Cost of Living Comparison Between Salalah and Al-Buraimi Cost of Living Comparison Between Salalah and Al-Buraimi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,106 in Salalah versus $1,009 in Al-Buraimi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,665 in Salalah versus $1,303 in Al-Buraimi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,225 in Salalah versus $1,596 in Al-Buraimi.

Living in Salalah is roughly 10% more expensive than in Al-Buraimi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Salalah 17% lower, Al-Buraimi 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.13 OMR 1.98

$5.28 OMR 2.03

-2.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.64 OMR 9.87

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.10 OMR 5.04

$7.58 OMR 2.92

72.82%

Cappuccino

$6.19 OMR 2.38

$4.76 OMR 1.83

30.04%

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

$0.68 OMR 0.26

$1.01 OMR 0.39

-32.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 OMR 0.10

$0.34 OMR 0.13

-26.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.92 OMR 3.43

$12.37 OMR 4.76

-27.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.37 OMR 3.99

$11.87 OMR 4.57

-12.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 OMR 0.68

$1.99 OMR 0.76

-11.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.23 OMR 0.47

3.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 OMR 0.78

$1.65 OMR 0.63

22.42%

Eggs

$1.90 OMR 0.73

$2.40 OMR 0.92

-20.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 OMR 2.59

$3.81 OMR 1.46

76.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 OMR 1.79

$5.13 OMR 1.97

-9.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.84 OMR 3.40

$8.77 OMR 3.38

0.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 OMR 0.79

$2.51 OMR 0.97

-18.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 OMR 0.42

$1.74 OMR 0.67

-37.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 OMR 0.61

$1.85 OMR 0.71

-14.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 OMR 0.44

$1.13 OMR 0.44

0.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 OMR 0.43

$1.02 OMR 0.39

9.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 OMR 0.30

$0.97 OMR 0.37

-19.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 OMR 0.21

$1.05 OMR 0.40

-48.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 OMR 0.21

$0.56 OMR 0.21

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.88 OMR 2.26

$6.44 OMR 2.48

-8.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 OMR 7.70

$15.73 OMR 6.05

27.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.84 OMR 1.48

$4.42 OMR 1.70

-13.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.82 OMR 1.85

$7.79 OMR 3.00

-38.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 OMR 0.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.3 OMR 20.88

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 OMR 0.90

$2.61 OMR 1.01

-9.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 OMR 0.51

$0.53 OMR 0.21

150.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.83 OMR 4.55

$5.34 OMR 2.06

121.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

$0.59 OMR 0.23

1.69%

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

$21.1K OMR 8,112

$23.3K OMR 8,966

-9.52%

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

$18.5K OMR 7,125

$21.5K OMR 8,288

-14.03%

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

$63.8 OMR 24.54

$105 OMR 40.58

-39.53%

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

$49.44 OMR 19.03

$40.41 OMR 15.55

22.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 OMR 29.61

$69.4 OMR 26.71

10.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.1 OMR 35.80

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.71 OMR 9.89

Cinema Ticket

$8.03 OMR 3.09

$10.24 OMR 3.94

-21.58%

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

$111 OMR 42.86

$196 OMR 75.3

-43.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,399 OMR 923

$9,765 OMR 3,758

-75.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.70 OMR 10.66

$50.4 OMR 19.41

-45.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.71 OMR 11.82

$40.07 OMR 15.42

-23.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.2 OMR 23.94

$79.8 OMR 30.70

-22.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.75 OMR 16.45

$89.1 OMR 34.29

-52.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$259 OMR 99.7

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 OMR 80.2

$208 OMR 79.9

0.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 OMR 193

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 OMR 141

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,034 OMR 783

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,218 OMR 469

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,785 OMR 687

$3,590 OMR 1,382

-50.27%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Al-Buraimi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Al-Buraimi pays 101% 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 Al-Buraimi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $233 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 Al-Buraimi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-Buraimi is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 101% lower in Al-Buraimi. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Shoppers in Salalah pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,106 per month in Salalah versus $1,009 in Al-Buraimi – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,009 in Al-Buraimi versus $1,106 in Salalah, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-Buraimi but tight or insufficient in Salalah. The gap between the two cities makes Al-Buraimi 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 Al-Buraimi 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 Al-Buraimi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Salalah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.