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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Sohar vs $1,022 in Salalah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,090 per month in Sohar vs $1,542 in Salalah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,750 per month in Sohar vs $2,061 in Salalah, rent included.

Sohar costs about 40% more than Salalah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sohar sits 4% above the global median, while Salalah is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.56 OMR 2.53

$5.28 OMR 2.03

24.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.53 OMR 7.90

$26.36 OMR 10.15

-22.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 OMR 3.41

$13.14 OMR 5.06

-32.57%

Cappuccino

$4.89 OMR 1.88

$6.29 OMR 2.42

-22.26%

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

$0.69 OMR 0.27

$0.85 OMR 0.33

-18.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 OMR 0.11

$0.27 OMR 0.10

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.04 OMR 5.02

$8.90 OMR 3.43

46.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.15 OMR 5.45

$10.43 OMR 4.02

35.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 OMR 0.85

$2.00 OMR 0.77

10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 OMR 0.41

$1.21 OMR 0.47

-11.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 OMR 1.22

$2.67 OMR 1.03

19.10%

Eggs

$2.83 OMR 1.09

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.76 OMR 5.30

$4.62 OMR 1.78

197.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.08 OMR 3.49

$4.63 OMR 1.78

96.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.25 OMR 5.49

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 OMR 1.25

$1.94 OMR 0.75

67.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 OMR 0.82

$1.80 OMR 0.69

18.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 OMR 0.96

$2.12 OMR 0.82

17.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 OMR 0.47

$1.87 OMR 0.72

-35.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 OMR 0.69

$1.44 OMR 0.55

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 OMR 0.68

$1.02 OMR 0.39

73.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 OMR 0.66

$1.09 OMR 0.42

56.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 OMR 0.36

$0.49 OMR 0.19

89.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 OMR 2.27

$5.94 OMR 2.29

-0.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$26.28 OMR 10.12

$20.10 OMR 7.74

30.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.86 OMR 1.49

$3.88 OMR 1.50

-0.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.61 OMR 3.31

$4.82 OMR 1.85

78.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.54 OMR 0.98

$1.32 OMR 0.51

92.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.5 OMR 19.81

$55.0 OMR 21.17

-6.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 OMR 1.24

$2.23 OMR 0.86

44.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 OMR 0.58

$1.27 OMR 0.49

19.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.30 OMR 3.97

$11.51 OMR 4.43

-10.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 OMR 0.23

$0.63 OMR 0.24

-6.35%

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

$18.1K OMR 6,959

$21.1K OMR 8,121

-14.31%

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

$20.1K OMR 7,727

$18.2K OMR 6,998

10.41%

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

$104 OMR 40.01

$79.6 OMR 30.63

30.61%

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

$29.51 OMR 11.36

$48.86 OMR 18.81

-39.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.7 OMR 34.53

$73.1 OMR 28.14

22.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.03 OMR 18.49

$39.76 OMR 15.31

20.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.79 OMR 9.93

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 OMR 4.57

$7.76 OMR 2.99

52.96%

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

$301 OMR 116

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,971 OMR 2,684

$1,912 OMR 736

264.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 OMR 19.43

$28.56 OMR 11.00

76.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.86 OMR 17.27

$30.61 OMR 11.78

46.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 OMR 30.21

$57.4 OMR 22.10

36.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.98 OMR 17.70

$45.61 OMR 17.56

0.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 OMR 187

$248 OMR 95.6

95.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 OMR 146

$206 OMR 79.4

83.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 OMR 310

$621 OMR 239

29.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 OMR 263

$393 OMR 151

73.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,188 OMR 457

$2,001 OMR 770

-40.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$784 OMR 302

$1,246 OMR 480

-37.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,465 OMR 949

$1,813 OMR 698

35.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.33

4.58

38.21%

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

Last update for Sohar: August 30, 2026

Last update for Salalah: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $486 in Sohar versus $248 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 36% 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 – $347 in Sohar vs $204 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 40% 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 $2,145 per month in Sohar and $1,532 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,430 in Sohar and $1,022 in Salalah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Sohar and $26.00 in Salalah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Salalah, where all-in costs run around $1,022, than in Sohar at $1,430. 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.