Cost of Living Comparison Between Sohar and Nizwa Cost of Living Comparison Between Sohar and Nizwa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,441 in Sohar versus $582 in Nizwa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,151 in Sohar versus $787 in Nizwa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,862 in Sohar versus $993 in Nizwa.

Living in Sohar is roughly 148% more expensive than Nizwa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sohar is 8% above, Nizwa is 57% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 OMR 2.51

$2.54 OMR 0.98

157.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.05 OMR 8.10

$26.21 OMR 10.09

-19.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 OMR 3.41

$3.84 OMR 1.48

130.99%

Cappuccino

$6.62 OMR 2.55

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

$0.65 OMR 0.25

$0.87 OMR 0.33

-25.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.74 OMR 4.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.10 OMR 5.43

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 OMR 0.86

$1.31 OMR 0.51

70.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 OMR 0.43

$1.27 OMR 0.49

-12.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 OMR 1.24

$1.77 OMR 0.68

81.92%

Eggs

$2.82 OMR 1.09

$2.13 OMR 0.82

32.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.59 OMR 5.23

$3.83 OMR 1.47

254.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.31 OMR 3.58

$8.02 OMR 3.09

16.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.40 OMR 5.54

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 OMR 1.24

$2.06 OMR 0.79

55.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 OMR 0.81

$1.28 OMR 0.49

64.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 OMR 0.98

$1.31 OMR 0.50

94.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 OMR 0.46

$1.32 OMR 0.51

-10.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 OMR 0.67

$1.05 OMR 0.41

65.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 OMR 0.72

$1.06 OMR 0.41

75.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$0.50 OMR 0.19

244.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$0.82 OMR 0.31

20.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 OMR 2.36

Wine (Bottle)

$26.43 OMR 10.18

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.00 OMR 1.54

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.47 OMR 3.26

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 OMR 1.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.9 OMR 20.00

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.21

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 OMR 0.59

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.51 OMR 4.05

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

$0.59 OMR 0.23

1.69%

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

$18.1K OMR 6,963

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

$20.8K OMR 8,000

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

$101 OMR 38.93

$130 OMR 49.97

-22.08%

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

$29.04 OMR 11.18

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.4 OMR 33.63

$64.1 OMR 24.68

36.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 OMR 19.86

Cinema Ticket

$11.78 OMR 4.54

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

$269 OMR 104

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,119 OMR 2,741

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 OMR 19.88

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.42 OMR 16.72

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 OMR 30.14

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.95 OMR 18.08

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 OMR 187

$265 OMR 102

83.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 OMR 149

$204 OMR 78.6

89.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 OMR 290

$389 OMR 150

93.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 OMR 257

$264 OMR 102

152.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,154 OMR 444

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$774 OMR 298

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,455 OMR 945

$1,309 OMR 504

87.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

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

Last update for Sohar: June 2, 2026

Last update for Nizwa: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Sohar and $265 in Nizwa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sohar pays 88% 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 Nizwa. Groceries flip the comparison at $351 vs $140, with Nizwa 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 Nizwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nizwa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 148% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Sohar pays 88% 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 $265 in Nizwa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 151% higher in Sohar. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Nizwa – 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.

At $582 in Nizwa versus $1,441 in Sohar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nizwa but tight or insufficient in Sohar. The gap between the two cities makes Nizwa 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 Nizwa 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 Nizwa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 148% less than in Sohar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.