Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Salalah and Duqm

For one person, living is cheaper in Duqm: $310 a month against $1,055 in Salalah, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 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

Duqm

🇴🇲 Oman

$310

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Salalah and in Duqm

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 Duqm actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,055 in Salalah versus $310 in Duqm.

Salalah $1,055
Duqm $310

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Salalah versus $510 in Duqm.

Salalah $1,587
Duqm $510

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,118 in Salalah versus $710 in Duqm.

Salalah $2,118
Duqm $710

Living in Salalah is roughly 240% more expensive than in Duqm, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Salalah 22% lower, Duqm 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.07 OMR 1.95

$5.01 OMR 1.93

1.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.69 OMR 9.89

$13.12 OMR 5.05

95.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.75 OMR 4.91

Cappuccino

$6.05 OMR 2.33

$2.41 OMR 0.93

151.04%

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

$0.90 OMR 0.35

$0.51 OMR 0.20

76.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.34 OMR 0.13

-20.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.98 OMR 3.46

$7.98 OMR 3.07

12.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.22 OMR 3.94

$13.09 OMR 5.04

-21.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 OMR 0.73

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 OMR 1.01

$2.68 OMR 1.03

-2.24%

Eggs

$1.91 OMR 0.74

$2.82 OMR 1.09

-32.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.58 OMR 1.76

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 OMR 1.82

$5.18 OMR 1.99

-8.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.37 OMR 2.45

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 OMR 0.75

$3.42 OMR 1.32

-43.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 OMR 0.71

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 OMR 0.79

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 OMR 0.69

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 OMR 0.57

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$0.80 OMR 0.31

26.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 OMR 0.42

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 OMR 0.20

$0.18 OMR 0.07

188.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.87 OMR 2.26

Wine (Bottle)

$20.15 OMR 7.76

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.98 OMR 1.53

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 OMR 1.81

$13.04 OMR 5.02

-63.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.33 OMR 0.51

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.8 OMR 21.09

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 OMR 0.87

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.87 OMR 4.57

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 OMR 0.25

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

$21.1K OMR 8,112

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

$18.3K OMR 7,061

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

$77.6 OMR 29.89

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

$48.92 OMR 18.84

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.7 OMR 28.39

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.07 OMR 15.04

$77.2 OMR 29.74

-49.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.08 OMR 10.04

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 OMR 2.95

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

$105 OMR 40.24

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,925 OMR 741

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.01 OMR 11.17

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.47 OMR 12.12

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.0 OMR 22.69

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.02 OMR 17.72

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 OMR 94.1

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 OMR 79.0

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 OMR 241

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 OMR 149

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,999 OMR 770

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,203 OMR 463

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,769 OMR 681

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: October 11, 2026

Last update for Duqm: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Salalah

$231 21.9%

Duqm

–

Eating Out

Salalah

$222 21%

Duqm

–

Accommodation & Living

Salalah

$205 19.4%

Duqm

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Salalah

$200 19%

Duqm

–

Clothing & Footwear

Salalah

$74 7.1%

Duqm

–

Getting Around

Salalah

$69 6.5%

Duqm

–

Sport & Entertainment

Salalah

$54 5.2%

Duqm

–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $26.00 in Salalah vs $13.00 in Duqm for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $95.0 per month, with Duqm cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇴🇲 Salalah

🇴🇲 Duqm

🕒 Local time

21:07 9:07 PM

Same time as Salalah

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

178,469

12,000

💱 Currency

Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.

📈 Exchange rate

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.31 EUR

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.31 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Salalah Duqm 470 km

From you

Salalah
Duqm

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 Duqm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Duqm is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 240% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,583 in Salalah and $466 in Duqm to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 144% higher in Salalah. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Duqm – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $26.00 in Salalah. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $310 in Duqm versus $1,055 in Salalah, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Duqm but tight or insufficient in Salalah. The gap between the two cities makes Duqm 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 Duqm 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 Duqm gentler on the wallet – expenses run 240% less than in Salalah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.