Cost of Living Comparison Between Sur and Muscat Cost of Living Comparison Between Sur and Muscat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,105 in Sur versus $1,331 in Muscat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,581 in Sur versus $1,982 in Muscat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,056 in Sur versus $2,633 in Muscat.

Living in Sur costs roughly 17% less than in Muscat, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sur 18% lower, Muscat 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.86 OMR 1.49

$5.29 OMR 2.04

-27.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.74 OMR 9.91

$26.39 OMR 10.16

-2.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.74 OMR 2.98

$7.84 OMR 3.02

-1.28%

Cappuccino

$4.85 OMR 1.87

$4.95 OMR 1.90

-2.02%

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

$0.72 OMR 0.28

$1.02 OMR 0.39

-29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.34 OMR 0.13

-20.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.16 OMR 4.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.80 OMR 4.54

$11.87 OMR 4.57

-0.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 OMR 0.61

$2.00 OMR 0.77

-21.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 OMR 0.47

$1.20 OMR 0.46

1.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 OMR 0.67

$1.70 OMR 0.65

2.35%

Eggs

$2.03 OMR 0.78

$2.45 OMR 0.94

-17.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.82 OMR 1.47

$3.84 OMR 1.48

-0.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.04 OMR 1.94

$5.16 OMR 1.98

-2.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.29 OMR 3.19

$8.46 OMR 3.26

-2.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 OMR 0.91

$2.54 OMR 0.98

-6.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 OMR 0.51

$1.72 OMR 0.66

-23.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$1.77 OMR 0.68

-40.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 OMR 0.29

$1.13 OMR 0.44

-33.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 OMR 0.29

$1.00 OMR 0.38

-23.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 OMR 0.21

$1.02 OMR 0.39

-47.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 OMR 0.21

$0.56 OMR 0.22

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.36 OMR 2.45

$6.22 OMR 2.39

2.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.81 OMR 6.09

$15.55 OMR 5.99

1.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.32 OMR 1.66

$4.25 OMR 1.64

1.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 OMR 3.04

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.3 OMR 23.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.22

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.55 OMR 4.06

$10.34 OMR 3.98

2.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 OMR 0.22

$0.60 OMR 0.23

-3.33%

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

$23.3K OMR 8,953

$22.8K OMR 8,778

1.99%

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

$21.4K OMR 8,231

$21.8K OMR 8,405

-2.07%

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

$79.8 OMR 30.73

$107 OMR 41.32

-25.63%

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

$23.22 OMR 8.94

$40.60 OMR 15.63

-42.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.3 OMR 27.05

$70.5 OMR 27.13

-0.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.1 OMR 33.13

$47.24 OMR 18.19

82.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.99 OMR 8.85

Cinema Ticket

$10.47 OMR 4.03

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

$195 OMR 75.0

$192 OMR 74.1

1.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,463 OMR 2,488

$9,757 OMR 3,756

-33.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 OMR 19.63

$50.7 OMR 19.53

0.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.75 OMR 15.30

$39.51 OMR 15.21

0.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 OMR 30.05

$79.4 OMR 30.56

-1.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 OMR 33.73

$90.0 OMR 34.66

-2.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 OMR 99.2

$619 OMR 238

-58.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 OMR 102

$410 OMR 158

-35.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$468 OMR 180

$1,222 OMR 470

-61.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 OMR 150

$730 OMR 281

-46.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$571 OMR 220

$2,666 OMR 1,026

-78.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$522 OMR 201

$1,552 OMR 597

-66.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,659 OMR 1,024

$1,654 OMR 637

60.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

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

Last update for Sur: June 2, 2026

Last update for Muscat: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $258 in Sur and $619 in Muscat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sur pays 61% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Sur vs $26.00 in Muscat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $215 vs $231 per month, with Sur cheaper across the board.

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

Sur vs Muscat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sur and Muscat differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($1,105 vs $1,331 including rent). Sur is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Sur pays 61% 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: $258 in Sur versus $619 in Muscat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Muscat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,105 per month in Sur versus $1,331 in Muscat – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,105 in Sur versus $1,331 in Muscat, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sur but tight or insufficient in Muscat. The gap between the two cities makes Sur 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, Sur and Muscat 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 Sur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.