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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,441 per month in Sohar vs $1,862 in Kalmar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,151 per month in Sohar vs $2,801 in Kalmar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,862 per month in Sohar vs $3,740 in Kalmar, rent included.

Sohar is about 23% cheaper than Kalmar, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Sohar and Kalmar sit above the global median – Sohar by 8%, Kalmar by 39%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 OMR 2.51

$16.05 SEK 150

-59.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.05 OMR 8.10

$74.3 SEK 693

-71.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 OMR 3.41

$10.56 SEK 98.6

-16.00%

Cappuccino

$6.62 OMR 2.55

$4.56 SEK 42.55

45.18%

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

$0.65 OMR 0.25

$2.89 SEK 26.97

-77.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$2.66 SEK 24.85

-89.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.74 OMR 4.91

$9.71 SEK 90.6

31.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.10 OMR 5.43

$7.43 SEK 69.3

89.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 OMR 0.86

$1.48 SEK 13.77

51.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 OMR 0.43

$2.39 SEK 22.28

-53.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 OMR 1.24

$2.58 SEK 24.05

24.81%

Eggs

$2.82 OMR 1.09

$4.88 SEK 45.52

-42.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.59 OMR 5.23

$10.36 SEK 96.7

31.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.31 OMR 3.58

$11.73 SEK 109

-20.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.40 OMR 5.54

$16.15 SEK 151

-10.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 OMR 1.24

$2.62 SEK 24.42

22.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 OMR 0.81

$2.79 SEK 26.03

-24.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 OMR 0.98

$3.12 SEK 29.16

-18.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 OMR 0.46

$3.70 SEK 34.51

-68.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 OMR 0.67

$1.43 SEK 13.33

21.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 OMR 0.72

$2.34 SEK 21.87

-20.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$2.06 SEK 19.19

-16.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$1.66 SEK 15.44

-40.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 OMR 2.36

$7.30 SEK 68.1

-15.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$26.43 OMR 10.18

$9.90 SEK 92.4

166.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.00 OMR 1.54

$2.11 SEK 19.71

89.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.47 OMR 3.26

$1.66 SEK 15.48

410.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 OMR 1.02

$2.83 SEK 26.39

-6.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.9 OMR 20.00

$86.2 SEK 804

-39.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.21

$7.25 SEK 67.6

-56.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 OMR 0.59

$1.56 SEK 14.53

-1.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.51 OMR 4.05

$52.6 SEK 491

-80.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

$1.95 SEK 18.19

-69.23%

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

$18.1K OMR 6,963

$27.5K SEK 256.4K

-34.17%

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

$20.8K OMR 8,000

$28.1K SEK 262.2K

-26.07%

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

$101 OMR 38.93

$118 SEK 1,104

-14.55%

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

$29.04 OMR 11.18

$28.08 SEK 262

3.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.4 OMR 33.63

$30.58 SEK 285

185.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 OMR 19.86

$29.43 SEK 275

75.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.57 SEK 145

Cinema Ticket

$11.78 OMR 4.54

$14.22 SEK 133

-17.16%

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

$269 OMR 104

$145 SEK 1,357

84.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,119 OMR 2,741

$4,155 SEK 38.8K

71.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 OMR 19.88

$63.8 SEK 595

-19.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.42 OMR 16.72

$20.69 SEK 193

109.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 OMR 30.14

$60.0 SEK 560

30.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.95 OMR 18.08

$77.4 SEK 723

-39.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 OMR 187

$939 SEK 8,760

-48.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 OMR 149

$795 SEK 7,421

-51.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 OMR 290

$1,389 SEK 13.0K

-45.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 OMR 257

$1,183 SEK 11.0K

-43.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,154 OMR 444

$4,304 SEK 40.2K

-73.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$774 OMR 298

$2,931 SEK 27.4K

-73.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,455 OMR 945

$3,061 SEK 28.6K

-19.79%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kalmar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Sohar versus $939 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 25% 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 $74.0 in Kalmar. Groceries tell a different story – $351 in Sohar vs $338 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: $1,441 in Sohar, $1,862 in Kalmar – roughly 29% apart. Kalmar costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,161 per month in Sohar and $2,793 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 $269 per month in Sohar and $145 in Kalmar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% 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 $1,441, than in Kalmar at $1,862. 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.