Cost of Living Comparison Between Salalah and Ar-rustaq Cost of Living Comparison Between Salalah and Ar-rustaq

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,106 per month in Salalah vs $966 in Ar-rustaq, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,665 per month in Salalah vs $1,335 in Ar-rustaq, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,225 per month in Salalah vs $1,705 in Ar-rustaq, rent included.

Salalah costs about 14% more than Ar-rustaq, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Salalah and Ar-rustaq are more affordable than the global median – Salalah 17% lower, Ar-rustaq 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.13 OMR 1.98

$5.13 OMR 1.97

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.64 OMR 9.87

$25.59 OMR 9.85

0.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.10 OMR 5.04

$7.95 OMR 3.06

64.78%

Cappuccino

$6.19 OMR 2.38

$4.75 OMR 1.83

30.32%

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

$0.68 OMR 0.26

$0.50 OMR 0.19

36.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 OMR 0.10

$0.27 OMR 0.10

-7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.92 OMR 3.44

$12.36 OMR 4.76

-27.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.37 OMR 3.99

$11.66 OMR 4.49

-11.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 OMR 0.68

$1.93 OMR 0.74

-8.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.22 OMR 0.47

4.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 OMR 0.78

$1.68 OMR 0.65

20.24%

Eggs

$1.90 OMR 0.73

$1.91 OMR 0.73

-0.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 OMR 2.59

$3.67 OMR 1.41

83.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 OMR 1.79

$4.26 OMR 1.64

9.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.84 OMR 3.40

$7.72 OMR 2.97

14.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 OMR 0.79

$2.28 OMR 0.88

-10.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 OMR 0.42

$1.75 OMR 0.67

-37.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 OMR 0.61

$1.84 OMR 0.71

-13.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 OMR 0.44

$1.12 OMR 0.43

1.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 OMR 0.43

$0.95 OMR 0.37

17.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 OMR 0.30

$0.99 OMR 0.38

-21.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 OMR 0.21

$1.04 OMR 0.40

-48.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 OMR 0.21

$0.53 OMR 0.21

1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.88 OMR 2.26

$6.48 OMR 2.49

-9.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 OMR 7.70

$15.88 OMR 6.11

26.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.84 OMR 1.48

$4.20 OMR 1.62

-8.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.82 OMR 1.85

$7.62 OMR 2.93

-36.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 OMR 0.49

$1.26 OMR 0.49

1.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.3 OMR 20.89

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 OMR 0.90

$1.58 OMR 0.61

48.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 OMR 0.51

$0.80 OMR 0.31

66.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.83 OMR 4.55

$10.47 OMR 4.03

12.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

$0.64 OMR 0.25

-6.25%

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

$21.1K OMR 8,114

$22.5K OMR 8,649

-6.18%

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

$18.5K OMR 7,127

$21.5K OMR 8,261

-13.72%

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

$63.8 OMR 24.55

$106 OMR 40.84

-39.90%

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

$49.44 OMR 19.03

$40.86 OMR 15.73

21.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 OMR 29.62

$69.3 OMR 26.69

10.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.1 OMR 35.81

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.71 OMR 9.90

$2.56 OMR 0.98

904.30%

Cinema Ticket

$8.03 OMR 3.09

$10.45 OMR 4.02

-23.16%

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

$111 OMR 42.87

$129 OMR 49.74

-13.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,399 OMR 923

$3,739 OMR 1,439

-35.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.70 OMR 10.66

$20.56 OMR 7.92

34.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.71 OMR 11.82

$26.17 OMR 10.07

17.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.2 OMR 23.95

$39.16 OMR 15.07

58.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.75 OMR 16.46

$52.4 OMR 20.17

-18.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$259 OMR 99.7

$154 OMR 59.2

68.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 OMR 80.2

$208 OMR 80.1

0.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 OMR 193

$397 OMR 153

26.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 OMR 141

$212 OMR 81.5

73.54%

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

$4,373 OMR 1,683

-59.17%

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 Ar-rustaq: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $259 in Salalah versus $154 in Ar-rustaq. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 145% higher in Ar-rustaq, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Salalah versus $26.00 in Ar-rustaq. Groceries tell a different story – $227 in Salalah vs $220 in Ar-rustaq – so Ar-rustaq wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Ar-rustaq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Salalah is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,658 per month in Salalah and $1,449 in Ar-rustaq. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ar-rustaq, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,106 in Salalah and $966 in Ar-rustaq. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $111 per month in Salalah and $129 in Ar-rustaq. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ar-rustaq, where all-in costs run around $966, than in Salalah at $1,106. In Ar-rustaq it covers expenses comfortably, while in Salalah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ar-rustaq – 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 Ar-rustaq. 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.