Cost of Living Comparison Between Salalah and Sohar Cost of Living Comparison Between Salalah and Sohar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,022 per month in Salalah vs $1,430 in Sohar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,542 per month in Salalah vs $2,090 in Sohar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,061 per month in Salalah vs $2,750 in Sohar, rent included.

Salalah is about 29% cheaper than Sohar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Salalah sits 26% below the global median, while Sohar is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.28 OMR 2.03

$6.56 OMR 2.53

-19.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.36 OMR 10.15

$20.53 OMR 7.90

28.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.14 OMR 5.06

$8.86 OMR 3.41

48.31%

Cappuccino

$6.29 OMR 2.42

$4.89 OMR 1.88

28.63%

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

$0.85 OMR 0.33

$0.69 OMR 0.27

23.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.28 OMR 0.11

-3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.90 OMR 3.43

$13.04 OMR 5.02

-31.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.43 OMR 4.02

$14.15 OMR 5.45

-26.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$2.20 OMR 0.85

-9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 OMR 0.47

$1.07 OMR 0.41

13.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 OMR 1.03

$3.18 OMR 1.22

-16.04%

Eggs

$2.83 OMR 1.09

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.62 OMR 1.78

$13.76 OMR 5.30

-66.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 OMR 1.78

$9.08 OMR 3.49

-49.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.25 OMR 5.49

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 OMR 0.75

$3.25 OMR 1.25

-40.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 OMR 0.69

$2.13 OMR 0.82

-15.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 OMR 0.82

$2.49 OMR 0.96

-14.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 OMR 0.72

$1.21 OMR 0.47

54.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 OMR 0.55

$1.80 OMR 0.69

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.77 OMR 0.68

-42.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 OMR 0.42

$1.71 OMR 0.66

-36.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 OMR 0.19

$0.93 OMR 0.36

-47.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.94 OMR 2.29

$5.90 OMR 2.27

0.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.10 OMR 7.74

$26.28 OMR 10.12

-23.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.88 OMR 1.50

$3.86 OMR 1.49

0.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.82 OMR 1.85

$8.61 OMR 3.31

-44.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.32 OMR 0.51

$2.54 OMR 0.98

-48.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.0 OMR 21.17

$51.5 OMR 19.81

6.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 OMR 0.86

$3.22 OMR 1.24

-30.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.52 OMR 0.58

-16.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.51 OMR 4.43

$10.30 OMR 3.97

11.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 OMR 0.24

$0.59 OMR 0.23

6.78%

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

$21.1K OMR 8,121

$18.1K OMR 6,959

16.70%

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

$18.2K OMR 6,998

$20.1K OMR 7,727

-9.43%

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

$79.6 OMR 30.63

$104 OMR 40.01

-23.44%

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

$48.86 OMR 18.81

$29.51 OMR 11.36

65.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.1 OMR 28.14

$89.7 OMR 34.53

-18.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.76 OMR 15.31

$48.03 OMR 18.49

-17.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.79 OMR 9.93

Cinema Ticket

$7.76 OMR 2.99

$11.87 OMR 4.57

-34.63%

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

$301 OMR 116

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,912 OMR 736

$6,971 OMR 2,684

-72.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.56 OMR 11.00

$50.5 OMR 19.43

-43.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.61 OMR 11.78

$44.86 OMR 17.27

-31.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.4 OMR 22.10

$78.5 OMR 30.21

-26.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.61 OMR 17.56

$45.98 OMR 17.70

-0.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$248 OMR 95.6

$486 OMR 187

-48.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 OMR 79.4

$379 OMR 146

-45.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 OMR 239

$806 OMR 310

-22.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 OMR 151

$682 OMR 263

-42.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,001 OMR 770

$1,188 OMR 457

68.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,246 OMR 480

$784 OMR 302

58.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,813 OMR 698

$2,465 OMR 949

-26.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.58

6.33

-27.65%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Salalah: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sohar: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $248 in Salalah versus $486 in Sohar. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 36% higher in Sohar, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Salalah versus $21.00 in Sohar. Groceries tell a different story – $204 in Salalah vs $347 in Sohar – so Salalah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Sohar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sohar costs about 40% more than Salalah, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,532 per month in Salalah and $2,145 in Sohar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Salalah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,022 in Salalah and $1,430 in Sohar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Salalah and $21.00 in Sohar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Salalah, where all-in costs run around $1,022, than in Sohar at $1,430. In Salalah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sohar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Salalah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Salalah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sohar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.