Cost of Living Comparison Between Sohar and Al-Buraimi Cost of Living Comparison Between Sohar and Al-Buraimi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,441 in Sohar versus $1,011 in Al-Buraimi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,151 in Sohar versus $1,298 in Al-Buraimi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,862 in Sohar versus $1,586 in Al-Buraimi.

Living in Sohar is roughly 43% more expensive than Al-Buraimi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sohar is 8% above, Al-Buraimi is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 OMR 2.51

$5.12 OMR 1.97

27.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.05 OMR 8.10

$25.59 OMR 9.85

-17.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 OMR 3.41

$7.75 OMR 2.98

14.45%

Cappuccino

$6.62 OMR 2.55

$4.96 OMR 1.91

33.47%

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

$0.65 OMR 0.25

$1.06 OMR 0.41

-38.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.32 OMR 0.12

-15.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.74 OMR 4.91

$12.15 OMR 4.68

4.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.10 OMR 5.43

$11.65 OMR 4.49

21.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 OMR 0.86

$2.00 OMR 0.77

12.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 OMR 0.43

$1.23 OMR 0.48

-9.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 OMR 1.24

$1.74 OMR 0.67

85.06%

Eggs

$2.82 OMR 1.09

$2.47 OMR 0.95

14.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.59 OMR 5.23

$3.87 OMR 1.49

251.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.31 OMR 3.58

$5.08 OMR 1.96

83.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.40 OMR 5.54

$8.79 OMR 3.38

63.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 OMR 1.24

$2.61 OMR 1.00

22.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 OMR 0.81

$1.73 OMR 0.67

21.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 OMR 0.98

$1.84 OMR 0.71

38.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 OMR 0.46

$1.18 OMR 0.45

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 OMR 0.67

$0.97 OMR 0.37

79.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 OMR 0.72

$0.97 OMR 0.38

91.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$1.09 OMR 0.42

57.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$0.56 OMR 0.21

76.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 OMR 2.36

$6.54 OMR 2.52

-6.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$26.43 OMR 10.18

$15.77 OMR 6.07

67.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.00 OMR 1.54

$4.32 OMR 1.66

-7.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.47 OMR 3.26

$7.74 OMR 2.98

9.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 OMR 1.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.9 OMR 20.00

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.21

$2.59 OMR 1.00

22.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 OMR 0.59

$0.54 OMR 0.21

183.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.51 OMR 4.05

$5.14 OMR 1.98

104.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

$0.65 OMR 0.25

-7.69%

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

$18.1K OMR 6,963

$22.5K OMR 8,664

-19.63%

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

$20.8K OMR 8,000

$21.6K OMR 8,300

-3.61%

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

$101 OMR 38.93

$105 OMR 40.56

-4.02%

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

$29.04 OMR 11.18

$41.88 OMR 16.12

-30.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.4 OMR 33.63

$69.6 OMR 26.80

25.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 OMR 19.86

Cinema Ticket

$11.78 OMR 4.54

$10.36 OMR 3.99

13.71%

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

$269 OMR 104

$193 OMR 74.2

39.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,119 OMR 2,741

$9,914 OMR 3,817

-28.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 OMR 19.88

$49.99 OMR 19.25

3.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.42 OMR 16.72

$39.43 OMR 15.18

10.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 OMR 30.14

$79.0 OMR 30.42

-0.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.95 OMR 18.08

$88.2 OMR 33.97

-46.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 OMR 187

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 OMR 149

$206 OMR 79.4

88.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 OMR 290

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 OMR 257

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,154 OMR 444

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$774 OMR 298

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,455 OMR 945

$3,613 OMR 1,391

-32.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

5.15

9.13%

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

Last update for Sohar: June 2, 2026

Last update for Al-Buraimi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Al-Buraimi pays 47% 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 $26.00 in Al-Buraimi. Groceries flip the comparison at $351 vs $234, with Al-Buraimi 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 Al-Buraimi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-Buraimi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Al-Buraimi earns 47% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Sohar. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,441 per month in Sohar versus $1,011 in Al-Buraimi – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,011 in Al-Buraimi versus $1,441 in Sohar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-Buraimi but tight or insufficient in Sohar. The gap between the two cities makes Al-Buraimi 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 Al-Buraimi 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 Al-Buraimi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Sohar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.