Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Salalah and Saham

For one person, living is cheaper in Saham: $959 a month against $1,055 in Salalah, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Salalah outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Salalah
🇴🇲 Oman
$1,055
/mo nomad
Saham
🇴🇲 Oman
$959
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Salalah and in Saham

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

A single person spends $1,055 per month in Salalah vs $959 in Saham, rent included.

  • Salalah $1,055
  • Saham $959

A couple spends around $1,587 per month in Salalah vs $1,439 in Saham, rent included.

  • Salalah $1,587
  • Saham $1,439

A family of three spends $2,118 per month in Salalah vs $1,920 in Saham, rent included.

  • Salalah $2,118
  • Saham $1,920

Salalah costs about 10% more than Saham, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Salalah and Saham are more affordable than the global median – Salalah 22% lower, Saham 29% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Salalah
Saham
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.07 OMR 1.95
$5.12 OMR 1.97
-0.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.69 OMR 9.89
$39.33 OMR 15.14
-34.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.75 OMR 4.91
$7.81 OMR 3.01
63.25%
Cappuccino
$6.05 OMR 2.33
$5.21 OMR 2.00
16.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 OMR 0.35
$0.91 OMR 0.35
-1.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27 OMR 0.10
$0.29 OMR 0.11
-6.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.98 OMR 3.46
$13.19 OMR 5.08
-31.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.22 OMR 3.94
$12.89 OMR 4.96
-20.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Salalah
Saham
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.89 OMR 0.73
$2.33 OMR 0.90
-18.88%
White Bread (500g)
$1.27 OMR 0.49
$1.20 OMR 0.46
5.83%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.62 OMR 1.01
$1.87 OMR 0.72
40.11%
Eggs
$1.91 OMR 0.74
$2.92 OMR 1.13
-34.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.58 OMR 1.76
$7.49 OMR 2.88
-38.85%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.73 OMR 1.82
$7.00 OMR 2.69
-32.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.37 OMR 2.45
$10.70 OMR 4.12
-40.47%
Apples (1kg)
$1.94 OMR 0.75
$3.54 OMR 1.36
-45.20%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 OMR 0.71
$1.99 OMR 0.77
-7.04%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.05 OMR 0.79
$2.32 OMR 0.89
-11.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.78 OMR 0.69
$1.27 OMR 0.49
40.16%
Potato (1kg)
$1.49 OMR 0.57
$1.21 OMR 0.47
23.14%
Onion (1kg)
$1.01 OMR 0.39
$1.23 OMR 0.47
-17.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 OMR 0.42
$1.88 OMR 0.72
-41.49%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 OMR 0.20
$0.66 OMR 0.25
-21.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.87 OMR 2.26
$6.46 OMR 2.49
-9.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$20.15 OMR 7.76
$15.88 OMR 6.11
26.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.98 OMR 1.53
$6.05 OMR 2.33
-34.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.70 OMR 1.81
$10.14 OMR 3.91
-53.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Salalah
Saham
Difference
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
$3.29 OMR 1.27
-31.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.27 OMR 0.49
$2.61 OMR 1.01
-51.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.87 OMR 4.57
$7.82 OMR 3.01
51.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.64 OMR 0.25
$0.60 OMR 0.23
6.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K OMR 8,112
$25.1K OMR 9,647
-15.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.3K OMR 7,061
$22.6K OMR 8,688
-18.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Salalah
Saham
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$77.6 OMR 29.89
$180 OMR 69.3
-56.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$48.92 OMR 18.84
$30.60 OMR 11.78
59.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$73.7 OMR 28.39
$70.6 OMR 27.18
4.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Salalah
Saham
Difference
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
$10.45 OMR 4.02
-26.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Salalah
Saham
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$105 OMR 40.24
$282 OMR 109
-62.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,925 OMR 741
$10.4K OMR 4,008
-81.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Salalah
Saham
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$29.01 OMR 11.17
$56.6 OMR 21.78
-48.73%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.47 OMR 12.12
$42.91 OMR 16.52
-26.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$59.0 OMR 22.69
$89.8 OMR 34.57
-34.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$46.02 OMR 17.72
$87.0 OMR 33.51
-47.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Salalah
Saham
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$244 OMR 94.1
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$205 OMR 79.0
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$626 OMR 241
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$387 OMR 149
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,999 OMR 770
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,203 OMR 463
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Salalah
Saham
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,769 OMR 681
-
-
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: October 11, 2026

Last update for Saham: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Salalah
$231
Saham
$293 26.9% $62
Eating Out
Salalah
$222
Saham
$223 0.8% $1.8
Accommodation & Living
Salalah
$205
Saham
- * 100%
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Salalah
$200
Saham
$281 40.3% $81
Clothing & Footwear
Salalah
$74
Saham
$124 67% $50
Getting Around
Salalah
$69
Saham
$16 * 76.2% $52
Sport & Entertainment
Salalah
$54
Saham
$21 * 61.6% $34

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Salalah versus $39.00 in Saham. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $293 – making Salalah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇴🇲 Salalah
🇴🇲 Saham
🕒 Local time
09:30 9:30 AM
09:30 9:30 AM
Same time as Salalah
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
178,469
140,000
💱 Currency
Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.
Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to OMR – Omani Rial Converter

Omani Rial exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.433 OMR (1 OMR = 2.31 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Salalah Saham 840 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Salalah
  • Saham

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 Saham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Salalah or Saham?
Salalah costs about 10% more than Saham, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Salalah and in Saham?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,583 per month in Salalah and $1,439 in Saham. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Salalah and in Saham?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Salalah and $39.00 in Saham. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Salalah or in Saham?
Interestingly, groceries are about 27% cheaper in Salalah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Salalah or in Saham?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Saham, where all-in costs run around $959, than in Salalah at $1,055. In Saham it covers expenses comfortably, while in Salalah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Saham – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Salalah compared to Saham?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Salalah or to Saham?
If budget matters most, go with Saham. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Salalah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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