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: $1,331 in Muscat versus $1,086 in Salalah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,982 in Muscat versus $1,648 in Salalah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,633 in Muscat versus $2,209 in Salalah.

Living in Muscat is roughly 23% more expensive than Salalah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Muscat 1% lower, Salalah 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 OMR 2.04

$5.35 OMR 2.06

-1.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.39 OMR 10.16

$26.28 OMR 10.12

0.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 OMR 3.02

$12.82 OMR 4.93

-38.85%

Cappuccino

$4.95 OMR 1.90

$6.01 OMR 2.32

-17.64%

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

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$0.64 OMR 0.25

59.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 OMR 0.13

$0.25 OMR 0.10

36.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.16 OMR 4.68

$9.21 OMR 3.55

32.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.87 OMR 4.57

$10.59 OMR 4.08

12.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$1.69 OMR 0.65

18.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 OMR 0.46

$1.28 OMR 0.49

-6.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 OMR 0.65

$2.11 OMR 0.81

-19.43%

Eggs

$2.45 OMR 0.94

$1.95 OMR 0.75

25.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.84 OMR 1.48

$6.92 OMR 2.66

-44.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 OMR 1.98

$4.57 OMR 1.76

12.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.46 OMR 3.26

$8.90 OMR 3.43

-4.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 OMR 0.98

$2.13 OMR 0.82

19.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$1.11 OMR 0.43

54.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 OMR 0.68

$1.61 OMR 0.62

9.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 OMR 0.44

$1.20 OMR 0.46

-5.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 OMR 0.38

$1.14 OMR 0.44

-12.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$0.78 OMR 0.30

30.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$0.54 OMR 0.21

90.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 OMR 0.22

$0.58 OMR 0.22

-3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.22 OMR 2.39

$5.75 OMR 2.21

8.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.55 OMR 5.99

$19.58 OMR 7.54

-20.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.25 OMR 1.64

$3.88 OMR 1.49

9.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 OMR 3.04

$4.65 OMR 1.79

69.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.31 OMR 0.51

-3.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.3 OMR 23.99

$55.7 OMR 21.44

11.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.22

$2.25 OMR 0.87

40.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$1.27 OMR 0.49

-37.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 OMR 3.98

$11.58 OMR 4.46

-10.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

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

$22.8K OMR 8,778

$20.9K OMR 8,064

8.85%

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

$21.8K OMR 8,405

$18.0K OMR 6,917

21.53%

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

$107 OMR 41.32

$65.8 OMR 25.32

63.19%

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

$40.60 OMR 15.63

$49.61 OMR 19.10

-18.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 OMR 27.13

$76.6 OMR 29.48

-7.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.24 OMR 18.19

$93.7 OMR 36.09

-49.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.99 OMR 8.85

$26.21 OMR 10.09

-12.29%

Cinema Ticket

$10.47 OMR 4.03

$7.93 OMR 3.05

32.03%

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

$192 OMR 74.1

$111 OMR 42.88

72.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,757 OMR 3,756

$2,377 OMR 915

310.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 OMR 19.53

$27.90 OMR 10.74

81.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.51 OMR 15.21

$31.60 OMR 12.17

25.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 OMR 30.56

$64.5 OMR 24.82

23.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 OMR 34.66

$43.98 OMR 16.93

104.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 OMR 238

$255 OMR 98.1

142.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 OMR 158

$215 OMR 82.8

90.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 OMR 470

$492 OMR 189

148.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 OMR 281

$370 OMR 142

97.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,666 OMR 1,026

$1,991 OMR 766

33.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,552 OMR 597

$1,225 OMR 472

26.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,654 OMR 637

$1,753 OMR 675

-5.66%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Salalah: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Muscat and $255 in Salalah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salalah pays 6% 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 $231 vs $228, 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 23% in total monthly costs ($1,331 vs $1,086 including rent). Salalah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Salalah earns 6% 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 $255 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 $1,331 per month in Muscat versus $1,086 in Salalah – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,086 in Salalah versus $1,331 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 23% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.