Cost of Living Comparison Between Salalah and Muscat Cost of Living Comparison Between Salalah and Muscat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,106 in Salalah versus $1,322 in Muscat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,665 in Salalah versus $1,928 in Muscat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,225 in Salalah versus $2,533 in Muscat.

Living in Salalah costs roughly 16% less than in Muscat, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Salalah 17% lower, Muscat 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.13 OMR 1.98

$5.29 OMR 2.04

-3.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.64 OMR 9.87

$25.50 OMR 9.82

0.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.10 OMR 5.04

$7.99 OMR 3.08

63.95%

Cappuccino

$6.19 OMR 2.38

$4.86 OMR 1.87

27.37%

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

$0.68 OMR 0.26

$1.01 OMR 0.39

-32.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 OMR 0.10

$0.34 OMR 0.13

-26.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.92 OMR 3.44

$12.41 OMR 4.78

-28.12%

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

$1.98 OMR 0.76

-11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.23 OMR 0.47

3.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 OMR 0.78

$1.70 OMR 0.66

18.82%

Eggs

$1.90 OMR 0.73

$2.42 OMR 0.93

-21.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 OMR 2.59

$3.71 OMR 1.43

81.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 OMR 1.79

$4.89 OMR 1.88

-4.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.84 OMR 3.40

$8.27 OMR 3.18

6.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 OMR 0.79

$2.51 OMR 0.97

-18.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 OMR 0.42

$1.72 OMR 0.66

-36.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 OMR 0.61

$1.78 OMR 0.69

-10.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 OMR 0.44

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 OMR 0.43

$1.02 OMR 0.39

9.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 OMR 0.30

$0.98 OMR 0.38

-20.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 OMR 0.21

$1.09 OMR 0.42

-50.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 OMR 0.21

$0.52 OMR 0.20

3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.88 OMR 2.26

$6.28 OMR 2.42

-6.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 OMR 7.70

$15.71 OMR 6.05

27.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.84 OMR 1.48

$4.38 OMR 1.68

-12.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.82 OMR 1.85

$8.02 OMR 3.09

-39.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 OMR 0.49

$1.27 OMR 0.49

0.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.3 OMR 20.89

$63.0 OMR 24.26

-13.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 OMR 0.90

$3.16 OMR 1.22

-25.63%

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

$10.20 OMR 3.92

15.98%

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 8,654

-6.24%

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

$18.5K OMR 7,127

$21.5K OMR 8,279

-13.91%

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

$63.8 OMR 24.55

$109 OMR 41.78

-41.26%

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

$49.44 OMR 19.03

$40.41 OMR 15.55

22.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 OMR 29.62

$68.5 OMR 26.38

12.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.1 OMR 35.81

$48.75 OMR 18.76

90.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.71 OMR 9.90

$23.23 OMR 8.94

10.68%

Cinema Ticket

$8.03 OMR 3.09

$10.28 OMR 3.96

-21.89%

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

$111 OMR 42.87

$190 OMR 73.0

-41.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,399 OMR 923

$10.0K OMR 3,861

-76.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.70 OMR 10.66

$51.0 OMR 19.62

-45.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.71 OMR 11.82

$39.14 OMR 15.07

-21.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.2 OMR 23.95

$77.6 OMR 29.87

-19.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.75 OMR 16.46

$87.6 OMR 33.72

-51.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$259 OMR 99.7

$616 OMR 237

-57.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 OMR 80.2

$407 OMR 157

-48.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 OMR 193

$1,243 OMR 478

-59.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 OMR 141

$714 OMR 275

-48.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,034 OMR 783

$2,866 OMR 1,103

-29.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,218 OMR 469

$1,593 OMR 613

-23.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,785 OMR 687

$1,576 OMR 607

13.26%

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 Muscat: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $259 in Salalah and $616 in Muscat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salalah pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Salalah vs $26.00 in Muscat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $230 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 Muscat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Salalah and Muscat differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($1,106 vs $1,322 including rent). Salalah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 13% higher in Salalah, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $259 in Salalah versus $616 in Muscat. 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 $26.00 versus $26.00 in Muscat. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,106 per month in Salalah versus $1,322 in Muscat – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,106 in Salalah versus $1,322 in Muscat, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Salalah but tight or insufficient in Muscat. 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 Muscat 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 20% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.