Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ruwi and Al-`awabi

For one person, living is cheaper in Ruwi: $639 a month against $953 in Al-`awabi, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. The total is higher in Al-`awabi despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Al-`awabi
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Al-`awabi Living Index

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Ruwi

🇴🇲 Oman

$639

/mo nomad

Al-`awabi

🇴🇲 Oman

$953

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ruwi and in Al-`awabi

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

A single person spends $639 per month in Ruwi vs $953 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

Ruwi $639
Al-`awabi $953

A couple spends around $833 per month in Ruwi vs $1,431 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

Ruwi $833
Al-`awabi $1,431

A family of three spends $1,028 per month in Ruwi vs $1,909 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

Ruwi $1,028
Al-`awabi $1,909

Ruwi is about 33% cheaper than Al-`awabi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Ruwi and Al-`awabi are more affordable than the global median – Ruwi 53% lower, Al-`awabi 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.06 OMR 1.95

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.93 OMR 14.99

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.61 OMR 2.93

Cappuccino

$5.06 OMR 1.95

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

$0.89 OMR 0.34

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.94 OMR 4.98

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.19 OMR 5.08

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 OMR 0.77

$2.27 OMR 0.87

-12.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 OMR 0.76

$1.23 OMR 0.47

60.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$1.88 OMR 0.72

-47.34%

Eggs

$1.17 OMR 0.45

$2.96 OMR 1.14

-60.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.03 OMR 0.78

$7.29 OMR 2.81

-72.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.05 OMR 0.79

$7.17 OMR 2.76

-71.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.93 OMR 1.90

$10.59 OMR 4.08

-53.45%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$3.56 OMR 1.37

-72.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.92 OMR 0.74

-46.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$2.33 OMR 0.90

-56.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$1.28 OMR 0.49

-19.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$1.22 OMR 0.47

-18.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 OMR 0.48

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$1.87 OMR 0.72

-47.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$0.66 OMR 0.25

54.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.41 OMR 2.47

Wine (Bottle)

$15.72 OMR 6.05

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$6.06 OMR 2.33

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.33 OMR 3.98

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 OMR 1.27

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.55 OMR 0.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.72 OMR 2.97

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 OMR 0.25

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

$25.4K OMR 9,791

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

$23.0K OMR 8,858

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

$177 OMR 68.2

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

$25.53 OMR 9.83

$31.35 OMR 12.07

-18.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.3 OMR 30.55

$71.0 OMR 27.33

11.76%

Cinema Ticket

$8.97 OMR 3.45

$10.34 OMR 3.98

-13.25%

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

$286 OMR 110

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K OMR 4,032

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 OMR 21.42

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.72 OMR 16.83

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 OMR 34.83

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 OMR 33.41

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$396 OMR 152

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 OMR 153

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 OMR 347

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 OMR 224

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,398 OMR 1,693

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: October 12, 2026

Last update for Al-`awabi: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Ruwi

–

Al-`awabi

$293 30.7%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ruwi

–

Al-`awabi

$279 29.3%

Eating Out

Ruwi

–

Al-`awabi

$220 23.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Ruwi

–

Al-`awabi

$124 13.1%

Sport & Entertainment

Ruwi

–

Al-`awabi

$21 * 2.2%

Getting Around

Ruwi

–

Al-`awabi

$16 * 1.7%

Accommodation & Living

Ruwi

–

Al-`awabi

- * 0%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Good to know

🇴🇲 Ruwi

🇴🇲 Al-`awabi

🕒 Local time

13:17 1:17 PM

Same time as Ruwi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

10,711

💱 Currency

Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.

📈 Exchange rate

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.31 EUR

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.31 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Ruwi Al-`awabi 110 km

From you

Ruwi
Al-`awabi

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

Ruwi vs Al-`awabi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Al-`awabi is pricier by about 49%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $958 per month in Ruwi and $1,430 in Al-`awabi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $639 in Ruwi and $953 in Al-`awabi. That's a gap of about 49%.

Groceries cost about 147% more in Al-`awabi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $639 in Ruwi and $953 in Al-`awabi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ruwi – 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 Ruwi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Al-`awabi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.