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: $1,322 in Muscat versus $1,428 in Sohar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,928 in Muscat versus $2,124 in Sohar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,533 in Muscat versus $2,820 in Sohar.

Living in Muscat costs roughly 7% less than in Sohar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Muscat is 1% below, Sohar is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 OMR 2.04

$6.65 OMR 2.56

-20.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.50 OMR 9.82

$21.08 OMR 8.11

20.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 OMR 3.08

$9.12 OMR 3.51

-12.39%

Cappuccino

$4.86 OMR 1.87

$7.01 OMR 2.70

-30.67%

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

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$0.64 OMR 0.25

57.81%

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

$13.09 OMR 5.04

-5.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.66 OMR 4.49

$14.16 OMR 5.45

-17.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 OMR 0.76

$2.27 OMR 0.87

-12.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 OMR 0.47

$1.06 OMR 0.41

16.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 OMR 0.66

$3.33 OMR 1.28

-48.95%

Eggs

$2.42 OMR 0.93

$2.73 OMR 1.05

-11.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.71 OMR 1.43

$13.68 OMR 5.26

-72.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 OMR 1.88

$8.89 OMR 3.42

-44.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.27 OMR 3.18

$14.06 OMR 5.41

-41.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 OMR 0.97

$3.30 OMR 1.27

-23.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$2.10 OMR 0.81

-18.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 OMR 0.69

$2.58 OMR 0.99

-31.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 OMR 0.44

$1.17 OMR 0.45

-2.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.75 OMR 0.67

-41.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$1.83 OMR 0.71

-46.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 OMR 0.42

$1.74 OMR 0.67

-37.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 OMR 0.20

$0.98 OMR 0.38

-46.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 OMR 2.42

$5.85 OMR 2.25

7.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.71 OMR 6.05

$25.86 OMR 9.95

-39.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 OMR 1.68

$3.96 OMR 1.52

10.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 OMR 3.09

$8.79 OMR 3.38

-8.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$2.62 OMR 1.01

-51.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 OMR 24.26

$51.3 OMR 19.74

22.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.22

$3.34 OMR 1.28

-5.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$1.60 OMR 0.62

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 OMR 3.92

$10.37 OMR 3.99

-1.64%

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

$18.2K OMR 7,016

23.35%

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

$21.5K OMR 8,279

$20.6K OMR 7,923

4.50%

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

$109 OMR 41.78

$102 OMR 39.11

6.84%

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

$40.41 OMR 15.55

$29.28 OMR 11.27

38.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.5 OMR 26.38

$87.1 OMR 33.53

-21.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.75 OMR 18.76

$52.4 OMR 20.15

-6.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 OMR 8.94

Cinema Ticket

$10.28 OMR 3.96

$11.69 OMR 4.50

-12.06%

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

$190 OMR 73.0

$267 OMR 103

-28.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K OMR 3,861

$7,155 OMR 2,754

40.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 OMR 19.62

$50.6 OMR 19.48

0.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.14 OMR 15.07

$43.88 OMR 16.89

-10.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 OMR 29.87

$80.2 OMR 30.88

-3.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 OMR 33.72

$46.41 OMR 17.86

88.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 OMR 237

$497 OMR 191

23.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 OMR 157

$383 OMR 148

6.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 OMR 478

$780 OMR 300

59.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 OMR 275

$683 OMR 263

4.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,866 OMR 1,103

$1,184 OMR 456

142.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,593 OMR 613

$775 OMR 298

105.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,576 OMR 607

$2,506 OMR 965

-37.10%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sohar: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Muscat and $497 in Sohar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sohar pays 59% 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 $230 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 8% in total monthly costs ($1,322 vs $1,428 including rent). Muscat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 59% 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: $616 in Muscat versus $497 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 $1,322 per month in Muscat versus $1,428 in Sohar – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,322 in Muscat versus $1,428 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.