Cost of Living Comparison Between Ruwi and 'ibri Cost of Living Comparison Between Ruwi and 'ibri

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $624 in Ruwi versus $1,038 in 'ibri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $824 in Ruwi versus $1,615 in 'ibri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,023 in Ruwi versus $2,192 in 'ibri.

Living in Ruwi costs roughly 40% less than in 'ibri, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ruwi 55% lower, 'ibri 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.15 OMR 1.98

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.97 OMR 13.08

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 OMR 2.92

Cappuccino

$4.73 OMR 1.82

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

$0.90 OMR 0.35

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 OMR 0.11

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.81 OMR 4.93

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.23 OMR 5.09

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 OMR 0.76

$1.31 OMR 0.50

51.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 OMR 0.76

$0.76 OMR 0.29

159.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$1.33 OMR 0.51

-24.06%

Eggs

$1.22 OMR 0.47

$2.11 OMR 0.81

-42.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.02 OMR 0.78

$7.66 OMR 2.95

-73.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.99 OMR 0.77

$5.08 OMR 1.95

-60.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.87 OMR 1.87

$10.46 OMR 4.03

-53.44%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 OMR 0.37

$2.64 OMR 1.02

-63.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$1.93 OMR 0.74

-46.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$1.60 OMR 0.62

-35.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.06 OMR 0.41

-3.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$1.06 OMR 0.41

-7.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$0.76 OMR 0.29

30.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$0.54 OMR 0.21

90.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.34 OMR 2.44

Wine (Bottle)

$15.31 OMR 5.89

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.71 OMR 2.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.90 OMR 3.43

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 OMR 0.99

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 OMR 0.51

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 OMR 2.97

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 OMR 0.24

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

$25.9K OMR 9,967

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

$22.4K OMR 8,611

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

$79.0 OMR 30.40

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

$25.65 OMR 9.88

$30.98 OMR 11.93

-17.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.9 OMR 30.00

$70.1 OMR 26.97

11.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 OMR 29.45

Cinema Ticket

$8.93 OMR 3.44

$10.33 OMR 3.98

-13.55%

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

$290 OMR 112

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K OMR 4,040

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 OMR 21.90

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.50 OMR 16.75

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 OMR 34.34

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.7 OMR 36.45

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$396 OMR 153

$232 OMR 89.4

70.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 OMR 148

$184 OMR 70.7

109.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$912 OMR 351

$476 OMR 183

91.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 OMR 224

$372 OMR 143

56.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,419 OMR 1,701

$2,956 OMR 1,138

49.53%

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 Ruwi: August 31, 2026

Last update for 'ibri: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $396 in Ruwi and $232 in 'ibri. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ruwi pays 50% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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

Ruwi vs 'ibri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ruwi and 'ibri differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($624 vs $1,038 including rent). Ruwi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 50% higher in Ruwi, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $396 in Ruwi versus $232 in 'ibri. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 104% higher in 'ibri. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $624 per month in Ruwi versus $1,038 in 'ibri – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $624 in Ruwi versus $1,038 in 'ibri, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ruwi but tight or insufficient in 'ibri. The gap between the two cities makes Ruwi 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, Ruwi and 'ibri are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ruwi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in 'ibri. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.