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: $1,430 in Sohar versus $1,525 in Muscat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,090 in Sohar versus $2,272 in Muscat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,750 in Sohar versus $3,019 in Muscat.

Living in Sohar costs roughly 6% less than in Muscat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sohar 4% above, Muscat 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.56 OMR 2.53

$5.34 OMR 2.06

22.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.53 OMR 7.90

$34.00 OMR 13.09

-39.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 OMR 3.41

$7.74 OMR 2.98

14.47%

Cappuccino

$4.89 OMR 1.88

$4.73 OMR 1.82

3.38%

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

$0.69 OMR 0.27

$0.86 OMR 0.33

-19.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 OMR 0.11

$0.29 OMR 0.11

-3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.04 OMR 5.02

$13.07 OMR 5.03

-0.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.15 OMR 5.45

$12.79 OMR 4.92

10.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 OMR 0.85

$2.25 OMR 0.87

-2.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 OMR 0.41

$1.25 OMR 0.48

-14.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 OMR 1.22

$1.90 OMR 0.73

67.37%

Eggs

$2.83 OMR 1.09

$2.94 OMR 1.13

-3.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.76 OMR 5.30

$7.65 OMR 2.94

79.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.08 OMR 3.49

$6.57 OMR 2.53

38.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.25 OMR 5.49

$10.54 OMR 4.06

35.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 OMR 1.25

$3.41 OMR 1.31

-4.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 OMR 0.82

$2.00 OMR 0.77

6.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 OMR 0.96

$2.32 OMR 0.89

7.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 OMR 0.47

$1.20 OMR 0.46

0.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 OMR 0.69

$1.22 OMR 0.47

47.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 OMR 0.68

$1.29 OMR 0.50

37.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 OMR 0.66

$1.80 OMR 0.69

-5.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 OMR 0.36

$0.67 OMR 0.26

38.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 OMR 2.27

$6.30 OMR 2.43

-6.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$26.28 OMR 10.12

$15.43 OMR 5.94

70.32%

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

$8.72 OMR 3.36

-1.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.54 OMR 0.98

$1.29 OMR 0.49

96.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.5 OMR 19.81

$76.7 OMR 29.52

-32.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 OMR 1.24

$3.21 OMR 1.24

0.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 OMR 0.58

$2.59 OMR 1.00

-41.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.30 OMR 3.97

$7.82 OMR 3.01

31.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 OMR 0.23

$0.61 OMR 0.23

-3.28%

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

$18.1K OMR 6,959

$25.1K OMR 9,665

-27.99%

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

$20.1K OMR 7,727

$22.2K OMR 8,564

-9.78%

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

$104 OMR 40.01

$170 OMR 65.5

-38.86%

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

$29.51 OMR 11.36

$30.94 OMR 11.91

-4.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.7 OMR 34.53

$69.9 OMR 26.92

28.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.03 OMR 18.49

$62.7 OMR 24.14

-23.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.20 OMR 11.24

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 OMR 4.57

$10.34 OMR 3.98

14.80%

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

$301 OMR 116

$289 OMR 111

4.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,971 OMR 2,684

$10.7K OMR 4,110

-34.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 OMR 19.43

$55.7 OMR 21.42

-9.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.86 OMR 17.27

$43.19 OMR 16.63

3.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 OMR 30.21

$92.0 OMR 35.43

-14.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.98 OMR 17.70

$96.0 OMR 36.95

-52.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 OMR 187

$673 OMR 259

-27.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 OMR 146

$455 OMR 175

-16.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 OMR 310

$1,366 OMR 526

-41.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 OMR 263

$857 OMR 330

-20.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,188 OMR 457

$2,835 OMR 1,092

-58.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$784 OMR 302

$1,595 OMR 614

-50.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,465 OMR 949

$1,660 OMR 639

48.47%

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 Muscat: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $486 in Sohar and $673 in Muscat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sohar pays 48% 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 $34.00 in Muscat. Groceries flip the comparison at $347 vs $284, 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 7% in total monthly costs ($1,430 vs $1,525 including rent). Sohar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 48% higher in Sohar, 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: $486 in Sohar versus $673 in Muscat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sohar – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $34.00 in Muscat. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,430 per month in Sohar versus $1,525 in Muscat – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,430 in Sohar versus $1,525 in Muscat, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sohar but tight or insufficient in Muscat. The gap between the two cities makes Sohar 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 Sohar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.