Cost of Living Comparison Between Salalah and Adam Cost of Living Comparison Between Salalah and Adam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,115 in Salalah versus $809 in Adam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,669 in Salalah versus $1,201 in Adam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,224 in Salalah versus $1,593 in Adam.

Living in Salalah is roughly 38% more expensive than Adam, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Salalah 17% lower, Adam 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.12 OMR 1.97

$5.31 OMR 2.04

-3.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.37 OMR 10.15

$25.54 OMR 9.83

3.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.06 OMR 5.03

$7.78 OMR 3.00

67.87%

Cappuccino

$5.97 OMR 2.30

$4.92 OMR 1.89

21.34%

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

$0.67 OMR 0.26

$1.05 OMR 0.40

-36.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.34 OMR 0.13

-20.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.35 OMR 3.60

$12.11 OMR 4.66

-22.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.46 OMR 4.03

$11.80 OMR 4.54

-11.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 OMR 0.68

$1.90 OMR 0.73

-6.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.19 OMR 0.46

6.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 OMR 0.79

$1.67 OMR 0.64

22.75%

Eggs

$1.91 OMR 0.73

$2.34 OMR 0.90

-18.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.99 OMR 2.69

$3.71 OMR 1.43

88.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.74 OMR 1.82

$4.97 OMR 1.91

-4.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.84 OMR 3.40

$8.56 OMR 3.29

3.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 OMR 0.79

$2.51 OMR 0.96

-18.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$1.75 OMR 0.67

-39.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 OMR 0.61

$1.85 OMR 0.71

-13.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 OMR 0.44

$1.18 OMR 0.45

-2.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 OMR 0.41

$0.99 OMR 0.38

9.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 OMR 0.32

$1.03 OMR 0.40

-18.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 OMR 0.20

$1.04 OMR 0.40

-50.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 OMR 0.22

$0.52 OMR 0.20

9.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.91 OMR 2.28

$6.55 OMR 2.52

-9.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.71 OMR 7.59

$15.50 OMR 5.97

27.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.85 OMR 1.48

$4.22 OMR 1.62

-8.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 OMR 1.76

$7.58 OMR 2.92

-39.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 OMR 0.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.2 OMR 21.26

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 OMR 0.90

$3.17 OMR 1.22

-26.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 OMR 0.51

$0.80 OMR 0.31

66.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.48 OMR 4.42

$10.54 OMR 4.06

8.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 OMR 0.23

$0.61 OMR 0.23

-3.28%

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

$20.7K OMR 7,986

$23.2K OMR 8,938

-10.65%

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

$18.0K OMR 6,941

$21.8K OMR 8,400

-17.37%

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

$65.3 OMR 25.14

$107 OMR 41.21

-39.00%

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

$48.94 OMR 18.84

$41.52 OMR 15.98

17.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.8 OMR 29.19

$70.8 OMR 27.25

7.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.7 OMR 36.43

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.78 OMR 9.92

Cinema Ticket

$7.75 OMR 2.98

$10.26 OMR 3.95

-24.46%

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

$111 OMR 42.81

$189 OMR 72.9

-41.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,414 OMR 929

$9,873 OMR 3,800

-75.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.00 OMR 10.78

$50.0 OMR 19.26

-44.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.70 OMR 11.82

$39.87 OMR 15.35

-23.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.7 OMR 24.11

$79.5 OMR 30.61

-21.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.93 OMR 16.91

$88.6 OMR 34.09

-50.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 OMR 98.3

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$211 OMR 81.3

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 OMR 193

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 OMR 146

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,052 OMR 790

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,219 OMR 469

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,800 OMR 693

$2,625 OMR 1,010

-31.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.58

5.15

-11.07%

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

Last update for Salalah: June 6, 2026

Last update for Adam: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Adam pays 46% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Salalah vs $26.00 in Adam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $228 per month, with Salalah cheaper across the board.

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

Salalah vs Adam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Adam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Adam earns 46% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $111 in Salalah versus $189 in Adam. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Adam – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $26.00 in Salalah. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $809 in Adam versus $1,115 in Salalah, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Adam but tight or insufficient in Salalah. The gap between the two cities makes Adam 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, Salalah and Adam 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 Adam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Salalah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.