Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nizwa and Muscat

For one person, living is cheaper in Nizwa: $44.08 a month against $1,549 in Muscat, rent and utilities included – about $18,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Muscat
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Muscat Living Index

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Nizwa

🇴🇲 Oman

$44.08

/mo nomad

Muscat

🇴🇲 Oman

$1,549

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nizwa and in Muscat

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nizwa and in Muscat actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $44 in Nizwa versus $1,549 in Muscat.

Nizwa $44
Muscat $1,549

Estimated couple costs with rent: $65 in Nizwa versus $2,294 in Muscat.

Nizwa $65
Muscat $2,294

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $86 in Nizwa versus $3,038 in Muscat.

Nizwa $86
Muscat $3,038

Living in Nizwa costs roughly 97% less than in Muscat, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nizwa is 97% below, Muscat is 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.21 OMR 2.01

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.54 OMR 15.22

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 OMR 3.02

Cappuccino

$4.96 OMR 1.91

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

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$0.85 OMR 0.33

24.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.99 OMR 5.00

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.02 OMR 5.01

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 OMR 0.89

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 OMR 0.47

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 OMR 0.72

Eggs

$2.89 OMR 1.11

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.12 OMR 2.74

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 OMR 2.64

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.54 OMR 4.06

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 OMR 1.38

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 OMR 0.78

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 OMR 0.89

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 OMR 0.51

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 OMR 0.45

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 OMR 0.50

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 OMR 0.72

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 OMR 0.26

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.64 OMR 2.56

Wine (Bottle)

$15.54 OMR 5.98

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.78 OMR 2.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.16 OMR 3.91

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 OMR 0.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.6 OMR 30.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 OMR 1.23

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 OMR 1.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 OMR 2.98

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 OMR 0.25

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

$25.5K OMR 9,821

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

$20.9K OMR 8,025

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

$182 OMR 70.0

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

$30.88 OMR 11.89

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.4 OMR 26.70

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.77 OMR 14.92

$61.3 OMR 23.58

-36.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.84 OMR 11.48

Cinema Ticket

$10.51 OMR 4.04

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

$283 OMR 109

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K OMR 4,088

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 OMR 21.32

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.74 OMR 16.84

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 OMR 34.00

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.2 OMR 33.57

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$685 OMR 263

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 OMR 174

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 OMR 502

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 OMR 311

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,866 OMR 1,103

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,643 OMR 632

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,656 OMR 638

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

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

Last update for Nizwa: October 19, 2026

Last update for Muscat: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Nizwa

–

Muscat

$451 29.1%

Groceries & Markets

Nizwa

–

Muscat

$289 18.7%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nizwa

–

Muscat

$282 18.2%

Eating Out

Nizwa

–

Muscat

$220 14.2%

Clothing & Footwear

Nizwa

–

Muscat

$124 8%

Getting Around

Nizwa

–

Muscat

$100 6.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Nizwa

–

Muscat

$82 5.3%

Good to know

🇴🇲 Nizwa

🇴🇲 Muscat

🕒 Local time

23:35 11:35 PM

Same time as Nizwa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

700,000

1,090,797 Capital

💱 Currency

Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.

📈 Exchange rate

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.32 EUR

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.32 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Nizwa Muscat 110 km

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Nizwa
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Nizwa vs Muscat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nizwa and Muscat differ by about 3413% in total monthly costs ($44 vs $1,549 including rent). Nizwa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You’d need roughly $66 in Nizwa and $2,323 in Muscat to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

At $44 in Nizwa versus $1,549 in Muscat, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nizwa but tight or insufficient in Muscat. The gap between the two cities makes Nizwa 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, Nizwa and Muscat are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.