Cost of Living Comparison Between Sohar and 'ibri Cost of Living Comparison Between Sohar and 'ibri

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,430 in Sohar versus $1,038 in 'ibri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,090 in Sohar versus $1,615 in 'ibri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,750 in Sohar versus $2,192 in 'ibri.

Living in Sohar is roughly 38% more expensive than in 'ibri, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sohar is 4% above, 'ibri is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.56 OMR 2.53

$5.15 OMR 1.98

27.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.53 OMR 7.90

$33.97 OMR 13.08

-39.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 OMR 3.41

$7.58 OMR 2.92

16.89%

Cappuccino

$4.89 OMR 1.88

$4.73 OMR 1.82

3.38%

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

$0.69 OMR 0.27

$0.90 OMR 0.35

-23.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 OMR 0.11

$0.29 OMR 0.11

-3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.04 OMR 5.02

$12.81 OMR 4.93

1.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.15 OMR 5.45

$13.23 OMR 5.09

6.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 OMR 0.85

$1.31 OMR 0.50

67.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 OMR 0.41

$0.76 OMR 0.29

40.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 OMR 1.22

$1.33 OMR 0.51

139.10%

Eggs

$2.83 OMR 1.09

$2.11 OMR 0.81

34.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.76 OMR 5.30

$7.66 OMR 2.95

79.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.08 OMR 3.49

$5.08 OMR 1.95

78.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.25 OMR 5.49

$10.46 OMR 4.03

36.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 OMR 1.25

$2.64 OMR 1.02

23.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 OMR 0.82

$1.93 OMR 0.74

10.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 OMR 0.96

$1.60 OMR 0.62

55.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 OMR 0.47

$1.06 OMR 0.41

14.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 OMR 0.69

$1.06 OMR 0.41

69.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 OMR 0.68

$0.80 OMR 0.31

121.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 OMR 0.66

$0.76 OMR 0.29

125.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 OMR 0.36

$0.54 OMR 0.21

72.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 OMR 2.27

$6.34 OMR 2.44

-6.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$26.28 OMR 10.12

$15.31 OMR 5.89

71.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.86 OMR 1.49

$5.71 OMR 2.20

-32.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.61 OMR 3.31

$8.90 OMR 3.43

-3.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.54 OMR 0.98

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.5 OMR 19.81

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 OMR 1.24

$2.56 OMR 0.99

25.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 OMR 0.58

$1.34 OMR 0.51

13.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.30 OMR 3.97

$7.71 OMR 2.97

33.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 OMR 0.23

$0.62 OMR 0.24

-4.84%

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

$18.1K OMR 6,959

$25.9K OMR 9,967

-30.18%

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

$20.1K OMR 7,727

$22.4K OMR 8,611

-10.27%

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

$104 OMR 40.01

$79.0 OMR 30.40

31.62%

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

$29.51 OMR 11.36

$30.98 OMR 11.93

-4.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.7 OMR 34.53

$70.1 OMR 26.97

28.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.03 OMR 18.49

$76.5 OMR 29.45

-37.22%

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 OMR 4.57

$10.33 OMR 3.98

14.91%

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

$301 OMR 116

$290 OMR 112

3.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,971 OMR 2,684

$10.5K OMR 4,040

-33.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 OMR 19.43

$56.9 OMR 21.90

-11.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.86 OMR 17.27

$43.50 OMR 16.75

3.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 OMR 30.21

$89.2 OMR 34.34

-12.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.98 OMR 17.70

$94.7 OMR 36.45

-51.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 OMR 187

$232 OMR 89.4

109.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 OMR 146

$184 OMR 70.7

106.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 OMR 310

$476 OMR 183

69.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 OMR 263

$372 OMR 143

83.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,188 OMR 457

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$784 OMR 302

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,465 OMR 949

$2,956 OMR 1,138

-16.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.33

5.25

20.57%

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

Last update for Sohar: August 30, 2026

Last update for 'ibri: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $486 in Sohar and $232 in 'ibri. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

'ibri pays 20% 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 Sohar vs $34.00 in 'ibri. Groceries flip the comparison at $347 vs $242, with 'ibri 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

Sohar vs 'ibri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sohar and 'ibri differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($1,430 vs $1,038 including rent). 'ibri is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 20% lower in 'ibri. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $486 in Sohar versus $232 in 'ibri. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Sohar. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,430 per month in Sohar versus $1,038 in 'ibri – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,038 in 'ibri versus $1,430 in Sohar, a $2,000 budget is realistic in 'ibri but tight or insufficient in Sohar. The gap between the two cities makes 'ibri 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, Sohar and 'ibri 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 'ibri gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Sohar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.