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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,805 per month in Nicosia vs $1,441 in Sohar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,912 per month in Nicosia vs $2,151 in Sohar, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,018 per month in Nicosia vs $2,862 in Sohar, rent included.

Nicosia costs about 25% more than Sohar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Nicosia and Sohar sit above the global median – Nicosia by 35%, Sohar by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 €15.23

$6.53 OMR 2.51

170.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.6 €59.1

$21.05 OMR 8.10

225.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 €7.08

$8.87 OMR 3.41

-7.33%

Cappuccino

$3.88 €3.34

$6.62 OMR 2.55

-41.39%

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

$1.57 €1.35

$0.65 OMR 0.25

141.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 €0.75

$0.27 OMR 0.10

222.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.57 €3.93

$12.74 OMR 4.91

-64.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 €4.97

$14.10 OMR 5.43

-59.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 €1.70

$2.24 OMR 0.86

-12.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.11 OMR 0.43

86.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$3.22 OMR 1.24

-13.98%

Eggs

$4.51 €3.88

$2.82 OMR 1.09

59.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.67 €11.77

$13.59 OMR 5.23

0.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.03 €7.78

$9.31 OMR 3.58

-3.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.89 €11.10

$14.40 OMR 5.54

-10.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 €2.46

$3.21 OMR 1.24

-10.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 €1.75

$2.11 OMR 0.81

-3.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 €1.96

$2.55 OMR 0.98

-10.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.20 €2.75

$1.18 OMR 0.46

171.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.74 OMR 0.67

-2.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.86 OMR 0.72

-6.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.72 OMR 0.66

-50.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 €0.87

$0.99 OMR 0.38

2.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.70 €4.90

$6.14 OMR 2.36

-7.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 €7.10

$26.43 OMR 10.18

-68.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 €1.83

$4.00 OMR 1.54

-47.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.59

$8.47 OMR 3.26

-64.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.72 €2.34

$2.66 OMR 1.02

2.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.4 €50.3

$51.9 OMR 20.00

12.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 €4.58

$3.16 OMR 1.21

68.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 €1.32

$1.53 OMR 0.59

0.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 €45.25

$10.51 OMR 4.05

399.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 €1.41

$0.60 OMR 0.23

173.33%

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

$30.2K €26.0K

$18.1K OMR 6,963

67.00%

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

$32.3K €27.8K

$20.8K OMR 8,000

55.45%

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

$217 €186

$101 OMR 38.93

114.11%

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

$22.21 €19.13

$29.04 OMR 11.18

-23.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.90 €30.91

$87.4 OMR 33.63

-58.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 €64.3

$51.6 OMR 19.86

44.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.42 €26.20

Cinema Ticket

$11.38 €9.80

$11.78 OMR 4.54

-3.40%

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

$481 €414

$269 OMR 104

78.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,428 €7,258

$7,119 OMR 2,741

18.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.2 €82.0

$51.6 OMR 19.88

84.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.2 €53.6

$43.42 OMR 16.72

43.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 €82.1

$78.3 OMR 30.14

21.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$46.95 OMR 18.08

164.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$771 €664

$485 OMR 187

59.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$637 €549

$388 OMR 149

64.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 €1,308

$753 OMR 290

101.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 €1,108

$669 OMR 257

92.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,191 €2,748

$1,154 OMR 444

176.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,414 €2,078

$774 OMR 298

211.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,891 €1,629

$2,455 OMR 945

-22.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

5.62

-14.59%

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

Last update for Nicosia: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sohar: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $771 in Nicosia versus $485 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 30% 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 – $303 in Nicosia vs $351 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: $1,805 in Nicosia, $1,441 in Sohar – roughly 25% apart. Nicosia costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,708 per month in Nicosia and $2,161 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 $481 per month in Nicosia and $269 in Sohar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% 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 $1,441, than in Nicosia at $1,805. 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.