Cost of Living Comparison Between Seeb and Muscat Cost of Living Comparison Between Seeb and Muscat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,301 in Seeb versus $1,519 in Muscat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,949 in Seeb versus $2,303 in Muscat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,596 in Seeb versus $3,087 in Muscat.

Living in Seeb costs roughly 14% less than in Muscat, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Seeb is 6% below, Muscat is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.62 OMR 2.93

$5.22 OMR 2.01

45.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.77 OMR 7.99

$34.29 OMR 13.20

-39.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 OMR 2.98

$7.88 OMR 3.04

-1.65%

Cappuccino

$5.28 OMR 2.03

$4.79 OMR 1.84

10.23%

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

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$0.89 OMR 0.34

19.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.29 OMR 0.11

-6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.27 OMR 3.95

$12.75 OMR 4.91

-19.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.20 OMR 3.93

$12.96 OMR 4.99

-21.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.15 OMR 1.21

$2.36 OMR 0.91

33.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 OMR 0.52

$1.27 OMR 0.49

5.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 OMR 0.98

$1.84 OMR 0.71

38.04%

Eggs

$4.57 OMR 1.76

$2.85 OMR 1.10

60.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 OMR 4.95

$7.53 OMR 2.90

70.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.93 OMR 3.05

$6.80 OMR 2.62

16.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.12 OMR 5.05

$10.36 OMR 3.99

26.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.96 OMR 1.53

$3.43 OMR 1.32

15.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 OMR 1.01

$1.94 OMR 0.75

34.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.94 OMR 1.52

$2.41 OMR 0.93

63.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 OMR 1.03

$1.26 OMR 0.49

111.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 OMR 0.49

$1.19 OMR 0.46

5.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 OMR 0.76

$1.24 OMR 0.48

58.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 OMR 0.49

$1.85 OMR 0.71

-30.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 OMR 0.19

$0.61 OMR 0.24

-18.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.32 OMR 2.43

$6.45 OMR 2.48

-2.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.75 OMR 4.91

$15.36 OMR 5.91

-16.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.22 OMR 2.01

$5.43 OMR 2.09

-3.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 OMR 3.40

$9.04 OMR 3.48

-2.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 OMR 0.31

$1.32 OMR 0.51

-37.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.44 OMR 15.18

$76.7 OMR 29.52

-48.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 OMR 0.92

$3.31 OMR 1.28

-28.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 OMR 0.26

$2.62 OMR 1.01

-74.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.22 OMR 5.09

$7.90 OMR 3.04

67.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 OMR 0.24

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

$23.0K OMR 8,856

$25.0K OMR 9,621

-7.95%

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

$23.8K OMR 9,181

$23.0K OMR 8,865

3.57%

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

$102 OMR 39.43

$173 OMR 66.4

-40.64%

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

$25.98 OMR 10.00

$31.32 OMR 12.06

-17.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.6 OMR 29.89

$69.0 OMR 26.56

12.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.4 OMR 30.20

$62.5 OMR 24.05

25.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.49 OMR 11.35

Cinema Ticket

$6.44 OMR 2.48

$10.31 OMR 3.97

-37.54%

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

$388 OMR 149

$293 OMR 113

32.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,939 OMR 3,057

$10.7K OMR 4,121

-25.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 OMR 21.36

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.08 OMR 16.97

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 OMR 34.91

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.1 OMR 36.25

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$522 OMR 201

$665 OMR 256

-21.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 OMR 148

$457 OMR 176

-16.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,047 OMR 403

$1,340 OMR 516

-21.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$786 OMR 303

$848 OMR 327

-7.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,322 OMR 509

$2,837 OMR 1,092

-53.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,030 OMR 397

$1,589 OMR 612

-35.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,219 OMR 854

$1,698 OMR 654

30.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

-4.76%

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

Last update for Seeb: September 6, 2026

Last update for Muscat: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $522 in Seeb and $665 in Muscat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seeb pays 31% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in Seeb vs $34.00 in Muscat. Groceries flip the comparison at $344 vs $284, with Muscat cheaper for home cooking.

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

Seeb vs Muscat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seeb and Muscat differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,301 vs $1,519 including rent). Seeb is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 31% higher in Seeb, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $522 in Seeb versus $665 in Muscat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Seeb – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $34.00 in Muscat. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,301 per month in Seeb versus $1,519 in Muscat – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,301 in Seeb versus $1,519 in Muscat, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Seeb but tight or insufficient in Muscat. The gap between the two cities makes Seeb 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, Seeb and Muscat 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 Seeb gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.