8.92 OMR 3.44

39.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.66 OMR 4.49

$10.37 OMR 3.99

12.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 OMR 0.76

$1.76 OMR 0.68

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 OMR 0.47

$1.27 OMR 0.49

-3.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 OMR 0.66

$2.02 OMR 0.78

-15.84%

Eggs

$2.42 OMR 0.93

$1.90 OMR 0.73

27.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.71 OMR 1.43

$6.73 OMR 2.59

-44.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 OMR 1.88

$4.65 OMR 1.79

5.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.27 OMR 3.18

$8.84 OMR 3.40

-6.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 OMR 0.97

$2.04 OMR 0.79

23.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$1.09 OMR 0.42

57.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 OMR 0.69

$1.59 OMR 0.61

11.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 OMR 0.44

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.12 OMR 0.43

-8.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$0.78 OMR 0.30

25.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 OMR 0.42

$0.54 OMR 0.21

101.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 OMR 0.20

$0.54 OMR 0.21

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 OMR 2.42

$5.88 OMR 2.26

6.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.71 OMR 6.05

$20.01 OMR 7.70

-21.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 OMR 1.68

$3.84 OMR 1.48

14.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 OMR 3.09

$4.82 OMR 1.85

66.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.28 OMR 0.49

-0.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 OMR 24.26

$54.3 OMR 20.89

16.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.22

$2.35 OMR 0.90

34.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$1.33 OMR 0.51

-39.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 OMR 3.92

$11.83 OMR 4.55

-13.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 OMR 0.25

$0.60 OMR 0.23

6.67%

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

$22.5K OMR 8,654

$21.1K OMR 8,114

6.65%

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

$21.5K OMR 8,279

$18.5K OMR 7,127

16.16%

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

$109 OMR 41.78

$63.8 OMR 24.55

70.24%

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

$40.41 OMR 15.55

$49.44 OMR 19.03

-18.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.5 OMR 26.38

$77.0 OMR 29.62

-10.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.75 OMR 18.76

$93.1 OMR 35.81

-47.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 OMR 8.94

$25.71 OMR 9.90

-9.65%

Cinema Ticket

$10.28 OMR 3.96

$8.03 OMR 3.09

28.02%

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

$190 OMR 73.0

$111 OMR 42.87

70.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K OMR 3,861

$2,399 OMR 923

318.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 OMR 19.62

$27.70 OMR 10.66

84.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.14 OMR 15.07

$30.71 OMR 11.82

27.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 OMR 29.87

$62.2 OMR 23.95

24.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 OMR 33.72

$42.75 OMR 16.46

104.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 OMR 237

$259 OMR 99.7

137.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 OMR 157

$208 OMR 80.2

95.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 OMR 478

$500 OMR 193

148.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 OMR 275

$367 OMR 141

94.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,866 OMR 1,103

$2,034 OMR 783

40.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,593 OMR 613

$1,218 OMR 469

30.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,576 OMR 607

$1,785 OMR 687

-11.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

4.58

12.45%

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

Last update for Muscat: July 13, 2026

Last update for Salalah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Muscat and $259 in Salalah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salalah pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Muscat vs $26.00 in Salalah. Groceries flip the comparison at $230 vs $227, with Salalah 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 Salalah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Muscat and Salalah differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($1,322 vs $1,106 including rent). Salalah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 13% 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: $616 in Muscat versus $259 in Salalah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Salalah – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $26.00 in Muscat. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,322 per month in Muscat versus $1,106 in Salalah – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,106 in Salalah versus $1,322 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 20% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.