Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Salalah and Al Ghubra

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Ghubra: $89.8 a month against $1,055 in Salalah, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Salalah
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Salalah Living Index

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Salalah

🇴🇲 Oman

$1,055

/mo nomad

Al Ghubra

🇴🇲 Oman

$89.8

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Salalah and in Al Ghubra

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Salalah and in Al Ghubra actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,055 in Salalah versus $90 in Al Ghubra.

Salalah $1,055
Al Ghubra $90

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,585 in Salalah versus $159 in Al Ghubra.

Salalah $1,585
Al Ghubra $159

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,115 in Salalah versus $228 in Al Ghubra.

Salalah $2,115
Al Ghubra $228

Living in Salalah is roughly 1075% more expensive than in Al Ghubra, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Salalah 22% lower, Al Ghubra 93% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.05 OMR 1.94

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.53 OMR 9.83

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.10 OMR 5.04

Cappuccino

$6.08 OMR 2.34

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

$0.85 OMR 0.33

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 OMR 0.10

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.15 OMR 3.52

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.26 OMR 3.95

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 OMR 0.74

$2.62 OMR 1.01

-26.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 OMR 0.47

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 OMR 0.98

Eggs

$1.92 OMR 0.74

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.63 OMR 1.78

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 OMR 1.77

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.39 OMR 2.46

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 OMR 0.76

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 OMR 0.69

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 OMR 0.79

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 OMR 0.69

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 OMR 0.56

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 OMR 0.39

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 OMR 0.42

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 OMR 0.19

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.87 OMR 2.26

Wine (Bottle)

$19.67 OMR 7.57

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.88 OMR 1.49

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.72 OMR 1.82

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 OMR 0.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.2 OMR 21.24

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 OMR 0.86

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 OMR 0.50

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.69 OMR 4.50

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 OMR 0.25

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

$21.2K OMR 8,159

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

$18.4K OMR 7,074

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

$77.6 OMR 29.87

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

$49.19 OMR 18.93

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.2 OMR 28.57

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.64 OMR 15.26

$44.49 OMR 17.12

-10.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.98 OMR 10.00

$35.85 OMR 13.80

-27.53%

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 OMR 2.92

$9.06 OMR 3.49

-16.34%

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

$106 OMR 40.77

$182 OMR 70.1

-41.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,973 OMR 759

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.43 OMR 10.94

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.65 OMR 12.18

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.1 OMR 22.76

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.90 OMR 17.28

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$247 OMR 95.1

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 OMR 78.9

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 OMR 248

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 OMR 149

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,028 OMR 781

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,239 OMR 477

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,802 OMR 694

$3,071 OMR 1,182

-41.30%

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 Salalah: November 1, 2026

Last update for Al Ghubra: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Salalah

$228 21.6%

Al Ghubra

–

Eating Out

Salalah

$223 21.2%

Al Ghubra

–

Accommodation & Living

Salalah

$205 19.4%

Al Ghubra

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Salalah

$201 19.1%

Al Ghubra

–

Clothing & Footwear

Salalah

$74 7%

Al Ghubra

–

Getting Around

Salalah

$69 6.6%

Al Ghubra

–

Sport & Entertainment

Salalah

$55 5.2%

Al Ghubra

–

Cost Breakdown

Al Ghubra pays 70% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Good to know

🇴🇲 Salalah

🇴🇲 Al Ghubra

🕒 Local time

13:10 1:10 PM

Same time as Salalah

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

178,469

797,000

💱 Currency

Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.

📈 Exchange rate

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.32 EUR

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.32 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Salalah Al Ghubra 860 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Salalah
Al Ghubra

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ghubra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,055 in Salalah and $90 in Al Ghubra, so Al Ghubra is about 91% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 41% lower in Salalah. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $106 in Salalah versus $182 in Al Ghubra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you’ll spend $1,055 per month in Salalah versus $90 in Al Ghubra – Al Ghubra is about 91% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Al Ghubra gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 Ghubra are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.