Cost of Living Comparison Between Ruwi and Salalah Cost of Living Comparison Between Ruwi and Salalah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $493 in Ruwi versus $1,086 in Salalah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $753 in Ruwi versus $1,648 in Salalah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,013 in Ruwi versus $2,209 in Salalah.

Living in Ruwi costs roughly 55% less than in Salalah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ruwi 63% lower, Salalah 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.35 OMR 2.06

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.28 OMR 10.12

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.82 OMR 4.93

Cappuccino

$6.01 OMR 2.32

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

$0.64 OMR 0.25

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 OMR 0.10

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.21 OMR 3.55

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.59 OMR 4.08

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 OMR 0.76

$1.69 OMR 0.65

16.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 OMR 0.77

$1.28 OMR 0.49

57.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$2.11 OMR 0.81

-51.66%

Eggs

$1.22 OMR 0.47

$1.95 OMR 0.75

-37.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.05 OMR 0.79

$6.92 OMR 2.66

-70.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.96 OMR 0.76

$4.57 OMR 1.76

-57.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.92 OMR 1.90

$8.90 OMR 3.43

-44.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$2.13 OMR 0.82

-52.58%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 OMR 0.37

$1.11 OMR 0.43

-12.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$1.61 OMR 0.62

-39.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.20 OMR 0.46

-15.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$1.14 OMR 0.44

-13.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 OMR 0.30

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$0.54 OMR 0.21

81.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$0.58 OMR 0.22

75.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 OMR 2.21

Wine (Bottle)

$19.58 OMR 7.54

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.88 OMR 1.49

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 OMR 1.79

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 OMR 0.51

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.7 OMR 21.44

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 OMR 0.87

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.58 OMR 4.46

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

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

$20.9K OMR 8,064

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

$18.0K OMR 6,917

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

$65.8 OMR 25.32

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

$26.00 OMR 10.01

$49.61 OMR 19.10

-47.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.2 OMR 29.71

$76.6 OMR 29.48

0.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.7 OMR 36.09

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.21 OMR 10.09

Cinema Ticket

$9.25 OMR 3.56

$7.93 OMR 3.05

16.65%

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

$111 OMR 42.88

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K OMR 5,080

$2,377 OMR 915

455.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.90 OMR 10.74

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.60 OMR 12.17

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.5 OMR 24.82

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.98 OMR 16.93

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 OMR 151

$255 OMR 98.1

53.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 OMR 98.2

$215 OMR 82.8

18.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$920 OMR 354

$492 OMR 189

87.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$573 OMR 221

$370 OMR 142

54.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,991 OMR 766

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,225 OMR 472

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,566 OMR 988

$1,753 OMR 675

46.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.58

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

Last update for Ruwi: June 2, 2026

Last update for Salalah: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $391 in Ruwi and $255 in Salalah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ruwi pays 46% 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 Salalah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ruwi and Salalah differ by about 120% in total monthly costs ($493 vs $1,086 including rent). Ruwi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Ruwi pays 46% 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 $255 in Salalah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 92% higher in Salalah. 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 $1,086 in Salalah – a 120% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $493 in Ruwi versus $1,086 in Salalah, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ruwi but tight or insufficient in Salalah. 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 Salalah 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 120% less than in Salalah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.