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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,428 per month in Sohar vs $1,106 in Salalah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,124 per month in Sohar vs $1,665 in Salalah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,820 per month in Sohar vs $2,225 in Salalah, rent included.

Sohar costs about 29% more than Salalah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sohar sits 7% above the global median, while Salalah is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 OMR 2.56

$5.13 OMR 1.98

29.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.08 OMR 8.11

$25.64 OMR 9.87

-17.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.12 OMR 3.51

$13.10 OMR 5.04

-30.38%

Cappuccino

$7.01 OMR 2.70

$6.19 OMR 2.38

13.25%

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

$0.64 OMR 0.25

$0.68 OMR 0.26

-5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 OMR 0.10

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.09 OMR 5.04

$8.92 OMR 3.44

46.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.16 OMR 5.45

$10.37 OMR 3.99

36.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 OMR 0.87

$1.76 OMR 0.68

28.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$1.27 OMR 0.49

-16.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 OMR 1.28

$2.02 OMR 0.78

64.85%

Eggs

$2.73 OMR 1.05

$1.90 OMR 0.73

43.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 OMR 5.26

$6.73 OMR 2.59

103.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.89 OMR 3.42

$4.65 OMR 1.79

91.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.06 OMR 5.41

$8.84 OMR 3.40

59.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 OMR 1.27

$2.04 OMR 0.79

61.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 OMR 0.81

$1.09 OMR 0.42

92.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 OMR 0.99

$1.59 OMR 0.61

62.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 OMR 0.45

$1.14 OMR 0.44

2.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 OMR 0.67

$1.12 OMR 0.43

56.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 OMR 0.71

$0.78 OMR 0.30

134.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 OMR 0.67

$0.54 OMR 0.21

222.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$0.54 OMR 0.21

81.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 OMR 2.25

$5.88 OMR 2.26

-0.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.86 OMR 9.95

$20.01 OMR 7.70

29.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.96 OMR 1.52

$3.84 OMR 1.48

3.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.79 OMR 3.38

$4.82 OMR 1.85

82.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 OMR 1.01

$1.28 OMR 0.49

104.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.3 OMR 19.74

$54.3 OMR 20.89

-5.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 OMR 1.28

$2.35 OMR 0.90

42.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 OMR 0.62

$1.33 OMR 0.51

20.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.37 OMR 3.99

$11.83 OMR 4.55

-12.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

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

$18.2K OMR 7,016

$21.1K OMR 8,114

-13.54%

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

$20.6K OMR 7,923

$18.5K OMR 7,127

11.16%

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

$102 OMR 39.11

$63.8 OMR 24.55

59.34%

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

$29.28 OMR 11.27

$49.44 OMR 19.03

-40.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.1 OMR 33.53

$77.0 OMR 29.62

13.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 OMR 20.15

$93.1 OMR 35.81

-43.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.71 OMR 9.90

Cinema Ticket

$11.69 OMR 4.50

$8.03 OMR 3.09

45.58%

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

$267 OMR 103

$111 OMR 42.87

139.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,155 OMR 2,754

$2,399 OMR 923

198.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 OMR 19.48

$27.70 OMR 10.66

82.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.88 OMR 16.89

$30.71 OMR 11.82

42.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 OMR 30.88

$62.2 OMR 23.95

28.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.41 OMR 17.86

$42.75 OMR 16.46

8.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 OMR 191

$259 OMR 99.7

91.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 OMR 148

$208 OMR 80.2

83.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$780 OMR 300

$500 OMR 193

55.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$683 OMR 263

$367 OMR 141

85.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,184 OMR 456

$2,034 OMR 783

-41.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$775 OMR 298

$1,218 OMR 469

-36.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,506 OMR 965

$1,785 OMR 687

40.36%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Salalah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $497 in Sohar versus $259 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 – $347 in Sohar vs $227 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 29% 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 $2,142 per month in Sohar and $1,658 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 6% less in Salalah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $267 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 $1,106, than in Sohar at $1,428. 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.