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: $1,430 in Sohar versus $923 in Al-Buraimi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,090 in Sohar versus $1,351 in Al-Buraimi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,750 in Sohar versus $1,778 in Al-Buraimi.

Living in Sohar is roughly 55% more expensive than in Al-Buraimi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sohar is 4% above, Al-Buraimi is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.56 OMR 2.53

$5.07 OMR 1.95

29.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.53 OMR 7.90

$13.24 OMR 5.10

55.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 OMR 3.41

$7.84 OMR 3.02

13.01%

Cappuccino

$4.89 OMR 1.88

$4.87 OMR 1.87

0.41%

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

$0.69 OMR 0.27

$0.84 OMR 0.32

-17.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 OMR 0.11

$0.27 OMR 0.10

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.04 OMR 5.02

$12.84 OMR 4.94

1.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.15 OMR 5.45

$12.96 OMR 4.99

9.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 OMR 0.85

$2.31 OMR 0.89

-4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 OMR 0.41

$1.24 OMR 0.48

-13.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 OMR 1.22

$1.53 OMR 0.59

107.84%

Eggs

$2.83 OMR 1.09

$2.91 OMR 1.12

-2.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.76 OMR 5.30

$6.62 OMR 2.55

107.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.08 OMR 3.49

$5.56 OMR 2.14

63.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.25 OMR 5.49

$8.90 OMR 3.42

60.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 OMR 1.25

$2.12 OMR 0.82

53.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 OMR 0.82

$1.81 OMR 0.70

17.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 OMR 0.96

$2.06 OMR 0.79

20.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 OMR 0.47

$1.25 OMR 0.48

-3.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 OMR 0.69

$1.21 OMR 0.47

48.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 OMR 0.68

$0.99 OMR 0.38

78.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 OMR 0.66

$0.84 OMR 0.33

103.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 OMR 0.36

$0.66 OMR 0.25

40.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 OMR 2.27

$5.06 OMR 1.95

16.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$26.28 OMR 10.12

$15.70 OMR 6.04

67.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.86 OMR 1.49

$5.68 OMR 2.19

-32.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.61 OMR 3.31

$8.86 OMR 3.41

-2.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.54 OMR 0.98

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.5 OMR 19.81

$39.22 OMR 15.10

31.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 OMR 1.24

$3.28 OMR 1.26

-1.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 OMR 0.58

$1.27 OMR 0.49

19.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.30 OMR 3.97

$7.86 OMR 3.03

31.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 OMR 0.23

$0.64 OMR 0.25

-7.81%

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

$18.1K OMR 6,959

$25.3K OMR 9,741

-28.56%

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

$20.1K OMR 7,727

$22.4K OMR 8,610

-10.26%

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

$104 OMR 40.01

$76.7 OMR 29.53

35.48%

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

$29.51 OMR 11.36

$31.38 OMR 12.08

-5.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.7 OMR 34.53

$69.1 OMR 26.59

29.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.03 OMR 18.49

$64.0 OMR 24.63

-24.93%

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 OMR 4.57

$7.86 OMR 3.03

51.02%

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

$301 OMR 116

$264 OMR 102

13.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,971 OMR 2,684

$10.7K OMR 4,121

-34.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 OMR 19.43

$56.0 OMR 21.56

-9.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.86 OMR 17.27

$42.79 OMR 16.47

4.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 OMR 30.21

$92.5 OMR 35.63

-15.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.98 OMR 17.70

$97.3 OMR 37.47

-52.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 OMR 187

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 OMR 146

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 OMR 310

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 OMR 263

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

$3,575 OMR 1,376

-31.04%

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 Al-Buraimi: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Al-Buraimi pays 45% 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 $13.00 in Al-Buraimi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $347 vs $258 per month, with Al-Buraimi cheaper across the board.

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, Getting Around. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 45% lower in Al-Buraimi. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

A monthly transit pass in Al-Buraimi runs roughly 31% less than in Sohar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $301 in Sohar versus $264 in Al-Buraimi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $923 in Al-Buraimi versus $1,430 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 55% less than in Sohar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.