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: $624 in Ruwi versus $1,525 in Muscat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $824 in Ruwi versus $2,272 in Muscat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,023 in Ruwi versus $3,019 in Muscat.

Living in Ruwi costs roughly 59% less than in Muscat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ruwi is 55% below, Muscat is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 OMR 2.06

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.00 OMR 13.09

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.74 OMR 2.98

Cappuccino

$4.73 OMR 1.82

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

$0.86 OMR 0.33

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 OMR 0.11

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.07 OMR 5.03

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.79 OMR 4.92

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 OMR 0.76

$2.25 OMR 0.87

-12.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 OMR 0.76

$1.25 OMR 0.48

57.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$1.90 OMR 0.73

-46.84%

Eggs

$1.22 OMR 0.47

$2.94 OMR 1.13

-58.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.02 OMR 0.78

$7.65 OMR 2.94

-73.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.99 OMR 0.77

$6.57 OMR 2.53

-69.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.87 OMR 1.87

$10.54 OMR 4.06

-53.80%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 OMR 0.37

$3.41 OMR 1.31

-71.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$2.00 OMR 0.77

-48.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$2.32 OMR 0.89

-55.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.20 OMR 0.46

-15.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$1.22 OMR 0.47

-19.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 OMR 0.50

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$1.80 OMR 0.69

-45.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$0.67 OMR 0.26

53.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 OMR 2.43

Wine (Bottle)

$15.43 OMR 5.94

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.68 OMR 2.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.72 OMR 3.36

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 OMR 0.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.7 OMR 29.52

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 OMR 1.24

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 OMR 1.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 OMR 3.01

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 OMR 0.23

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

$25.1K OMR 9,665

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

$22.2K OMR 8,564

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

$170 OMR 65.5

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

$25.65 OMR 9.88

$30.94 OMR 11.91

-17.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.9 OMR 30.00

$69.9 OMR 26.92

11.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.7 OMR 24.14

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.20 OMR 11.24

Cinema Ticket

$8.93 OMR 3.44

$10.34 OMR 3.98

-13.64%

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

$289 OMR 111

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K OMR 4,110

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 OMR 21.42

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.19 OMR 16.63

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 OMR 35.43

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.0 OMR 36.95

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$396 OMR 153

$673 OMR 259

-41.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 OMR 148

$455 OMR 175

-15.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$912 OMR 351

$1,366 OMR 526

-33.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 OMR 224

$857 OMR 330

-32.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,835 OMR 1,092

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,595 OMR 614

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,419 OMR 1,701

$1,660 OMR 639

166.18%

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 Muscat: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $396 in Ruwi and $673 in Muscat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ruwi pays 166% 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 145% in total monthly costs ($624 vs $1,525 including rent). Ruwi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 166% 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 $673 in Muscat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 140% higher in Muscat. 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 $1,525 in Muscat – a 145% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $624 in Ruwi versus $1,525 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 145% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.