Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ruwi and Al-Buraimi

For one person, living is cheaper in Ruwi: $639 a month against $916 in Al-Buraimi, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. The total is higher in Al-Buraimi despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Al-Buraimi
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Al-Buraimi Living Index

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Ruwi

🇴🇲 Oman

$639

/mo nomad

Al-Buraimi

🇴🇲 Oman

$916

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ruwi and in Al-Buraimi

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $639 in Ruwi versus $916 in Al-Buraimi.

Ruwi $639
Al-Buraimi $916

Estimated couple costs with rent: $833 in Ruwi versus $1,357 in Al-Buraimi.

Ruwi $833
Al-Buraimi $1,357

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,028 in Ruwi versus $1,797 in Al-Buraimi.

Ruwi $1,028
Al-Buraimi $1,797

Living in Ruwi costs roughly 30% less than in Al-Buraimi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ruwi 53% lower, Al-Buraimi 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.27 OMR 2.03

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.14 OMR 5.06

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 OMR 3.01

Cappuccino

$5.02 OMR 1.93

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

$0.91 OMR 0.35

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.89 OMR 4.96

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.20 OMR 5.08

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 OMR 0.77

$2.26 OMR 0.87

-11.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 OMR 0.76

$1.20 OMR 0.46

65.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$1.58 OMR 0.61

-37.34%

Eggs

$1.17 OMR 0.45

$2.99 OMR 1.15

-60.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.03 OMR 0.78

$6.33 OMR 2.44

-67.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.05 OMR 0.79

$5.79 OMR 2.23

-64.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.93 OMR 1.90

$9.31 OMR 3.58

-47.05%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$2.07 OMR 0.80

-52.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.83 OMR 0.70

-44.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$2.06 OMR 0.79

-50.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$1.32 OMR 0.51

-21.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$1.20 OMR 0.46

-17.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$0.91 OMR 0.35

7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$0.70 OMR 0.27

45.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.23 OMR 2.01

Wine (Bottle)

$15.32 OMR 5.90

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.82 OMR 2.24

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.15 OMR 3.91

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.94 OMR 14.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 OMR 1.26

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 OMR 0.51

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.57 OMR 2.92

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

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

$25.2K OMR 9,711

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

$22.7K OMR 8,734

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

$77.5 OMR 29.84

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

$25.53 OMR 9.83

$30.24 OMR 11.64

-15.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.3 OMR 30.55

$70.7 OMR 27.23

12.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.9 OMR 24.62

Cinema Ticket

$8.97 OMR 3.45

$7.67 OMR 2.95

16.95%

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

$260 OMR 100

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K OMR 4,036

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 OMR 21.86

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.55 OMR 16.77

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 OMR 35.01

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 OMR 34.13

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

$3,620 OMR 1,394

21.51%

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-Buraimi: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Ruwi

–

Al-Buraimi

$262 28.7%

Eating Out

Ruwi

–

Al-Buraimi

$221 24.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ruwi

–

Al-Buraimi

$178 19.5%

Clothing & Footwear

Ruwi

–

Al-Buraimi

$126 13.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Ruwi

–

Al-Buraimi

$79 8.7%

Getting Around

Ruwi

–

Al-Buraimi

$49 * 5.3%

Accommodation & Living

Ruwi

–

Al-Buraimi

- * 0%

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

Cost Breakdown

Ruwi pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Good to know

🇴🇲 Ruwi

🇴🇲 Al-Buraimi

🕒 Local time

08:26 8:26 AM

Same time as Ruwi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

73,670

💱 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ruwi Al-Buraimi 290 km

From you

Ruwi
Al-Buraimi

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-Buraimi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ruwi is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and eating out. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 22% higher in Ruwi, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 121% higher in Al-Buraimi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $639 per month in Ruwi versus $916 in Al-Buraimi – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Ruwi gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 Al-Buraimi 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 44% less than in Al-Buraimi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.