Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nizwa and Salalah

For one person, living is cheaper in Nizwa: $44.08 a month against $1,063 in Salalah, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Salalah
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Salalah Living Index

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Nizwa

🇴🇲 Oman

$44.08

/mo nomad

Salalah

🇴🇲 Oman

$1,063

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nizwa and in Salalah

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 Salalah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $44 in Nizwa versus $1,063 in Salalah.

Nizwa $44
Salalah $1,063

Estimated couple costs with rent: $65 in Nizwa versus $1,594 in Salalah.

Nizwa $65
Salalah $1,594

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $86 in Nizwa versus $2,126 in Salalah.

Nizwa $86
Salalah $2,126

Living in Nizwa costs roughly 96% less than in Salalah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nizwa 97% lower, Salalah 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.16 OMR 1.99

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.54 OMR 9.83

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.96 OMR 4.99

Cappuccino

$6.10 OMR 2.35

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

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$0.84 OMR 0.32

26.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.25 OMR 0.10

8.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.27 OMR 3.57

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.23 OMR 3.94

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 OMR 0.76

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 OMR 0.49

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 OMR 0.99

Eggs

$1.83 OMR 0.70

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.62 OMR 1.78

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.75 OMR 1.83

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.58 OMR 2.53

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 OMR 0.76

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 OMR 0.69

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 OMR 0.82

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 OMR 0.68

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 OMR 0.58

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 OMR 0.20

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.80 OMR 2.23

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 OMR 7.65

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.91 OMR 1.51

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 OMR 1.75

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.33 OMR 0.51

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.0 OMR 20.77

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 OMR 0.89

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 OMR 0.52

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.58 OMR 4.46

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 OMR 0.24

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

$21.0K OMR 8,097

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

$18.5K OMR 7,118

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

$77.6 OMR 29.85

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

$49.07 OMR 18.89

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.3 OMR 28.59

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.77 OMR 14.92

$39.43 OMR 15.18

-1.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.59 OMR 9.85

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 OMR 2.97

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

$102 OMR 39.41

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,918 OMR 738

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.32 OMR 10.90

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.30 OMR 12.05

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.7 OMR 22.57

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.44 OMR 17.49

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 OMR 93.4

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 OMR 80.6

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 OMR 248

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 OMR 150

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,027 OMR 780

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,243 OMR 478

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,778 OMR 684

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.58

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

Last update for Nizwa: October 19, 2026

Last update for Salalah: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Nizwa

–

Salalah

$231 21.7%

Eating Out

Nizwa

–

Salalah

$225 21.1%

Accommodation & Living

Nizwa

–

Salalah

$209 19.7%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nizwa

–

Salalah

$201 18.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Nizwa

–

Salalah

$74 6.9%

Getting Around

Nizwa

–

Salalah

$68 6.4%

Sport & Entertainment

Nizwa

–

Salalah

$55 5.2%

Good to know

🇴🇲 Nizwa

🇴🇲 Salalah

🕒 Local time

00:11 12:11 AM

Same time as Nizwa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

700,000

178,469

💱 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 Salalah 750 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Nizwa
Salalah

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 Salalah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nizwa is cheaper overall, especially in eating out and leisure. The 2310% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $66 in Nizwa and $1,594 in Salalah 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 $1,063 in Salalah, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nizwa but tight or insufficient in Salalah. 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 Salalah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.