Cost of Living Comparison Between Ruwi and Muscat Cost of Living Comparison Between Ruwi and Muscat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $493 in Ruwi versus $1,331 in Muscat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $753 in Ruwi versus $1,982 in Muscat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,013 in Ruwi versus $2,633 in Muscat.

Living in Ruwi costs roughly 63% less than in Muscat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ruwi 63% lower, Muscat 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 OMR 2.04

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.39 OMR 10.16

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 OMR 3.02

Cappuccino

$4.95 OMR 1.90

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

$1.02 OMR 0.39

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 OMR 0.13

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.16 OMR 4.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.87 OMR 4.57

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 OMR 0.76

$2.00 OMR 0.77

-1.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 OMR 0.77

$1.20 OMR 0.46

67.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.70 OMR 0.65

-40.00%

Eggs

$1.22 OMR 0.47

$2.45 OMR 0.94

-50.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.05 OMR 0.79

$3.84 OMR 1.48

-46.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.96 OMR 0.76

$5.16 OMR 1.98

-62.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.92 OMR 1.90

$8.46 OMR 3.26

-41.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$2.54 OMR 0.98

-60.24%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 OMR 0.37

$1.72 OMR 0.66

-43.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$1.77 OMR 0.68

-44.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.13 OMR 0.44

-9.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$1.00 OMR 0.38

-1.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$1.03 OMR 0.40

-4.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$0.56 OMR 0.22

82.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.22 OMR 2.39

Wine (Bottle)

$15.55 OMR 5.99

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.25 OMR 1.64

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 OMR 3.04

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.3 OMR 23.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.22

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 OMR 3.98

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

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

$22.8K OMR 8,778

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

$21.8K OMR 8,405

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

$107 OMR 41.32

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

$26.00 OMR 10.01

$40.60 OMR 15.63

-35.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.2 OMR 29.71

$70.5 OMR 27.13

9.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.24 OMR 18.19

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.99 OMR 8.85

Cinema Ticket

$9.25 OMR 3.56

$10.47 OMR 4.03

-11.65%

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

$192 OMR 74.1

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K OMR 5,080

$9,757 OMR 3,756

35.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 OMR 19.53

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.51 OMR 15.21

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 OMR 30.56

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 OMR 34.66

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 OMR 151

$619 OMR 238

-36.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 OMR 98.2

$410 OMR 158

-37.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$920 OMR 354

$1,222 OMR 470

-24.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$573 OMR 221

$730 OMR 281

-21.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,666 OMR 1,026

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,552 OMR 597

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,566 OMR 988

$1,654 OMR 637

55.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

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

Last update for Ruwi: June 2, 2026

Last update for Muscat: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $391 in Ruwi and $619 in Muscat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ruwi pays 55% 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 Muscat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ruwi and Muscat differ by about 170% in total monthly costs ($493 vs $1,331 including rent). Ruwi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Ruwi pays 55% more on average, 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: $391 in Ruwi versus $619 in Muscat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 95% higher in Muscat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $493 per month in Ruwi versus $1,331 in Muscat – a 170% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $493 in Ruwi versus $1,331 in Muscat, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ruwi but tight or insufficient in Muscat. 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 Muscat 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 170% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.