Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Salalah and Ruwi

For one person, living is cheaper in Ruwi: $639 a month against $1,055 in Salalah, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. The total is higher in Salalah despite lower rent and utilities.

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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

Ruwi

🇴🇲 Oman

$639

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Salalah and in Ruwi

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,055 in Salalah versus $639 in Ruwi.

Salalah $1,055
Ruwi $639

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Salalah versus $833 in Ruwi.

Salalah $1,587
Ruwi $833

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,118 in Salalah versus $1,028 in Ruwi.

Salalah $2,118
Ruwi $1,028

Living in Salalah is roughly 65% more expensive than in Ruwi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Salalah 22% lower, Ruwi 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.07 OMR 1.95

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.69 OMR 9.89

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.75 OMR 4.91

Cappuccino

$6.05 OMR 2.33

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

$0.90 OMR 0.35

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.98 OMR 3.46

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.22 OMR 3.94

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 OMR 0.73

$1.99 OMR 0.77

-5.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.98 OMR 0.76

-35.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 OMR 1.01

$0.99 OMR 0.38

164.65%

Eggs

$1.91 OMR 0.74

$1.17 OMR 0.45

63.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.58 OMR 1.76

$2.03 OMR 0.78

125.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 OMR 1.82

$2.05 OMR 0.79

130.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.37 OMR 2.45

$4.93 OMR 1.90

29.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 OMR 0.75

$0.98 OMR 0.38

97.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 OMR 0.71

$1.02 OMR 0.39

81.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 OMR 0.79

$1.02 OMR 0.39

100.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 OMR 0.69

$1.03 OMR 0.40

72.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 OMR 0.57

$0.99 OMR 0.38

50.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 OMR 0.39

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 OMR 0.42

$0.98 OMR 0.38

12.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 OMR 0.20

$1.02 OMR 0.39

-49.02%

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

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

$25.53 OMR 9.83

91.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.7 OMR 28.39

$79.3 OMR 30.55

-7.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.07 OMR 15.04

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.08 OMR 10.04

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 OMR 2.95

$8.97 OMR 3.45

-14.49%

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

$396 OMR 152

-38.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 OMR 79.0

$397 OMR 153

-48.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 OMR 241

$901 OMR 347

-30.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 OMR 149

$581 OMR 224

-33.42%

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

$4,398 OMR 1,693

-59.79%

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 Ruwi: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Salalah

$231 21.9%

Ruwi

–

Eating Out

Salalah

$222 21%

Ruwi

–

Accommodation & Living

Salalah

$205 19.4%

Ruwi

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Salalah

$200 19%

Ruwi

–

Clothing & Footwear

Salalah

$74 7.1%

Ruwi

–

Getting Around

Salalah

$69 6.5%

Ruwi

–

Sport & Entertainment

Salalah

$54 5.2%

Ruwi

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $244 in Salalah and $396 in Ruwi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ruwi pays 149% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Good to know

🇴🇲 Salalah

🇴🇲 Ruwi

🕒 Local time

21:07 9:07 PM

Same time as Salalah

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

178,469

💱 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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Highest

Between locations

Salalah Ruwi 870 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Salalah
Ruwi

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 Ruwi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Salalah and Ruwi differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($1,055 vs $639 including rent). Ruwi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 149% lower in Ruwi. 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: $244 in Salalah versus $396 in Ruwi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 94% higher in Salalah. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,055 per month in Salalah versus $639 in Ruwi – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $639 in Ruwi versus $1,055 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 65% less than in Salalah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.