Cost of Living Comparison Between Salalah and Ruwi Cost of Living Comparison Between Salalah and Ruwi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,086 in Salalah versus $493 in Ruwi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,648 in Salalah versus $753 in Ruwi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,209 in Salalah versus $1,013 in Ruwi.

Living in Salalah is roughly 120% more expensive than Ruwi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Salalah 19% lower, Ruwi 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.35 OMR 2.06

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.28 OMR 10.12

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.82 OMR 4.93

Cappuccino

$6.01 OMR 2.32

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

$0.64 OMR 0.25

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 OMR 0.10

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.21 OMR 3.55

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.59 OMR 4.08

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 OMR 0.65

$1.97 OMR 0.76

-14.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 OMR 0.49

$2.01 OMR 0.77

-36.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 OMR 0.81

$1.02 OMR 0.39

106.86%

Eggs

$1.95 OMR 0.75

$1.22 OMR 0.47

59.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.92 OMR 2.66

$2.05 OMR 0.79

237.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.57 OMR 1.76

$1.96 OMR 0.76

133.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.90 OMR 3.43

$4.92 OMR 1.90

80.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 OMR 0.82

$1.01 OMR 0.39

110.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 OMR 0.43

$0.97 OMR 0.37

14.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 OMR 0.62

$0.98 OMR 0.38

64.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 OMR 0.46

$1.02 OMR 0.39

17.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 OMR 0.44

$0.99 OMR 0.38

15.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 OMR 0.30

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 OMR 0.21

$0.98 OMR 0.38

-44.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 OMR 0.22

$1.02 OMR 0.39

-43.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 OMR 2.21

Wine (Bottle)

$19.58 OMR 7.54

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.88 OMR 1.49

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 OMR 1.79

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 OMR 0.51

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.7 OMR 21.44

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 OMR 0.87

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.58 OMR 4.46

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

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

$20.9K OMR 8,064

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

$18.0K OMR 6,917

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

$65.8 OMR 25.32

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

$49.61 OMR 19.10

$26.00 OMR 10.01

90.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.6 OMR 29.48

$77.2 OMR 29.71

-0.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.7 OMR 36.09

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.21 OMR 10.09

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 OMR 3.05

$9.25 OMR 3.56

-14.27%

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

$111 OMR 42.88

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,377 OMR 915

$13.2K OMR 5,080

-81.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.90 OMR 10.74

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.60 OMR 12.17

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.5 OMR 24.82

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.98 OMR 16.93

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 OMR 98.1

$391 OMR 151

-34.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 OMR 82.8

$255 OMR 98.2

-15.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$492 OMR 189

$920 OMR 354

-46.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 OMR 142

$573 OMR 221

-35.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,991 OMR 766

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,225 OMR 472

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,753 OMR 675

$2,566 OMR 988

-31.69%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ruwi: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $255 in Salalah and $391 in Ruwi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ruwi pays 46% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 Ruwi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Salalah and Ruwi differ by about 120% in total monthly costs ($1,086 vs $493 including rent). Ruwi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Ruwi earns 46% less. 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: $255 in Salalah versus $391 in Ruwi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 92% higher in Salalah. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,086 per month in Salalah versus $493 in Ruwi – a 120% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $493 in Ruwi versus $1,086 in Salalah, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ruwi but tight or insufficient in Salalah. The gap between the two cities makes Ruwi 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 Ruwi 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 Ruwi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 120% less than in Salalah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.