Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Sur Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Sur

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,331 in Muscat versus $1,105 in Sur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,982 in Muscat versus $1,581 in Sur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,633 in Muscat versus $2,056 in Sur.

Living in Muscat is roughly 20% more expensive than Sur, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Muscat 1% lower, Sur 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 OMR 2.04

$3.86 OMR 1.49

37.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.39 OMR 10.16

$25.74 OMR 9.91

2.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 OMR 3.02

$7.74 OMR 2.98

1.29%

Cappuccino

$4.95 OMR 1.90

$4.85 OMR 1.87

2.06%

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

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$0.72 OMR 0.28

41.67%

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

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.87 OMR 4.57

$11.80 OMR 4.54

0.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$1.58 OMR 0.61

26.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 OMR 0.46

$1.22 OMR 0.47

-1.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 OMR 0.65

$1.74 OMR 0.67

-2.30%

Eggs

$2.45 OMR 0.94

$2.03 OMR 0.78

20.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.84 OMR 1.48

$3.82 OMR 1.47

0.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 OMR 1.98

$5.04 OMR 1.94

2.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.46 OMR 3.26

$8.29 OMR 3.19

2.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 OMR 0.98

$2.37 OMR 0.91

7.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$1.32 OMR 0.51

30.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 OMR 0.68

$1.06 OMR 0.41

66.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 OMR 0.44

$0.75 OMR 0.29

50.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 OMR 0.38

$0.77 OMR 0.29

29.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$0.54 OMR 0.21

88.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 OMR 0.22

$0.54 OMR 0.21

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.22 OMR 2.39

$6.36 OMR 2.45

-2.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.55 OMR 5.99

$15.81 OMR 6.09

-1.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.25 OMR 1.64

$4.32 OMR 1.66

-1.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 OMR 3.04

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.3 OMR 23.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.22

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 OMR 3.98

$10.55 OMR 4.06

-1.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

$0.58 OMR 0.22

3.45%

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

$22.8K OMR 8,778

$23.3K OMR 8,953

-1.96%

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

$21.8K OMR 8,405

$21.4K OMR 8,231

2.12%

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

$107 OMR 41.32

$79.8 OMR 30.73

34.47%

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

$40.60 OMR 15.63

$23.22 OMR 8.94

74.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 OMR 27.13

$70.3 OMR 27.05

0.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.24 OMR 18.19

$86.1 OMR 33.13

-45.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.99 OMR 8.85

Cinema Ticket

$10.47 OMR 4.03

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

$192 OMR 74.1

$195 OMR 75.0

-1.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,757 OMR 3,756

$6,463 OMR 2,488

50.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 OMR 19.53

$51.0 OMR 19.63

-0.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.51 OMR 15.21

$39.75 OMR 15.30

-0.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 OMR 30.56

$78.1 OMR 30.05

1.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 OMR 34.66

$87.6 OMR 33.73

2.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 OMR 238

$258 OMR 99.2

140.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 OMR 158

$265 OMR 102

54.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 OMR 470

$468 OMR 180

161.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 OMR 281

$391 OMR 150

86.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,666 OMR 1,026

$571 OMR 220

367.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,552 OMR 597

$522 OMR 201

197.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,654 OMR 637

$2,659 OMR 1,024

-37.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

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

Last update for Muscat: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sur: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Muscat and $258 in Sur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sur pays 61% 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 Sur. Groceries flip the comparison at $231 vs $215, with Sur 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 Sur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Muscat and Sur differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($1,331 vs $1,105 including rent). Sur is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Sur earns 61% 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 $258 in Sur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Muscat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,331 per month in Muscat versus $1,105 in Sur – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,105 in Sur versus $1,331 in Muscat, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sur but tight or insufficient in Muscat. The gap between the two cities makes Sur 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 Sur 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 Sur 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.