Cost of Living Comparison Between Sohar and Salalah Cost of Living Comparison Between Sohar and Salalah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,441 per month in Sohar vs $1,086 in Salalah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,151 per month in Sohar vs $1,648 in Salalah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,862 per month in Sohar vs $2,209 in Salalah, rent included.

Sohar costs about 33% more than Salalah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sohar sits 8% above the global median, while Salalah is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 OMR 2.51

$5.35 OMR 2.06

22.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.05 OMR 8.10

$26.28 OMR 10.12

-19.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 OMR 3.41

$12.82 OMR 4.93

-30.81%

Cappuccino

$6.62 OMR 2.55

$6.01 OMR 2.32

10.15%

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

$0.65 OMR 0.25

$0.64 OMR 0.25

1.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.25 OMR 0.10

8.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.74 OMR 4.91

$9.21 OMR 3.55

38.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.10 OMR 5.43

$10.59 OMR 4.08

33.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 OMR 0.86

$1.69 OMR 0.65

32.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 OMR 0.43

$1.28 OMR 0.49

-13.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 OMR 1.24

$2.11 OMR 0.81

52.61%

Eggs

$2.82 OMR 1.09

$1.95 OMR 0.75

44.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.59 OMR 5.23

$6.92 OMR 2.66

96.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.31 OMR 3.58

$4.57 OMR 1.76

103.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.40 OMR 5.54

$8.90 OMR 3.43

61.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 OMR 1.24

$2.13 OMR 0.82

50.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 OMR 0.81

$1.11 OMR 0.43

90.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 OMR 0.98

$1.61 OMR 0.62

58.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 OMR 0.46

$1.20 OMR 0.46

-1.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 OMR 0.67

$1.14 OMR 0.44

52.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 OMR 0.72

$0.78 OMR 0.30

138.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$0.54 OMR 0.21

218.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$0.58 OMR 0.22

70.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 OMR 2.36

$5.75 OMR 2.21

6.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$26.43 OMR 10.18

$19.58 OMR 7.54

34.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.00 OMR 1.54

$3.88 OMR 1.49

3.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.47 OMR 3.26

$4.65 OMR 1.79

82.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 OMR 1.02

$1.31 OMR 0.51

103.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.9 OMR 20.00

$55.7 OMR 21.44

-6.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.21

$2.25 OMR 0.87

40.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 OMR 0.59

$1.27 OMR 0.49

20.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.51 OMR 4.05

$11.58 OMR 4.46

-9.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

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

$18.1K OMR 6,963

$20.9K OMR 8,064

-13.65%

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

$20.8K OMR 8,000

$18.0K OMR 6,917

15.66%

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

$101 OMR 38.93

$65.8 OMR 25.32

53.75%

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

$29.04 OMR 11.18

$49.61 OMR 19.10

-41.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.4 OMR 33.63

$76.6 OMR 29.48

14.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 OMR 19.86

$93.7 OMR 36.09

-44.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.21 OMR 10.09

Cinema Ticket

$11.78 OMR 4.54

$7.93 OMR 3.05

48.55%

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

$269 OMR 104

$111 OMR 42.88

141.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,119 OMR 2,741

$2,377 OMR 915

199.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 OMR 19.88

$27.90 OMR 10.74

85.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.42 OMR 16.72

$31.60 OMR 12.17

37.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 OMR 30.14

$64.5 OMR 24.82

21.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.95 OMR 18.08

$43.98 OMR 16.93

6.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 OMR 187

$255 OMR 98.1

90.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 OMR 149

$215 OMR 82.8

80.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 OMR 290

$492 OMR 189

53.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 OMR 257

$370 OMR 142

80.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,154 OMR 444

$1,991 OMR 766

-42.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$774 OMR 298

$1,225 OMR 472

-36.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,455 OMR 945

$1,753 OMR 675

40.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

4.58

22.71%

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

Last update for Sohar: June 2, 2026

Last update for Salalah: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Sohar versus $255 in Salalah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 40% higher in Sohar, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Sohar versus $26.00 in Salalah. Groceries tell a different story – $351 in Sohar vs $228 in Salalah – so Salalah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Salalah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sohar costs about 33% more than Salalah, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,161 per month in Sohar and $1,629 in Salalah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Salalah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Salalah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $269 per month in Sohar and $111 in Salalah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Salalah, where all-in costs run around $1,086, than in Sohar at $1,441. In Salalah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sohar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Salalah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Salalah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sohar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.