Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ruwi and Ar-rustaq

For one person, living is cheaper in Ruwi: $641 a month against $953 in Ar-rustaq, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. The total is higher in Ar-rustaq despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Ar-rustaq
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Ar-rustaq Living Index

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Ruwi

🇴🇲 Oman

$641

/mo nomad

Ar-rustaq

🇴🇲 Oman

$953

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ruwi and in Ar-rustaq

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

A single person spends $641 per month in Ruwi vs $953 in Ar-rustaq, rent included.

Ruwi $641
Ar-rustaq $953

A couple spends around $830 per month in Ruwi vs $1,432 in Ar-rustaq, rent included.

Ruwi $830
Ar-rustaq $1,432

A family of three spends $1,020 per month in Ruwi vs $1,910 in Ar-rustaq, rent included.

Ruwi $1,020
Ar-rustaq $1,910

Ruwi is about 33% cheaper than Ar-rustaq, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Ruwi and Ar-rustaq are more affordable than the global median – Ruwi 53% lower, Ar-rustaq 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.33 OMR 2.05

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.16 OMR 15.08

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 OMR 3.01

Cappuccino

$5.21 OMR 2.01

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

$0.84 OMR 0.32

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.78 OMR 4.92

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.19 OMR 5.08

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 OMR 0.79

$2.39 OMR 0.92

-14.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 OMR 0.78

$1.20 OMR 0.46

68.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.95 OMR 0.75

-47.69%

Eggs

$1.18 OMR 0.45

$3.08 OMR 1.19

-61.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.95 OMR 0.75

$7.11 OMR 2.74

-72.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.95 OMR 0.75

$6.96 OMR 2.68

-71.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.05 OMR 1.95

$10.14 OMR 3.90

-50.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$3.51 OMR 1.35

-70.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$2.03 OMR 0.78

-50.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$2.40 OMR 0.92

-57.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.28 OMR 0.49

-20.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.17 OMR 0.45

-12.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 OMR 0.47

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.86 OMR 0.72

-45.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$0.68 OMR 0.26

51.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 OMR 2.56

Wine (Bottle)

$15.55 OMR 5.99

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.85 OMR 2.25

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.05 OMR 3.87

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 OMR 1.25

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.57 OMR 0.99

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.03 OMR 3.09

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 OMR 0.23

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

$25.4K OMR 9,784

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

$20.9K OMR 8,060

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

$177 OMR 68.3

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

$26.10 OMR 10.05

$30.29 OMR 11.66

-13.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.4 OMR 30.57

$71.6 OMR 27.58

10.83%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 OMR 3.49

$10.25 OMR 3.95

-11.51%

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

$508 OMR 196

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K OMR 4,030

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 OMR 21.53

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.75 OMR 16.84

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 OMR 34.12

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 OMR 33.26

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 OMR 148

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 OMR 153

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$911 OMR 351

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 OMR 219

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,443 OMR 1,711

$4,358 OMR 1,678

1.95%

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 25, 2026

Last update for Ar-rustaq: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Ruwi

–

Ar-rustaq

$290 30.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ruwi

–

Ar-rustaq

$279 29.3%

Eating Out

Ruwi

–

Ar-rustaq

$223 23.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Ruwi

–

Ar-rustaq

$124 13%

Sport & Entertainment

Ruwi

–

Ar-rustaq

$21 * 2.2%

Getting Around

Ruwi

–

Ar-rustaq

$16 * 1.7%

Accommodation & Living

Ruwi

–

Ar-rustaq

- * 0%

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

Good to know

🇴🇲 Ruwi

🇴🇲 Ar-rustaq

🕒 Local time

01:06 1:06 AM

Same time as Ruwi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

120,000

💱 Currency

Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.

📈 Exchange rate

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.33 EUR

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.33 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Ruwi Ar-rustaq 120 km

From you

Ruwi
Ar-rustaq

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 Ar-rustaq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $961 per month in Ruwi and $1,430 in Ar-rustaq. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $641 in Ruwi and $953 in Ar-rustaq. That makes Ruwi about 33% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 142% more in Ar-rustaq, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $641 in Ruwi and $953 in Ar-rustaq, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Ruwi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $641 in Ruwi to $953 in Ar-rustaq. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.