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: $1,428 in Sohar versus $1,322 in Muscat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,124 in Sohar versus $1,928 in Muscat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,820 in Sohar versus $2,533 in Muscat.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Sohar is 7% above, Muscat is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 OMR 2.56

$5.29 OMR 2.04

25.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.08 OMR 8.11

$25.50 OMR 9.82

-17.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.12 OMR 3.51

$7.99 OMR 3.08

14.14%

Cappuccino

$7.01 OMR 2.70

$4.86 OMR 1.87

44.24%

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

$0.64 OMR 0.25

$1.01 OMR 0.39

-36.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 OMR 0.10

$0.34 OMR 0.13

-26.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.09 OMR 5.04

$12.41 OMR 4.78

5.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.16 OMR 5.45

$11.66 OMR 4.49

21.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 OMR 0.87

$1.98 OMR 0.76

14.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$1.23 OMR 0.47

-13.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 OMR 1.28

$1.70 OMR 0.66

95.88%

Eggs

$2.73 OMR 1.05

$2.42 OMR 0.93

12.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 OMR 5.26

$3.71 OMR 1.43

268.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.89 OMR 3.42

$4.89 OMR 1.88

81.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.06 OMR 5.41

$8.27 OMR 3.18

70.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 OMR 1.27

$2.51 OMR 0.97

31.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 OMR 0.81

$1.72 OMR 0.66

22.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 OMR 0.99

$1.78 OMR 0.69

44.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 OMR 0.45

$1.14 OMR 0.44

2.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 OMR 0.67

$1.02 OMR 0.39

71.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 OMR 0.71

$0.98 OMR 0.38

86.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 OMR 0.67

$1.09 OMR 0.42

59.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$0.52 OMR 0.20

88.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 OMR 2.25

$6.28 OMR 2.42

-6.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.86 OMR 9.95

$15.71 OMR 6.05

64.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.96 OMR 1.52

$4.38 OMR 1.68

-9.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.79 OMR 3.38

$8.02 OMR 3.09

9.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 OMR 1.01

$1.27 OMR 0.49

106.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.3 OMR 19.74

$63.0 OMR 24.26

-18.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 OMR 1.28

$3.16 OMR 1.22

5.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 OMR 0.62

$0.80 OMR 0.31

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.37 OMR 3.99

$10.20 OMR 3.92

1.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

$0.64 OMR 0.25

-6.25%

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

$18.2K OMR 7,016

$22.5K OMR 8,654

-18.93%

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

$20.6K OMR 7,923

$21.5K OMR 8,279

-4.30%

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

$102 OMR 39.11

$109 OMR 41.78

-6.40%

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

$29.28 OMR 11.27

$40.41 OMR 15.55

-27.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.1 OMR 33.53

$68.5 OMR 26.38

27.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 OMR 20.15

$48.75 OMR 18.76

7.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 OMR 8.94

Cinema Ticket

$11.69 OMR 4.50

$10.28 OMR 3.96

13.72%

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

$267 OMR 103

$190 OMR 73.0

40.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,155 OMR 2,754

$10.0K OMR 3,861

-28.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 OMR 19.48

$51.0 OMR 19.62

-0.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.88 OMR 16.89

$39.14 OMR 15.07

12.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 OMR 30.88

$77.6 OMR 29.87

3.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.41 OMR 17.86

$87.6 OMR 33.72

-47.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 OMR 191

$616 OMR 237

-19.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 OMR 148

$407 OMR 157

-5.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$780 OMR 300

$1,243 OMR 478

-37.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$683 OMR 263

$714 OMR 275

-4.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,184 OMR 456

$2,866 OMR 1,103

-58.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$775 OMR 298

$1,593 OMR 613

-51.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,506 OMR 965

$1,576 OMR 607

58.97%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Muscat: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $497 in Sohar and $616 in Muscat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sohar pays 59% 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 $347 vs $230, 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 ($1,428 vs $1,322 including rent). Muscat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 59% 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: $497 in Sohar versus $616 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 $1,428 per month in Sohar versus $1,322 in Muscat – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,322 in Muscat versus $1,428 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.