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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Sohar vs $1,981 in Kalmar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,090 per month in Sohar vs $2,973 in Kalmar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,750 per month in Sohar vs $3,966 in Kalmar, rent included.

Sohar is about 28% cheaper than Kalmar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sohar and Kalmar sit above the global median – Sohar by 4%, Kalmar by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.56 OMR 2.53

$15.61 SEK 150

-57.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.53 OMR 7.90

$73.1 SEK 703

-71.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 OMR 3.41

$11.08 SEK 107

-20.04%

Cappuccino

$4.89 OMR 1.88

$4.86 SEK 46.80

0.62%

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

$0.69 OMR 0.27

$2.92 SEK 28.08

-76.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 OMR 0.11

$2.65 SEK 25.47

-89.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.04 OMR 5.02

$9.82 SEK 94.5

32.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.15 OMR 5.45

$7.25 SEK 69.8

95.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 OMR 0.85

$1.52 SEK 14.60

44.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 OMR 0.41

$2.98 SEK 28.62

-64.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 OMR 1.22

$3.20 SEK 30.75

-0.63%

Eggs

$2.83 OMR 1.09

$4.95 SEK 47.65

-42.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.76 OMR 5.30

$11.66 SEK 112

18.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.08 OMR 3.49

$11.64 SEK 112

-21.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.25 OMR 5.49

$23.58 SEK 227

-39.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 OMR 1.25

$2.65 SEK 25.51

22.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 OMR 0.82

$2.83 SEK 27.22

-24.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 OMR 0.96

$3.42 SEK 32.88

-27.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 OMR 0.47

$4.11 SEK 39.57

-70.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 OMR 0.69

$1.54 SEK 14.77

16.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 OMR 0.68

$1.57 SEK 15.12

12.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 OMR 0.66

$2.02 SEK 19.47

-15.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 OMR 0.36

$1.83 SEK 17.57

-49.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 OMR 2.27

$8.12 SEK 78.1

-27.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$26.28 OMR 10.12

$9.32 SEK 89.7

181.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.86 OMR 1.49

$2.02 SEK 19.46

91.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.61 OMR 3.31

$2.57 SEK 24.71

235.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.54 OMR 0.98

$3.55 SEK 34.18

-28.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.5 OMR 19.81

$81.1 SEK 780

-36.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 OMR 1.24

$10.03 SEK 96.5

-67.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 OMR 0.58

$1.75 SEK 16.80

-13.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.30 OMR 3.97

$50.3 SEK 484

-79.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 OMR 0.23

$1.81 SEK 17.46

-67.40%

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

$18.1K OMR 6,959

$31.6K SEK 303.9K

-42.78%

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

$20.1K OMR 7,727

$30.2K SEK 290.3K

-33.50%

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

$104 OMR 40.01

$152 SEK 1,459

-31.47%

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

$29.51 OMR 11.36

$27.98 SEK 269

5.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.7 OMR 34.53

$33.50 SEK 322

167.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.03 OMR 18.49

$32.39 SEK 312

48.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.98 SEK 260

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 OMR 4.57

$15.39 SEK 148

-22.87%

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

$301 OMR 116

$146 SEK 1,409

105.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,971 OMR 2,684

$5,205 SEK 50.1K

33.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 OMR 19.43

$52.6 SEK 506

-4.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.86 OMR 17.27

$45.15 SEK 434

-0.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 OMR 30.21

$85.3 SEK 821

-8.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.98 OMR 17.70

$106 SEK 1,017

-56.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 OMR 187

$945 SEK 9,088

-48.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 OMR 146

$812 SEK 7,807

-53.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 OMR 310

$1,368 SEK 13.2K

-41.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 OMR 263

$1,213 SEK 11.7K

-43.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,188 OMR 457

$4,269 SEK 41.1K

-72.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$784 OMR 302

$2,887 SEK 27.8K

-72.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,465 OMR 949

$3,037 SEK 29.2K

-18.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.33

3.93

61.07%

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

Last update for Sohar: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kalmar: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $486 in Sohar versus $945 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 23% 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 $73.0 in Kalmar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $378 – making Sohar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $1,430 in Sohar, $1,981 in Kalmar – roughly 39% apart. Kalmar costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,145 per month in Sohar and $2,971 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 $301 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.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Kalmar, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sohar, where all-in costs run around $1,430, than in Kalmar at $1,981. 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.