Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Sohar Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Sohar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,331 in Muscat versus $1,441 in Sohar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,982 in Muscat versus $2,151 in Sohar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,633 in Muscat versus $2,862 in Sohar.

Living in Muscat costs roughly 8% less than in Sohar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Muscat is 1% below, Sohar is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 OMR 2.04

$6.53 OMR 2.51

-18.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.39 OMR 10.16

$21.05 OMR 8.10

25.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 OMR 3.02

$8.87 OMR 3.41

-11.61%

Cappuccino

$4.95 OMR 1.90

$6.62 OMR 2.55

-25.23%

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

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$0.65 OMR 0.25

56.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 OMR 0.13

$0.27 OMR 0.10

25.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.16 OMR 4.68

$12.74 OMR 4.91

-4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.87 OMR 4.57

$14.10 OMR 5.43

-15.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$2.24 OMR 0.86

-10.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 OMR 0.46

$1.11 OMR 0.43

8.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 OMR 0.65

$3.22 OMR 1.24

-47.20%

Eggs

$2.45 OMR 0.94

$2.82 OMR 1.09

-13.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.84 OMR 1.48

$13.59 OMR 5.23

-71.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 OMR 1.98

$9.31 OMR 3.58

-44.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.46 OMR 3.26

$14.40 OMR 5.54

-41.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 OMR 0.98

$3.21 OMR 1.24

-20.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$2.11 OMR 0.81

-18.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 OMR 0.68

$2.55 OMR 0.98

-30.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 OMR 0.44

$1.18 OMR 0.46

-4.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 OMR 0.38

$1.74 OMR 0.67

-42.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.86 OMR 0.72

-45.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$1.72 OMR 0.66

-40.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 OMR 0.22

$0.99 OMR 0.38

-43.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.22 OMR 2.39

$6.14 OMR 2.36

1.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.55 OMR 5.99

$26.43 OMR 10.18

-41.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.25 OMR 1.64

$4.00 OMR 1.54

6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 OMR 3.04

$8.47 OMR 3.26

-6.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$2.66 OMR 1.02

-52.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.3 OMR 23.99

$51.9 OMR 20.00

19.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.22

$3.16 OMR 1.21

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$1.53 OMR 0.59

-47.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 OMR 3.98

$10.51 OMR 4.05

-1.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

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

$22.8K OMR 8,778

$18.1K OMR 6,963

26.06%

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

$21.8K OMR 8,405

$20.8K OMR 8,000

5.07%

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

$107 OMR 41.32

$101 OMR 38.93

6.14%

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

$40.60 OMR 15.63

$29.04 OMR 11.18

39.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 OMR 27.13

$87.4 OMR 33.63

-19.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.24 OMR 18.19

$51.6 OMR 19.86

-8.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.99 OMR 8.85

Cinema Ticket

$10.47 OMR 4.03

$11.78 OMR 4.54

-11.12%

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

$192 OMR 74.1

$269 OMR 104

-28.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,757 OMR 3,756

$7,119 OMR 2,741

37.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 OMR 19.53

$51.6 OMR 19.88

-1.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.51 OMR 15.21

$43.42 OMR 16.72

-9.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 OMR 30.56

$78.3 OMR 30.14

1.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 OMR 34.66

$46.95 OMR 18.08

91.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 OMR 238

$485 OMR 187

27.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 OMR 158

$388 OMR 149

5.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 OMR 470

$753 OMR 290

62.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 OMR 281

$669 OMR 257

9.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,666 OMR 1,026

$1,154 OMR 444

131.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,552 OMR 597

$774 OMR 298

100.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,654 OMR 637

$2,455 OMR 945

-32.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

5.62

-8.36%

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

Last update for Muscat: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sohar: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Muscat and $485 in Sohar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sohar pays 48% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $26.00 in Muscat vs $21.00 in Sohar. Groceries flip the comparison at $231 vs $351, with Muscat 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 Sohar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Muscat and Sohar differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,331 vs $1,441 including rent). Muscat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Sohar earns 48% 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 $485 in Sohar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Muscat – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $21.00 in Sohar. 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 $1,441 in Sohar – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,331 in Muscat versus $1,441 in Sohar, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Muscat but tight or insufficient in Sohar. The gap between the two cities makes Muscat 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 Sohar 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 Muscat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Sohar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.