Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Salalah and Sur

For one person, living is cheaper in Salalah: $1,062 a month against $1,149 in Sur, rent and utilities included – about $1,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Salalah, Oman
Sur, Oman
Salalah
🇴🇲 Oman
$1,062
/mo nomad
Sur
🇴🇲 Oman
$1,149
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Salalah and in Sur

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

A single person spends $1,062 per month in Salalah vs $1,149 in Sur, rent included.

  • Salalah $1,062
  • Sur $1,149

A couple spends around $1,598 per month in Salalah vs $1,653 in Sur, rent included.

  • Salalah $1,598
  • Sur $1,653

A family of three spends $2,134 per month in Salalah vs $2,156 in Sur, rent included.

  • Salalah $2,134
  • Sur $2,156

Salalah is about 8% cheaper than Sur, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Salalah and Sur are more affordable than the global median – Salalah 22% lower, Sur 16% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Salalah
Sur
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.17 OMR 1.99
$3.88 OMR 1.49
33.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.56 OMR 9.84
$25.96 OMR 9.99
-1.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.24 OMR 5.10
$7.63 OMR 2.94
73.53%
Cappuccino
$6.42 OMR 2.47
$5.05 OMR 1.94
27.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 OMR 0.33
$0.73 OMR 0.28
16.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27 OMR 0.10
$0.27 OMR 0.10
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.88 OMR 3.42
$12.80 OMR 4.93
-30.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.34 OMR 3.98
$12.79 OMR 4.92
-19.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Salalah
Sur
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.93 OMR 0.74
$1.59 OMR 0.61
21.38%
White Bread (500g)
$1.22 OMR 0.47
$1.23 OMR 0.48
-0.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.63 OMR 1.01
$1.73 OMR 0.66
52.02%
Eggs
$1.89 OMR 0.73
$1.95 OMR 0.75
-3.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.78 OMR 1.84
$7.19 OMR 2.77
-33.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.56 OMR 1.76
$6.81 OMR 2.62
-33.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.35 OMR 2.45
$8.99 OMR 3.46
-29.37%
Apples (1kg)
$1.90 OMR 0.73
$2.35 OMR 0.91
-19.15%
Banana (1kg)
$1.79 OMR 0.69
$1.28 OMR 0.49
39.84%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.07 OMR 0.80
$1.06 OMR 0.41
95.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.87 OMR 0.72
$0.80 OMR 0.31
133.75%
Potato (1kg)
$1.44 OMR 0.55
$0.76 OMR 0.29
89.47%
Onion (1kg)
$1.06 OMR 0.41
$0.54 OMR 0.21
96.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 OMR 0.41
$1.55 OMR 0.60
-31.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 OMR 0.19
$0.53 OMR 0.21
-9.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.88 OMR 2.26
$6.38 OMR 2.45
-7.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.95 OMR 7.68
$15.86 OMR 6.11
25.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.84 OMR 1.48
$6.10 OMR 2.35
-37.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.65 OMR 1.79
$10.30 OMR 3.96
-54.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Salalah
Sur
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.32 OMR 0.51
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.9 OMR 21.13
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.32 OMR 0.89
$3.32 OMR 1.28
-30.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.28 OMR 0.49
$2.61 OMR 1.01
-50.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.54 OMR 4.44
$7.74 OMR 2.98
49.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.64 OMR 0.25
$0.53 OMR 0.20
20.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K OMR 7,971
$24.7K OMR 9,491
-16.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.9K OMR 6,900
$20.7K OMR 7,965
-13.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Salalah
Sur
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.2 OMR 30.50
$77.7 OMR 29.90
2.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$49.43 OMR 19.03
$23.09 OMR 8.89
114.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$73.9 OMR 28.45
$69.7 OMR 26.85
5.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Salalah
Sur
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.35 OMR 15.54
$86.3 OMR 33.21
-53.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.24 OMR 10.10
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.84 OMR 3.02
$10.25 OMR 3.95
-23.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Salalah
Sur
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$105 OMR 40.39
$502 OMR 193
-79.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,970 OMR 758
$6,458 OMR 2,486
-69.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Salalah
Sur
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$28.71 OMR 11.05
$56.9 OMR 21.89
-49.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.42 OMR 12.10
$44.07 OMR 16.97
-28.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$57.6 OMR 22.16
$88.9 OMR 34.23
-35.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$44.75 OMR 17.23
$88.4 OMR 34.01
-49.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Salalah
Sur
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$247 OMR 95.1
$257 OMR 99.0
-3.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$205 OMR 78.9
$271 OMR 104
-24.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$634 OMR 244
$467 OMR 180
35.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$391 OMR 151
$385 OMR 148
1.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,980 OMR 762
$583 OMR 224
239.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,228 OMR 473
$515 OMR 198
138.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Salalah
Sur
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,778 OMR 684
$2,660 OMR 1,024
-33.16%
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 26, 2026

Last update for Sur: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Salalah
$229
Sur
$252 10.2% $23
Eating Out
Salalah
$228
Sur
$208 8.6% $20
Accommodation & Living
Salalah
$205
Sur
$271 32% $66
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Salalah
$203
Sur
$170 15.8% $32
Clothing & Footwear
Salalah
$73
Sur
$125 71.3% $52
Getting Around
Salalah
$69
Sur
$16 * 76.2% $52
Sport & Entertainment
Salalah
$56
Sur
$107 90.6% $51

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $247 in Salalah versus $257 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 50% higher in Sur. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26 in Salalah versus $26 in Sur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $229 vs $252 – making Salalah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇴🇲 Salalah
🇴🇲 Sur
🕒 Local time
14:29 2:29 PM
14:29 2:29 PM
Same time as Salalah
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
178,469
120,000
💱 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 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.428 OMR (1 OMR = 2.33 EUR).

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

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 Sur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Salalah or Sur?
Sur costs about 8% more than Salalah, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. 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 Sur?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,593 per month in Salalah and $1,724 in Sur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Salalah compared to Sur?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $247 in Salalah and $257 in Sur. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
How much does it cost to live in Salalah compared to Sur?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,062 in Salalah and $1,149 in Sur. That’s a gap of about 8%.
Are groceries more expensive in Salalah or in Sur?
Groceries cost about 10% more in Sur, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Salalah or in Sur?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,062 in Salalah and $1,149 in Sur. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for families?
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.
How safe is Salalah compared to Sur?
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 Sur?
If budget matters most, go with Salalah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sur makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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