Cost of Living Comparison Between Ruwi and Sur Cost of Living Comparison Between Ruwi and Sur

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $624 in Ruwi versus $1,142 in Sur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $819 in Ruwi versus $1,655 in Sur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,014 in Ruwi versus $2,168 in Sur.

Living in Ruwi costs roughly 45% less than in Sur, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ruwi 55% lower, Sur 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 OMR 1.47

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.90 OMR 9.97

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 OMR 3.01

Cappuccino

$4.97 OMR 1.91

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

$0.75 OMR 0.29

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.88 OMR 4.96

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.09 OMR 5.04

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 OMR 0.79

$1.60 OMR 0.61

27.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 OMR 0.75

$1.29 OMR 0.50

51.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$1.70 OMR 0.66

-39.41%

Eggs

$1.18 OMR 0.45

$2.00 OMR 0.77

-41.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.04 OMR 0.78

$7.68 OMR 2.96

-73.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.04 OMR 0.78

$6.63 OMR 2.55

-69.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.98 OMR 1.92

$9.19 OMR 3.54

-45.81%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$2.31 OMR 0.89

-57.58%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 OMR 0.37

$1.27 OMR 0.49

-23.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$1.06 OMR 0.41

-6.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$0.74 OMR 0.29

39.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$0.80 OMR 0.31

27.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 OMR 0.19

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.52 OMR 0.58

-32.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 OMR 0.37

$0.50 OMR 0.19

94.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 OMR 2.43

Wine (Bottle)

$15.73 OMR 6.06

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.66 OMR 2.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.73 OMR 3.36

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 OMR 1.23

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 OMR 1.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.01 OMR 3.08

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 OMR 0.22

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

$25.3K OMR 9,753

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

$22.6K OMR 8,693

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

$78.9 OMR 30.39

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

$26.38 OMR 10.16

$23.85 OMR 9.18

10.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.4 OMR 30.55

$70.3 OMR 27.06

12.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.5 OMR 33.30

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 OMR 3.48

$10.25 OMR 3.94

-11.80%

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

$292 OMR 112

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,501 OMR 2,503

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 OMR 21.38

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.74 OMR 16.46

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 OMR 35.05

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.9 OMR 36.54

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 OMR 149

$262 OMR 101

47.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 OMR 151

$268 OMR 103

46.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$926 OMR 357

$475 OMR 183

95.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$579 OMR 223

$387 OMR 149

49.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$568 OMR 219

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$520 OMR 200

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,449 OMR 1,713

$2,671 OMR 1,028

66.54%

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: September 6, 2026

Last update for Sur: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Ruwi and $262 in Sur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ruwi pays 67% 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 Sur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ruwi and Sur differ by about 83% in total monthly costs ($624 vs $1,142 including rent). Ruwi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 67% 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: $387 in Ruwi versus $262 in Sur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 108% higher in Sur. 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 $1,142 in Sur – a 83% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $624 in Ruwi versus $1,142 in Sur, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ruwi but tight or insufficient in Sur. 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 Sur 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 83% less than in Sur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.