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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,807 per month in Nicosia vs $1,428 in Sohar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,890 per month in Nicosia vs $2,124 in Sohar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,973 per month in Nicosia vs $2,820 in Sohar, rent included.

Nicosia costs about 27% more than Sohar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Nicosia and Sohar sit above the global median – Nicosia by 35%, Sohar by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.43 €15.25

$6.65 OMR 2.56

162.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 €61.5

$21.08 OMR 8.11

233.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.09 €7.07

$9.12 OMR 3.51

-11.29%

Cappuccino

$3.80 €3.33

$7.01 OMR 2.70

-45.79%

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

$1.51 €1.32

$0.64 OMR 0.25

135.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.76

$0.25 OMR 0.10

244.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.67 €4.09

$13.09 OMR 5.04

-64.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 €4.93

$14.16 OMR 5.45

-60.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.74

$2.27 OMR 0.87

-12.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.06 OMR 0.41

96.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.89 €2.53

$3.33 OMR 1.28

-13.21%

Eggs

$4.48 €3.92

$2.73 OMR 1.05

64.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.51 €11.82

$13.68 OMR 5.26

-1.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.40 €8.22

$8.89 OMR 3.42

5.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.49 €10.93

$14.06 OMR 5.41

-11.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 €2.56

$3.30 OMR 1.27

-11.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 €1.78

$2.10 OMR 0.81

-2.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 €1.91

$2.58 OMR 0.99

-15.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.20 €2.80

$1.17 OMR 0.45

173.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 €1.49

$1.75 OMR 0.67

-2.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 €1.46

$1.83 OMR 0.71

-9.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 €0.70

$1.74 OMR 0.67

-54.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.92

$0.98 OMR 0.38

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.81 €5.09

$5.85 OMR 2.25

-0.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.83 €6.85

$25.86 OMR 9.95

-69.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 €1.77

$3.96 OMR 1.52

-48.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 €2.69

$8.79 OMR 3.38

-65.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 €2.41

$2.62 OMR 1.01

5.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.7 €50.5

$51.3 OMR 19.74

12.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 €4.64

$3.34 OMR 1.28

58.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 €1.40

$1.60 OMR 0.62

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$53.0 €46.37

$10.37 OMR 3.99

411.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 €1.44

$0.60 OMR 0.23

173.33%

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

$30.3K €26.5K

$18.2K OMR 7,016

66.28%

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

$32.2K €28.2K

$20.6K OMR 7,923

56.54%

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

$217 €190

$102 OMR 39.11

113.17%

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

$21.91 €19.17

$29.28 OMR 11.27

-25.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.92 €30.55

$87.1 OMR 33.53

-59.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.7 €66.2

$52.4 OMR 20.15

44.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.13 €26.36

Cinema Ticket

$11.69 €10.23

$11.69 OMR 4.50

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

$489 €428

$267 OMR 103

83.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,438 €7,382

$7,155 OMR 2,754

17.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.3 €85.1

$50.6 OMR 19.48

92.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.3 €55.4

$43.88 OMR 16.89

44.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 €82.0

$80.2 OMR 30.88

16.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

$46.41 OMR 17.86

168.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 €688

$497 OMR 191

58.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 €556

$383 OMR 148

65.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,555 €1,361

$780 OMR 300

99.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 €1,121

$683 OMR 263

87.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,107 €2,718

$1,184 OMR 456

162.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,308 €2,019

$775 OMR 298

197.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,855 €1,623

$2,506 OMR 965

-25.96%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sohar: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Nicosia versus $497 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 35% 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 $70.0 in Nicosia versus $21.00 in Sohar. Groceries tell a different story – $303 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: $1,807 in Nicosia, $1,428 in Sohar – roughly 27% apart. Nicosia costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,710 per month in Nicosia and $2,142 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 $489 per month in Nicosia and $267 in Sohar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% 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 $1,428, than in Nicosia at $1,807. 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.