Cost of Living Comparison Between Sohar and Ruwi Cost of Living Comparison Between Sohar and Ruwi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,441 in Sohar versus $493 in Ruwi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,151 in Sohar versus $753 in Ruwi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,862 in Sohar versus $1,013 in Ruwi.

Living in Sohar is roughly 192% more expensive than Ruwi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sohar is 8% above, Ruwi is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 OMR 2.51

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.05 OMR 8.10

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 OMR 3.41

Cappuccino

$6.62 OMR 2.55

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

$0.65 OMR 0.25

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

$1.97 OMR 0.76

13.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 OMR 0.43

$2.01 OMR 0.77

-44.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 OMR 1.24

$1.02 OMR 0.39

215.69%

Eggs

$2.82 OMR 1.09

$1.22 OMR 0.47

131.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.59 OMR 5.23

$2.05 OMR 0.79

562.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.31 OMR 3.58

$1.96 OMR 0.76

375.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.40 OMR 5.54

$4.92 OMR 1.90

192.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 OMR 1.24

$1.01 OMR 0.39

217.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 OMR 0.81

$0.97 OMR 0.37

117.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 OMR 0.98

$0.98 OMR 0.38

160.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 OMR 0.46

$1.02 OMR 0.39

15.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 OMR 0.67

$0.99 OMR 0.38

75.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 OMR 0.72

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$0.98 OMR 0.38

75.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$1.02 OMR 0.39

-2.94%

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

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

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

$29.04 OMR 11.18

$26.00 OMR 10.01

11.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.4 OMR 33.63

$77.2 OMR 29.71

13.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 OMR 19.86

Cinema Ticket

$11.78 OMR 4.54

$9.25 OMR 3.56

27.35%

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

$269 OMR 104

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,119 OMR 2,741

$13.2K OMR 5,080

-46.04%

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

$391 OMR 151

23.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 OMR 149

$255 OMR 98.2

52.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 OMR 290

$920 OMR 354

-18.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 OMR 257

$573 OMR 221

16.65%

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

$2,566 OMR 988

-4.34%

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 Ruwi: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Sohar and $391 in Ruwi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ruwi pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 Ruwi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sohar and Ruwi differ by about 192% in total monthly costs ($1,441 vs $493 including rent). Ruwi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Ruwi earns 5% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $485 in Sohar versus $391 in Ruwi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 195% higher in Sohar. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,441 per month in Sohar versus $493 in Ruwi – a 192% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $493 in Ruwi versus $1,441 in Sohar, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ruwi but tight or insufficient in Sohar. The gap between the two cities makes Ruwi 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 Ruwi 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 Ruwi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 192% less than in Sohar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.