Cost of Living Comparison Between Nicosia and Sohar Cost of Living Comparison Between Nicosia and Sohar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,955 per month in Nicosia vs $1,437 in Sohar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,978 per month in Nicosia vs $2,112 in Sohar, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,002 per month in Nicosia vs $2,788 in Sohar, rent included.

Nicosia costs about 36% more than Sohar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Nicosia and Sohar sit above the global median – Nicosia by 42%, Sohar by 4%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.34 €14.95

$6.31 OMR 2.43

174.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €59.2

$20.77 OMR 8.00

230.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.57 €8.25

$8.98 OMR 3.45

6.57%

Cappuccino

$3.68 €3.17

$4.98 OMR 1.92

-26.10%

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

$1.87 €1.62

$0.65 OMR 0.25

187.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 €0.84

$0.30 OMR 0.12

223.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.62 €3.98

$13.23 OMR 5.09

-65.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 €5.08

$14.05 OMR 5.41

-58.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 €1.66

$2.19 OMR 0.84

-12.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 €1.74

$1.10 OMR 0.42

83.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 €2.65

$3.31 OMR 1.27

-7.25%

Eggs

$4.81 €4.15

$2.74 OMR 1.06

75.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.81 €11.91

$13.58 OMR 5.23

1.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.52 €8.21

$9.30 OMR 3.58

2.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.44 €11.59

$14.17 OMR 5.45

-5.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 €3.04

$3.32 OMR 1.28

6.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.12 OMR 0.82

-0.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 €2.28

$2.53 OMR 0.97

4.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.65 €3.15

$1.17 OMR 0.45

211.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.74 OMR 0.67

14.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 €1.42

$1.83 OMR 0.71

-9.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 €0.89

$1.71 OMR 0.66

-39.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.03

$0.91 OMR 0.35

30.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.91 €5.10

$5.83 OMR 2.24

1.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.32 €7.18

$26.03 OMR 10.02

-68.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 €1.55

$3.92 OMR 1.51

-54.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 €2.47

$8.36 OMR 3.22

-65.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 €2.38

$2.67 OMR 1.03

3.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.06 €40.56

$52.6 OMR 20.25

-10.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.36 €5.48

$3.19 OMR 1.23

99.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.54 OMR 0.59

34.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.61 €40.18

$10.34 OMR 3.98

350.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 €1.54

$0.65 OMR 0.25

173.85%

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

$34.6K €29.8K

$18.2K OMR 7,023

89.62%

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

$34.0K €29.3K

$20.4K OMR 7,853

66.56%

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

$213 €184

$102 OMR 39.31

108.73%

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

$21.39 €18.44

$28.74 OMR 11.06

-25.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.93 €30.11

$87.8 OMR 33.78

-60.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.0 €65.5

$49.22 OMR 18.94

54.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.70 €16.98

Cinema Ticket

$11.73 €10.11

$11.67 OMR 4.49

0.51%

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

$542 €468

$303 OMR 117

78.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,817 €8,462

$7,016 OMR 2,700

39.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.5

$51.7 OMR 19.90

103.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 €48.36

$43.92 OMR 16.90

27.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.1

$79.8 OMR 30.71

28.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €106

$47.18 OMR 18.16

159.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 €715

$491 OMR 189

69.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$731 €630

$383 OMR 147

90.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,796 €1,548

$824 OMR 317

117.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 €1,178

$684 OMR 263

99.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,172 €2,734

$1,164 OMR 448

172.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 €2,010

$765 OMR 294

204.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,909 €1,646

$2,513 OMR 967

-24.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

6.33

-29.23%

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

Last update for Nicosia: September 7, 2026

Last update for Sohar: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $829 in Nicosia versus $491 in Sohar. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 32% higher in Sohar, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Nicosia versus $21.00 in Sohar. Groceries tell a different story – $319 in Nicosia vs $347 in Sohar – so Nicosia wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Nicosia vs Sohar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,955 in Nicosia, $1,437 in Sohar – roughly 36% apart. Nicosia costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,932 per month in Nicosia and $2,156 in Sohar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sohar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $542 per month in Nicosia and $303 in Sohar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Nicosia – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sohar, where all-in costs run around $1,437, than in Nicosia at $1,955. In Sohar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nicosia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sohar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sohar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nicosia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.