Cost of Living Comparison Between Salalah and Al-`awabi Cost of Living Comparison Between Salalah and Al-`awabi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,022 per month in Salalah vs $957 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,542 per month in Salalah vs $1,420 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,061 per month in Salalah vs $1,884 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

Salalah costs about 7% more than Al-`awabi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Salalah and Al-`awabi are more affordable than the global median – Salalah 26% lower, Al-`awabi 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.28 OMR 2.03

$5.16 OMR 1.98

2.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.36 OMR 10.15

$34.34 OMR 13.22

-23.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.14 OMR 5.06

$8.00 OMR 3.08

64.25%

Cappuccino

$6.29 OMR 2.42

$4.84 OMR 1.86

29.96%

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

$0.85 OMR 0.33

$0.84 OMR 0.32

1.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.90 OMR 3.43

$13.16 OMR 5.07

-32.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.43 OMR 4.02

$12.90 OMR 4.97

-19.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$2.27 OMR 0.87

-11.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 OMR 0.47

$1.25 OMR 0.48

-3.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 OMR 1.03

$1.82 OMR 0.70

46.70%

Eggs

$2.98 OMR 1.15

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.62 OMR 1.78

$7.79 OMR 3.00

-40.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 OMR 1.78

$6.91 OMR 2.66

-33.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.67 OMR 4.11

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 OMR 0.75

$3.55 OMR 1.37

-45.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 OMR 0.69

$2.00 OMR 0.77

-10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 OMR 0.82

$2.37 OMR 0.91

-10.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 OMR 0.72

$1.21 OMR 0.46

54.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 OMR 0.55

$1.16 OMR 0.45

24.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.24 OMR 0.48

-17.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 OMR 0.42

$1.80 OMR 0.69

-39.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 OMR 0.19

$0.63 OMR 0.24

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.94 OMR 2.29

$6.63 OMR 2.55

-10.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.10 OMR 7.74

$15.56 OMR 5.99

29.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.88 OMR 1.50

$5.64 OMR 2.17

-31.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.82 OMR 1.85

$9.01 OMR 3.47

-46.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.32 OMR 0.51

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.0 OMR 21.17

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 OMR 0.86

$3.18 OMR 1.22

-29.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$2.67 OMR 1.03

-52.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.51 OMR 4.43

$7.75 OMR 2.98

48.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 OMR 0.24

$0.64 OMR 0.25

-1.56%

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

$21.1K OMR 8,121

$25.8K OMR 9,926

-18.18%

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

$18.2K OMR 6,998

$22.8K OMR 8,766

-20.16%

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

$79.6 OMR 30.63

$169 OMR 65.0

-52.88%

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

$48.86 OMR 18.81

$31.28 OMR 12.04

56.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.1 OMR 28.14

$71.1 OMR 27.37

2.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.76 OMR 15.31

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.79 OMR 9.93

Cinema Ticket

$7.76 OMR 2.99

$10.52 OMR 4.05

-26.24%

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

$288 OMR 111

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,912 OMR 736

$10.5K OMR 4,033

-81.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.56 OMR 11.00

$57.0 OMR 21.94

-49.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.61 OMR 11.78

$43.75 OMR 16.85

-30.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.4 OMR 22.10

$91.3 OMR 35.14

-37.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.61 OMR 17.56

$94.5 OMR 36.38

-51.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$248 OMR 95.6

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 OMR 79.4

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 OMR 239

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 OMR 151

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,001 OMR 770

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,246 OMR 480

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,813 OMR 698

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.58

5.25

-12.76%

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

Last update for Salalah: August 30, 2026

Last update for Al-`awabi: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Salalah versus $34.00 in Al-`awabi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $288 – making Salalah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Al-`awabi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Salalah is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,532 per month in Salalah and $1,435 in Al-`awabi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Interestingly, groceries are about 41% cheaper in Salalah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Salalah and $34.00 in Al-`awabi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,022 in Salalah and $957 in Al-`awabi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Al-`awabi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Al-`awabi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Salalah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.