Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shinas and Sohar

For one person, living is cheaper in Shinas: $952 a month against $1,430 in Sohar, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Shinas, Oman
Sohar, Oman
Shinas
🇴🇲 Oman
$952
/mo nomad
Sohar
🇴🇲 Oman
$1,430
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shinas and in Sohar

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Shinas and in Sohar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $952 per month in Shinas vs $1,430 in Sohar, rent included.

  • Shinas $952
  • Sohar $1,430

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Shinas vs $2,095 in Sohar, rent included.

  • Shinas $1,430
  • Sohar $2,095

A family of three spends $1,908 per month in Shinas vs $2,759 in Sohar, rent included.

  • Shinas $1,908
  • Sohar $2,759

Shinas is about 33% cheaper than Sohar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Shinas sits 30% below the global median, while Sohar is 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Shinas
Sohar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.11 OMR 1.97
$6.35 OMR 2.45
-19.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.27 OMR 15.12
$21.17 OMR 8.15
85.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.59 OMR 2.92
$9.17 OMR 3.53
-17.23%
Cappuccino
$5.21 OMR 2.01
$4.93 OMR 1.90
5.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84 OMR 0.32
$0.69 OMR 0.26
21.74%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 OMR 0.11
$0.30 OMR 0.12
-3.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$12.92 OMR 4.97
$13.15 OMR 5.06
-1.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$13.16 OMR 5.07
$14.51 OMR 5.59
-9.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Shinas
Sohar
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.35 OMR 0.91
$2.13 OMR 0.82
10.33%
White Bread (500g)
$1.19 OMR 0.46
$1.10 OMR 0.43
8.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.91 OMR 0.73
$3.27 OMR 1.26
-41.59%
Eggs
$3.01 OMR 1.16
$2.69 OMR 1.04
11.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.24 OMR 2.79
$13.27 OMR 5.11
-45.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.86 OMR 2.64
$9.06 OMR 3.49
-24.28%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.13 OMR 3.90
$14.23 OMR 5.48
-28.81%
Apples (1kg)
$3.53 OMR 1.36
$3.22 OMR 1.24
9.63%
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 OMR 0.75
$2.21 OMR 0.85
-12.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.39 OMR 0.92
$2.55 OMR 0.98
-6.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.27 OMR 0.49
$1.17 OMR 0.45
8.55%
Potato (1kg)
$1.17 OMR 0.45
$1.83 OMR 0.71
-36.07%
Onion (1kg)
$1.27 OMR 0.49
$1.87 OMR 0.72
-32.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.87 OMR 0.72
$1.73 OMR 0.67
8.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.65 OMR 0.25
$0.92 OMR 0.35
-29.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.63 OMR 2.55
$5.96 OMR 2.29
11.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.36 OMR 5.91
$26.26 OMR 10.11
-41.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.99 OMR 2.31
$3.99 OMR 1.54
50.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.12 OMR 3.90
$8.51 OMR 3.28
18.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Shinas
Sohar
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$2.54 OMR 0.98
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$51.9 OMR 19.98
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 OMR 1.25
$3.23 OMR 1.24
0.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.64 OMR 1.02
$1.60 OMR 0.62
65.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.96 OMR 3.06
$10.34 OMR 3.98
-23.02%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.65 OMR 0.25
$0.64 OMR 0.25
1.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K OMR 9,472
$18.3K OMR 7,060
34.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.6K OMR 7,915
$20.2K OMR 7,758
2.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Shinas
Sohar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$179 OMR 68.7
$104 OMR 39.96
72.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.10 OMR 11.97
$29.67 OMR 11.42
4.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.2 OMR 26.65
$87.6 OMR 33.71
-20.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Shinas
Sohar
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$49.50 OMR 19.06
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.51 OMR 4.05
$11.74 OMR 4.52
-10.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Shinas
Sohar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$490 OMR 189
$294 OMR 113
66.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.3K OMR 3,982
$6,986 OMR 2,690
48.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Shinas
Sohar
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.2 OMR 21.63
$51.2 OMR 19.72
9.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.52 OMR 16.76
$43.66 OMR 16.81
-0.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.6 OMR 34.51
$80.2 OMR 30.86
11.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.7 OMR 33.77
$47.50 OMR 18.29
84.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Shinas
Sohar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$489 OMR 188
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$381 OMR 147
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$809 OMR 312
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$674 OMR 260
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$1,153 OMR 444
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$767 OMR 295
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Shinas
Sohar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,086 OMR 1,188
$2,503 OMR 964
23.30%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.25
6.33
-17.06%

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

Last update for Shinas: October 24, 2026

Last update for Sohar: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Shinas
$289
Sohar
$346 19.7% $57
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Shinas
$279
Sohar
$221 20.7% $58
Eating Out
Shinas
$222
Sohar
$236 6.6% $15
Clothing & Footwear
Shinas
$125
Sohar
$100 19.7% $25
Sport & Entertainment
Shinas
$21 *
Sohar
$73 247% $52
Getting Around
Shinas
$16 *
Sohar
$73 346% $57
Accommodation & Living
Shinas
- *
Sohar
$381

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 23% higher in Shinas, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39 in Shinas versus $21 in Sohar. Groceries tell a different story – $289 in Shinas vs $346 in Sohar – so Shinas wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇴🇲 Shinas
🇴🇲 Sohar
🕒 Local time
12:10 12:10 PM
12:10 12:10 PM
Same time as Shinas
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
43,312
221,605
💱 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 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.43 OMR (1 OMR = 2.33 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Shinas Sohar 53 km
From you
  • Shinas
  • Sohar

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
Shinas vs Sohar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Shinas or Sohar?
Sohar costs about 50% more than Shinas, 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 Shinas and in Sohar?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,427 per month in Shinas and $2,146 in Sohar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does it cost to live in Shinas compared to Sohar?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $952 in Shinas and $1,430 in Sohar. That makes Shinas about 33% cheaper.
How do childcare costs compare in Shinas and in Sohar?
Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Shinas and $294 in Sohar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $800/month in Shinas or in Sohar?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $952 in Shinas and $1,430 in Sohar. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Shinas or Sohar?
It depends on your priorities. Sohar has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $952 in Shinas to $1,430 in Sohar. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Shinas vs other spots: cost of living compared

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