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: $1,086 in Salalah versus $1,331 in Muscat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,648 in Salalah versus $1,982 in Muscat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,209 in Salalah versus $2,633 in Muscat.

Living in Salalah costs roughly 18% less than in Muscat, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Salalah 19% lower, Muscat 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.35 OMR 2.06

$5.29 OMR 2.04

1.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.28 OMR 10.12

$26.39 OMR 10.16

-0.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.82 OMR 4.93

$7.84 OMR 3.02

63.52%

Cappuccino

$6.01 OMR 2.32

$4.95 OMR 1.90

21.41%

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

$0.64 OMR 0.25

$1.02 OMR 0.39

-37.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 OMR 0.10

$0.34 OMR 0.13

-26.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.21 OMR 3.55

$12.16 OMR 4.68

-24.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.59 OMR 4.08

$11.87 OMR 4.57

-10.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 OMR 0.65

$2.00 OMR 0.77

-15.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 OMR 0.49

$1.20 OMR 0.46

6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 OMR 0.81

$1.70 OMR 0.65

24.12%

Eggs

$1.95 OMR 0.75

$2.45 OMR 0.94

-20.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.92 OMR 2.66

$3.84 OMR 1.48

80.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.57 OMR 1.76

$5.16 OMR 1.98

-11.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.90 OMR 3.43

$8.46 OMR 3.26

5.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 OMR 0.82

$2.54 OMR 0.98

-16.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 OMR 0.43

$1.72 OMR 0.66

-35.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 OMR 0.62

$1.77 OMR 0.68

-9.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 OMR 0.46

$1.13 OMR 0.44

6.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 OMR 0.44

$1.00 OMR 0.38

14.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 OMR 0.30

$1.02 OMR 0.39

-23.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 OMR 0.21

$1.03 OMR 0.40

-47.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 OMR 0.22

$0.56 OMR 0.22

3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 OMR 2.21

$6.22 OMR 2.39

-7.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.58 OMR 7.54

$15.55 OMR 5.99

25.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.88 OMR 1.49

$4.25 OMR 1.64

-8.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 OMR 1.79

$7.90 OMR 3.04

-41.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 OMR 0.51

$1.27 OMR 0.49

3.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.7 OMR 21.44

$62.3 OMR 23.99

-10.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 OMR 0.87

$3.16 OMR 1.22

-28.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$0.80 OMR 0.31

58.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.58 OMR 4.46

$10.34 OMR 3.98

11.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

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

$20.9K OMR 8,064

$22.8K OMR 8,778

-8.13%

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

$18.0K OMR 6,917

$21.8K OMR 8,405

-17.71%

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

$65.8 OMR 25.32

$107 OMR 41.32

-38.72%

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

$49.61 OMR 19.10

$40.60 OMR 15.63

22.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.6 OMR 29.48

$70.5 OMR 27.13

8.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.7 OMR 36.09

$47.24 OMR 18.19

98.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.21 OMR 10.09

$22.99 OMR 8.85

14.01%

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 OMR 3.05

$10.47 OMR 4.03

-24.26%

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

$111 OMR 42.88

$192 OMR 74.1

-42.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,377 OMR 915

$9,757 OMR 3,756

-75.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.90 OMR 10.74

$50.7 OMR 19.53

-44.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.60 OMR 12.17

$39.51 OMR 15.21

-20.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.5 OMR 24.82

$79.4 OMR 30.56

-18.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.98 OMR 16.93

$90.0 OMR 34.66

-51.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 OMR 98.1

$619 OMR 238

-58.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 OMR 82.8

$410 OMR 158

-47.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$492 OMR 189

$1,222 OMR 470

-59.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 OMR 142

$730 OMR 281

-49.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,991 OMR 766

$2,666 OMR 1,026

-25.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,225 OMR 472

$1,552 OMR 597

-21.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,753 OMR 675

$1,654 OMR 637

6.00%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Muscat: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $255 in Salalah and $619 in Muscat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salalah pays 6% 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 $228 vs $231 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 23% in total monthly costs ($1,086 vs $1,331 including rent). Salalah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Salalah pays 6% more on average, 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: $255 in Salalah versus $619 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 $1,086 per month in Salalah versus $1,331 in Muscat – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,086 in Salalah versus $1,331 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 23% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.