Cost of Living Comparison Between Salalah and Sur Cost of Living Comparison Between Salalah and Sur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,106 per month in Salalah vs $1,103 in Sur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,665 per month in Salalah vs $1,577 in Sur, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,225 per month in Salalah vs $2,050 in Sur, rent included.

Salalah and Sur have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Salalah and Sur are more affordable than the global median – Salalah 17% lower, Sur 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.13 OMR 1.98

$3.95 OMR 1.52

29.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.64 OMR 9.87

$25.63 OMR 9.87

0.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.10 OMR 5.04

$7.76 OMR 2.99

68.81%

Cappuccino

$6.19 OMR 2.38

$4.82 OMR 1.85

28.42%

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

$0.68 OMR 0.26

$0.72 OMR 0.28

-5.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 OMR 0.10

$0.27 OMR 0.10

-7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.92 OMR 3.44

$12.51 OMR 4.82

-28.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.37 OMR 3.99

$11.86 OMR 4.56

-12.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 OMR 0.68

$1.59 OMR 0.61

10.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.23 OMR 0.47

3.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 OMR 0.78

$1.67 OMR 0.64

20.96%

Eggs

$1.90 OMR 0.73

$2.00 OMR 0.77

-5.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 OMR 2.59

$3.84 OMR 1.48

75.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 OMR 1.79

$4.91 OMR 1.89

-5.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.84 OMR 3.40

$8.60 OMR 3.31

2.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 OMR 0.79

$2.36 OMR 0.91

-13.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 OMR 0.42

$1.27 OMR 0.49

-14.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 OMR 0.61

$1.06 OMR 0.41

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 OMR 0.44

$0.81 OMR 0.31

40.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 OMR 0.43

$0.82 OMR 0.31

36.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 OMR 0.30

$0.50 OMR 0.19

56.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 OMR 0.21

$1.08 OMR 0.42

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 OMR 0.21

$0.51 OMR 0.19

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.88 OMR 2.26

$6.23 OMR 2.40

-5.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 OMR 7.70

$15.90 OMR 6.12

25.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.84 OMR 1.48

$4.36 OMR 1.68

-11.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.82 OMR 1.85

$8.01 OMR 3.08

-39.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 OMR 0.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.3 OMR 20.89

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 OMR 0.90

$3.16 OMR 1.21

-25.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 OMR 0.51

$0.76 OMR 0.29

75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.83 OMR 4.55

$10.25 OMR 3.95

15.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

$0.53 OMR 0.20

13.21%

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

$21.1K OMR 8,114

$22.5K OMR 8,655

-6.24%

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

$18.5K OMR 7,127

$21.8K OMR 8,409

-15.25%

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

$63.8 OMR 24.55

$79.0 OMR 30.40

-19.26%

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

$49.44 OMR 19.03

$23.13 OMR 8.90

113.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 OMR 29.62

$70.0 OMR 26.95

9.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.1 OMR 35.81

$85.9 OMR 33.07

8.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.71 OMR 9.90

Cinema Ticket

$8.03 OMR 3.09

$10.25 OMR 3.95

-21.66%

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

$111 OMR 42.87

$192 OMR 73.8

-41.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,399 OMR 923

$6,388 OMR 2,459

-62.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.70 OMR 10.66

$51.2 OMR 19.71

-45.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.71 OMR 11.82

$39.04 OMR 15.03

-21.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.2 OMR 23.95

$78.4 OMR 30.18

-20.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.75 OMR 16.46

$87.7 OMR 33.74

-51.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$259 OMR 99.7

$258 OMR 99.5

0.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 OMR 80.2

$265 OMR 102

-21.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 OMR 193

$470 OMR 181

6.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 OMR 141

$384 OMR 148

-4.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,034 OMR 783

$565 OMR 218

259.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,218 OMR 469

$525 OMR 202

131.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,785 OMR 687

$2,657 OMR 1,023

-32.80%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sur: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $259 in Salalah versus $258 in Sur. 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 49% higher in Sur. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Salalah versus $26.00 in Sur. Groceries tell a different story – $227 in Salalah vs $216 in Sur – so Sur 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 Sur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,658 per month in Salalah and $1,655 in Sur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 5% more in Salalah, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

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

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sur, where all-in costs run around $1,103, than in Salalah at $1,106. In Sur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Salalah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sur – 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 Sur. 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.