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: $1,525 in Muscat versus $1,430 in Sohar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,272 in Muscat versus $2,090 in Sohar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,019 in Muscat versus $2,750 in Sohar.

Living in Muscat is roughly 7% more expensive than in Sohar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Muscat 11% above, Sohar 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 OMR 2.06

$6.56 OMR 2.53

-18.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.00 OMR 13.09

$20.53 OMR 7.90

65.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.74 OMR 2.98

$8.86 OMR 3.41

-12.64%

Cappuccino

$4.73 OMR 1.82

$4.89 OMR 1.88

-3.27%

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

$0.86 OMR 0.33

$0.69 OMR 0.27

24.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 OMR 0.11

$0.28 OMR 0.11

3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.07 OMR 5.03

$13.04 OMR 5.02

0.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.79 OMR 4.92

$14.15 OMR 5.45

-9.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 OMR 0.87

$2.20 OMR 0.85

2.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 OMR 0.48

$1.07 OMR 0.41

16.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 OMR 0.73

$3.18 OMR 1.22

-40.25%

Eggs

$2.94 OMR 1.13

$2.83 OMR 1.09

3.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.65 OMR 2.94

$13.76 OMR 5.30

-44.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 OMR 2.53

$9.08 OMR 3.49

-27.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.54 OMR 4.06

$14.25 OMR 5.49

-26.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 OMR 1.31

$3.25 OMR 1.25

4.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$2.13 OMR 0.82

-6.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 OMR 0.89

$2.49 OMR 0.96

-6.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 OMR 0.46

$1.21 OMR 0.47

-0.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 OMR 0.47

$1.80 OMR 0.69

-32.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 OMR 0.50

$1.77 OMR 0.68

-27.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 OMR 0.69

$1.71 OMR 0.66

5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 OMR 0.26

$0.93 OMR 0.36

-27.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 OMR 2.43

$5.90 OMR 2.27

6.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.43 OMR 5.94

$26.28 OMR 10.12

-41.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.68 OMR 2.19

$3.86 OMR 1.49

47.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.72 OMR 3.36

$8.61 OMR 3.31

1.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 OMR 0.49

$2.54 OMR 0.98

-49.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.7 OMR 29.52

$51.5 OMR 19.81

48.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 OMR 1.24

$3.22 OMR 1.24

-0.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 OMR 1.00

$1.52 OMR 0.58

70.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 OMR 3.01

$10.30 OMR 3.97

-24.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 OMR 0.23

$0.59 OMR 0.23

3.39%

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

$25.1K OMR 9,665

$18.1K OMR 6,959

38.88%

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

$22.2K OMR 8,564

$20.1K OMR 7,727

10.84%

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

$170 OMR 65.5

$104 OMR 40.01

63.56%

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

$30.94 OMR 11.91

$29.51 OMR 11.36

4.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 OMR 26.92

$89.7 OMR 34.53

-22.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.7 OMR 24.14

$48.03 OMR 18.49

30.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.20 OMR 11.24

Cinema Ticket

$10.34 OMR 3.98

$11.87 OMR 4.57

-12.89%

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

$289 OMR 111

$301 OMR 116

-3.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K OMR 4,110

$6,971 OMR 2,684

53.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 OMR 21.42

$50.5 OMR 19.43

10.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.19 OMR 16.63

$44.86 OMR 17.27

-3.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 OMR 35.43

$78.5 OMR 30.21

17.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.0 OMR 36.95

$45.98 OMR 17.70

108.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 OMR 259

$486 OMR 187

38.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 OMR 175

$379 OMR 146

20.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,366 OMR 526

$806 OMR 310

69.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$857 OMR 330

$682 OMR 263

25.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,835 OMR 1,092

$1,188 OMR 457

138.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,595 OMR 614

$784 OMR 302

103.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,660 OMR 639

$2,465 OMR 949

-32.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

6.33

-17.06%

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

Last update for Muscat: September 1, 2026

Last update for Sohar: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $673 in Muscat and $486 in Sohar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sohar pays 48% 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 $21.00 in Sohar. Groceries flip the comparison at $284 vs $347, 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 7% in total monthly costs ($1,525 vs $1,430 including rent). Sohar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 48% lower in Sohar. 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 $486 in Sohar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sohar – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $34.00 in Muscat. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,525 per month in Muscat versus $1,430 in Sohar – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,430 in Sohar versus $1,525 in Muscat, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sohar but tight or insufficient in Muscat. The gap between the two cities makes Sohar 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 Sohar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.