Cost of Living Comparison Between Salalah and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Salalah and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Salalah versus $2,476 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,538 in Salalah versus $3,545 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,042 in Salalah versus $4,613 in Barcelona.

Living in Salalah costs roughly 58% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Salalah is 24% below, Barcelona is 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.18 OMR 2.00

$18.74 €16.33

-72.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.51 OMR 10.21

$69.5 €60.6

-61.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.81 OMR 4.93

$13.77 €12.00

-6.97%

Cappuccino

$6.37 OMR 2.45

$3.10 €2.70

105.48%

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

$0.87 OMR 0.33

$2.83 €2.47

-69.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 OMR 0.10

$1.88 €1.64

-86.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.91 OMR 3.43

$3.98 €3.47

123.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.47 OMR 4.03

$4.53 €3.95

131.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 OMR 0.76

$1.27 €1.11

55.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 OMR 0.49

$2.16 €1.88

-40.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 OMR 0.99

$1.76 €1.53

45.45%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.47

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.74 OMR 1.82

$17.88 €15.59

-73.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.76 OMR 1.83

$9.65 €8.41

-50.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.56

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 OMR 0.76

$3.25 €2.84

-39.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 OMR 0.71

$2.23 €1.94

-17.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 OMR 0.78

$2.60 €2.27

-22.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 OMR 0.71

$2.76 €2.40

-33.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 OMR 0.58

$2.21 €1.93

-31.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$2.12 €1.85

-51.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 OMR 0.42

$1.55 €1.35

-30.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 OMR 0.19

$0.95 €0.83

-48.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.83 OMR 2.24

$7.34 €6.40

-20.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.98 OMR 7.69

$8.05 €7.01

148.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.86 OMR 1.49

$1.54 €1.35

150.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 OMR 1.83

$2.79 €2.43

70.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 OMR 0.49

$3.11 €2.71

-59.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 OMR 21.27

$25.86 €22.54

113.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 OMR 0.88

$3.27 €2.85

-29.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 OMR 0.49

$1.48 €1.29

-14.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.53 OMR 4.44

$34.27 €29.88

-66.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 OMR 0.23

$1.73 €1.51

-65.90%

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

$20.9K OMR 8,053

$36.4K €31.7K

-42.49%

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

$18.5K OMR 7,136

$30.5K €26.6K

-39.31%

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

$78.8 OMR 30.33

$187 €163

-57.90%

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

$49.07 OMR 18.89

$15.14 €13.20

224.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.3 OMR 28.59

$37.69 €32.85

97.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.68 OMR 15.28

$55.9 €48.76

-29.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.54 OMR 10.22

$17.08 €14.89

55.39%

Cinema Ticket

$7.99 OMR 3.07

$11.41 €9.95

-29.97%

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

$997 €869

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,944 OMR 749

$16.5K €14.4K

-88.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.98 OMR 11.16

$92.6 €80.8

-68.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.69 OMR 11.81

$41.22 €35.93

-25.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.6 OMR 22.94

$111 €96.9

-46.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.98 OMR 17.32

$125 €109

-64.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 OMR 94.6

$1,707 €1,488

-85.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 OMR 80.8

$1,286 €1,121

-83.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 OMR 246

$2,565 €2,236

-75.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 OMR 148

$1,942 €1,693

-80.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,994 OMR 768

$7,647 €6,666

-73.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,244 OMR 479

$5,167 €4,504

-75.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,759 OMR 677

$2,348 €2,047

-25.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.58

3.16

44.94%

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

Last update for Salalah: September 15, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $246 in Salalah and $1,707 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 33% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $27.00 in Salalah vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $336 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 Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Salalah and Barcelona differ by about 139% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $2,476 including rent). Salalah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 33% lower in Barcelona. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $246 in Salalah versus $1,707 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Salalah – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Salalah runs roughly 114% less than in Barcelona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,034 in Salalah versus $2,476 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Salalah but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Salalah 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 Barcelona 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 Salalah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 139% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.