Cost of Living Comparison Between Salalah and Madinat As Sultan Qaboos Cost of Living Comparison Between Salalah and Madinat As Sultan Qaboos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,021 in Salalah versus $948 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,552 in Salalah versus $1,406 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,082 in Salalah versus $1,863 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos.

Living in Salalah is roughly 8% more expensive than in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Salalah 26% lower, Madinat As Sultan Qaboos 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.35 OMR 2.06

$5.15 OMR 1.98

3.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.78 OMR 9.92

$34.38 OMR 13.23

-25.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.89 OMR 4.96

$7.71 OMR 2.97

67.19%

Cappuccino

$6.11 OMR 2.35

$4.70 OMR 1.81

30.00%

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

$0.89 OMR 0.34

$0.85 OMR 0.33

4.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.85 OMR 3.41

$13.02 OMR 5.01

-32.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.60 OMR 4.08

$13.02 OMR 5.01

-18.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 OMR 0.73

$2.34 OMR 0.90

-19.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 OMR 0.48

$1.30 OMR 0.50

-4.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 OMR 1.02

$1.84 OMR 0.71

44.57%

Eggs

$2.97 OMR 1.14

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.55 OMR 1.75

$7.48 OMR 2.88

-39.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 OMR 1.82

$6.59 OMR 2.54

-28.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.48 OMR 4.03

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 OMR 0.74

$3.40 OMR 1.31

-43.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 OMR 0.69

$1.89 OMR 0.73

-4.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 OMR 0.81

$2.42 OMR 0.93

-13.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 OMR 0.69

$1.25 OMR 0.48

42.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 OMR 0.57

$1.21 OMR 0.47

23.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$1.24 OMR 0.48

-18.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 OMR 0.42

$1.77 OMR 0.68

-37.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 OMR 0.20

$0.62 OMR 0.24

-17.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.01 OMR 2.31

$6.57 OMR 2.53

-8.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.50 OMR 7.51

$15.64 OMR 6.02

24.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.84 OMR 1.48

$5.60 OMR 2.15

-31.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 OMR 1.78

$9.01 OMR 3.47

-48.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.32 OMR 0.51

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.5 OMR 21.34

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 OMR 0.88

$3.29 OMR 1.26

-30.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$2.58 OMR 0.99

-50.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.66 OMR 4.49

$7.70 OMR 2.96

51.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 OMR 0.23

$0.60 OMR 0.23

1.67%

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

$20.5K OMR 7,877

$25.2K OMR 9,680

-18.63%

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

$18.4K OMR 7,094

$22.8K OMR 8,764

-19.06%

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

$77.5 OMR 29.83

$171 OMR 66.0

-54.78%

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

$48.48 OMR 18.66

$30.42 OMR 11.71

59.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.3 OMR 28.20

$71.4 OMR 27.46

2.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.49 OMR 15.59

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.45 OMR 10.18

Cinema Ticket

$7.64 OMR 2.94

$10.60 OMR 4.08

-27.92%

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

$285 OMR 110

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,963 OMR 756

$10.5K OMR 4,058

-81.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.13 OMR 10.83

$56.7 OMR 21.82

-50.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.00 OMR 11.93

$42.50 OMR 16.36

-27.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.4 OMR 22.47

$91.4 OMR 35.20

-36.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.91 OMR 17.28

$95.3 OMR 36.69

-52.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 OMR 93.7

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 OMR 80.4

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 OMR 248

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 OMR 150

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,043 OMR 787

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,218 OMR 469

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,775 OMR 683

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.58

5.25

-12.76%

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

Last update for Salalah: September 5, 2026

Last update for Madinat As Sultan Qaboos: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $26.00 in Salalah vs $34.00 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $201 vs $285 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 Madinat As Sultan Qaboos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madinat As Sultan Qaboos wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Salalah. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Madinat As Sultan Qaboos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,532 in Salalah and $1,422 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos 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.

All in, you'll spend $1,021 per month in Salalah versus $948 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Salalah pay roughly 41% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Madinat As Sultan Qaboos gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Madinat As Sultan Qaboos delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $948 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Madinat As Sultan Qaboos hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Salalah and Madinat As Sultan Qaboos 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 Madinat As Sultan Qaboos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Salalah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.