Cost of Living Comparison Between Sohar and Kalmar Cost of Living Comparison Between Sohar and Kalmar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,428 per month in Sohar vs $1,926 in Kalmar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,124 per month in Sohar vs $2,839 in Kalmar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,820 per month in Sohar vs $3,751 in Kalmar, rent included.

Sohar is about 26% cheaper than Kalmar, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Sohar and Kalmar sit above the global median – Sohar by 7%, Kalmar by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 OMR 2.56

$15.76 SEK 152

-57.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.08 OMR 8.11

$74.7 SEK 720

-71.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.12 OMR 3.51

$10.34 SEK 99.7

-11.80%

Cappuccino

$7.01 OMR 2.70

$4.68 SEK 45.05

49.79%

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

$0.64 OMR 0.25

$2.81 SEK 27.10

-77.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 OMR 0.10

$2.73 SEK 26.33

-90.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.09 OMR 5.04

$9.90 SEK 95.4

32.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.16 OMR 5.45

$7.59 SEK 73.1

86.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 OMR 0.87

$1.50 SEK 14.50

51.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$2.48 SEK 23.88

-57.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 OMR 1.28

$2.71 SEK 26.14

22.88%

Eggs

$2.73 OMR 1.05

$4.88 SEK 47.04

-44.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 OMR 5.26

$10.18 SEK 98.1

34.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.89 OMR 3.42

$11.54 SEK 111

-22.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.06 OMR 5.41

$16.07 SEK 155

-12.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 OMR 1.27

$2.67 SEK 25.72

23.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 OMR 0.81

$2.73 SEK 26.35

-23.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 OMR 0.99

$3.17 SEK 30.54

-18.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 OMR 0.45

$3.78 SEK 36.43

-69.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 OMR 0.67

$1.49 SEK 14.31

17.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 OMR 0.71

$2.33 SEK 22.42

-21.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 OMR 0.67

$2.07 SEK 19.95

-15.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$1.68 SEK 16.16

-41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 OMR 2.25

$7.12 SEK 68.6

-17.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.86 OMR 9.95

$9.11 SEK 87.8

183.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.96 OMR 1.52

$2.00 SEK 19.31

98.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.79 OMR 3.38

$1.72 SEK 16.53

411.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 OMR 1.01

$2.98 SEK 28.73

-12.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.3 OMR 19.74

$87.1 SEK 839

-41.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 OMR 1.28

$7.08 SEK 68.3

-52.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 OMR 0.62

$1.59 SEK 15.36

0.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.37 OMR 3.99

$52.6 SEK 507

-80.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

$1.91 SEK 18.36

-68.59%

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

$18.2K OMR 7,016

$27.6K SEK 265.6K

-33.88%

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

$20.6K OMR 7,923

$28.1K SEK 270.7K

-26.73%

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

$102 OMR 39.11

$117 SEK 1,125

-13.00%

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

$29.28 OMR 11.27

$28.56 SEK 275

2.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.1 OMR 33.53

$30.64 SEK 295

184.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 OMR 20.15

$29.77 SEK 287

75.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.73 SEK 152

Cinema Ticket

$11.69 OMR 4.50

$14.39 SEK 139

-18.76%

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

$267 OMR 103

$146 SEK 1,406

82.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,155 OMR 2,754

$4,077 SEK 39.3K

75.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 OMR 19.48

$64.2 SEK 619

-21.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.88 OMR 16.89

$21.00 SEK 202

108.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 OMR 30.88

$60.4 SEK 582

32.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.41 OMR 17.86

$75.9 SEK 731

-38.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 OMR 191

$947 SEK 9,125

-47.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 OMR 148

$812 SEK 7,820

-52.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$780 OMR 300

$1,363 SEK 13.1K

-42.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$683 OMR 263

$1,203 SEK 11.6K

-43.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,184 OMR 456

$4,262 SEK 41.1K

-72.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$775 OMR 298

$2,835 SEK 27.3K

-72.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,506 OMR 965

$2,928 SEK 28.2K

-14.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

4.66

20.60%

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

Last update for Sohar: July 14, 2026

Last update for Kalmar: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $497 in Sohar versus $947 in Kalmar. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 17% higher in Kalmar, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Sohar versus $75.0 in Kalmar. Groceries tell a different story – $347 in Sohar vs $337 in Kalmar – so Kalmar wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kalmar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,428 in Sohar, $1,926 in Kalmar – roughly 35% apart. Kalmar costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,142 per month in Sohar and $2,889 in Kalmar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sohar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $267 per month in Sohar and $146 in Kalmar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Kalmar – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sohar, where all-in costs run around $1,428, than in Kalmar at $1,926. In Sohar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kalmar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sohar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sohar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kalmar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.