Cost of Living Comparison Between Sohar and Muscat Cost of Living Comparison Between Sohar and Muscat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,441 in Sohar versus $1,331 in Muscat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,151 in Sohar versus $1,982 in Muscat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,862 in Sohar versus $2,633 in Muscat.

Living in Sohar is roughly 8% more expensive than Muscat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sohar is 8% above, Muscat is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 OMR 2.51

$5.29 OMR 2.04

23.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.05 OMR 8.10

$26.39 OMR 10.16

-20.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 OMR 3.41

$7.84 OMR 3.02

13.14%

Cappuccino

$6.62 OMR 2.55

$4.95 OMR 1.90

33.74%

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

$0.65 OMR 0.25

$1.02 OMR 0.39

-36.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.34 OMR 0.13

-20.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.74 OMR 4.91

$12.16 OMR 4.68

4.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.10 OMR 5.43

$11.87 OMR 4.57

18.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 OMR 0.86

$2.00 OMR 0.77

12.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 OMR 0.43

$1.20 OMR 0.46

-7.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 OMR 1.24

$1.70 OMR 0.65

89.41%

Eggs

$2.82 OMR 1.09

$2.45 OMR 0.94

15.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.59 OMR 5.23

$3.84 OMR 1.48

253.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.31 OMR 3.58

$5.16 OMR 1.98

80.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.40 OMR 5.54

$8.46 OMR 3.26

70.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 OMR 1.24

$2.54 OMR 0.98

26.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 OMR 0.81

$1.72 OMR 0.66

22.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 OMR 0.98

$1.77 OMR 0.68

44.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 OMR 0.46

$1.13 OMR 0.44

4.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 OMR 0.67

$1.00 OMR 0.38

74.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 OMR 0.72

$1.02 OMR 0.39

82.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$1.03 OMR 0.40

66.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$0.56 OMR 0.22

76.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 OMR 2.36

$6.22 OMR 2.39

-1.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$26.43 OMR 10.18

$15.55 OMR 5.99

69.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.00 OMR 1.54

$4.25 OMR 1.64

-5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.47 OMR 3.26

$7.90 OMR 3.04

7.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 OMR 1.02

$1.27 OMR 0.49

109.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.9 OMR 20.00

$62.3 OMR 23.99

-16.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.21

$3.16 OMR 1.22

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 OMR 0.59

$0.80 OMR 0.31

91.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.51 OMR 4.05

$10.34 OMR 3.98

1.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

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

$18.1K OMR 6,963

$22.8K OMR 8,778

-20.67%

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

$20.8K OMR 8,000

$21.8K OMR 8,405

-4.83%

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

$101 OMR 38.93

$107 OMR 41.32

-5.79%

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

$29.04 OMR 11.18

$40.60 OMR 15.63

-28.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.4 OMR 33.63

$70.5 OMR 27.13

23.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 OMR 19.86

$47.24 OMR 18.19

9.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.99 OMR 8.85

Cinema Ticket

$11.78 OMR 4.54

$10.47 OMR 4.03

12.51%

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

$269 OMR 104

$192 OMR 74.1

39.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,119 OMR 2,741

$9,757 OMR 3,756

-27.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 OMR 19.88

$50.7 OMR 19.53

1.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.42 OMR 16.72

$39.51 OMR 15.21

9.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 OMR 30.14

$79.4 OMR 30.56

-1.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.95 OMR 18.08

$90.0 OMR 34.66

-47.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 OMR 187

$619 OMR 238

-21.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 OMR 149

$410 OMR 158

-5.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 OMR 290

$1,222 OMR 470

-38.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 OMR 257

$730 OMR 281

-8.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,154 OMR 444

$2,666 OMR 1,026

-56.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$774 OMR 298

$1,552 OMR 597

-50.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,455 OMR 945

$1,654 OMR 637

48.45%

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 Muscat: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Sohar and $619 in Muscat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sohar pays 48% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $21.00 in Sohar vs $26.00 in Muscat. Groceries flip the comparison at $351 vs $231, with Muscat 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 Muscat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sohar and Muscat differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,441 vs $1,331 including rent). Muscat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Sohar pays 48% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $485 in Sohar versus $619 in Muscat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Muscat – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $21.00 in Sohar. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,441 per month in Sohar versus $1,331 in Muscat – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,331 in Muscat versus $1,441 in Sohar, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Muscat but tight or insufficient in Sohar. The gap between the two cities makes Muscat 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 Muscat 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 Muscat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Sohar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.