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: $1,103 in Sur versus $1,322 in Muscat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Sur versus $1,928 in Muscat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,050 in Sur versus $2,533 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 17% lower, Muscat 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 OMR 1.52

$5.29 OMR 2.04

-25.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.63 OMR 9.87

$25.50 OMR 9.82

0.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 OMR 2.99

$7.99 OMR 3.08

-2.88%

Cappuccino

$4.82 OMR 1.85

$4.86 OMR 1.87

-0.82%

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

$0.72 OMR 0.28

$1.01 OMR 0.39

-28.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.34 OMR 0.13

-20.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.51 OMR 4.82

$12.41 OMR 4.78

0.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.86 OMR 4.56

$11.66 OMR 4.49

1.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 OMR 0.61

$1.98 OMR 0.76

-19.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 OMR 0.47

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 OMR 0.64

$1.70 OMR 0.66

-1.76%

Eggs

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$2.42 OMR 0.93

-17.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.84 OMR 1.48

$3.71 OMR 1.43

3.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.91 OMR 1.89

$4.89 OMR 1.88

0.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.60 OMR 3.31

$8.27 OMR 3.18

3.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 OMR 0.91

$2.51 OMR 0.97

-5.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.72 OMR 0.66

-26.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$1.78 OMR 0.69

-40.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 OMR 0.31

$1.14 OMR 0.44

-28.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 OMR 0.31

$1.02 OMR 0.39

-19.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 OMR 0.19

$0.98 OMR 0.38

-48.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 OMR 0.42

$1.09 OMR 0.42

-0.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 OMR 0.19

$0.52 OMR 0.20

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.23 OMR 2.40

$6.28 OMR 2.42

-0.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.90 OMR 6.12

$15.71 OMR 6.05

1.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.36 OMR 1.68

$4.38 OMR 1.68

-0.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 OMR 3.08

$8.02 OMR 3.09

-0.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 OMR 24.26

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.21

$3.16 OMR 1.22

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 OMR 0.29

$0.80 OMR 0.31

-5.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.25 OMR 3.95

$10.20 OMR 3.92

0.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 OMR 0.20

$0.64 OMR 0.25

-17.19%

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

$22.5K OMR 8,655

$22.5K OMR 8,654

0.01%

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

$21.8K OMR 8,409

$21.5K OMR 8,279

1.58%

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

$79.0 OMR 30.40

$109 OMR 41.78

-27.25%

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

$23.13 OMR 8.90

$40.41 OMR 15.55

-42.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.0 OMR 26.95

$68.5 OMR 26.38

2.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.9 OMR 33.07

$48.75 OMR 18.76

76.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 OMR 8.94

Cinema Ticket

$10.25 OMR 3.95

$10.28 OMR 3.96

-0.29%

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

$192 OMR 73.8

$190 OMR 73.0

1.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,388 OMR 2,459

$10.0K OMR 3,861

-36.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 OMR 19.71

$51.0 OMR 19.62

0.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.04 OMR 15.03

$39.14 OMR 15.07

-0.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 OMR 30.18

$77.6 OMR 29.87

1.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 OMR 33.74

$87.6 OMR 33.72

0.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 OMR 99.5

$616 OMR 237

-58.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 OMR 102

$407 OMR 157

-34.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 OMR 181

$1,243 OMR 478

-62.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 OMR 148

$714 OMR 275

-46.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$565 OMR 218

$2,866 OMR 1,103

-80.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$525 OMR 202

$1,593 OMR 613

-67.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,657 OMR 1,023

$1,576 OMR 607

68.55%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Muscat: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $258 in Sur and $616 in Muscat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sur pays 69% 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 $216 vs $230 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 ($1,103 vs $1,322 including rent). Sur is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 69% higher in Sur, 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 $616 in Muscat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Muscat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,103 per month in Sur versus $1,322 in Muscat – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,103 in Sur versus $1,322 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.