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: $1,142 in Sur versus $1,519 in Muscat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,655 in Sur versus $2,303 in Muscat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,168 in Sur versus $3,087 in Muscat.

Living in Sur costs roughly 25% less than in Muscat, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sur is 17% below, Muscat is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 OMR 1.47

$5.22 OMR 2.01

-27.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.90 OMR 9.97

$34.29 OMR 13.20

-24.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 OMR 3.01

$7.88 OMR 3.04

-0.63%

Cappuccino

$4.97 OMR 1.91

$4.79 OMR 1.84

3.76%

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

$0.75 OMR 0.29

$0.89 OMR 0.34

-15.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.29 OMR 0.11

-6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.88 OMR 4.96

$12.75 OMR 4.91

1.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.09 OMR 5.04

$12.96 OMR 4.99

1.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 OMR 0.61

$2.36 OMR 0.91

-32.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 OMR 0.50

$1.27 OMR 0.49

1.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 OMR 0.66

$1.84 OMR 0.71

-7.61%

Eggs

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$2.85 OMR 1.10

-29.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.68 OMR 2.96

$7.53 OMR 2.90

1.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 OMR 2.55

$6.80 OMR 2.62

-2.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.19 OMR 3.54

$10.36 OMR 3.99

-11.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 OMR 0.89

$3.43 OMR 1.32

-32.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.94 OMR 0.75

-34.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$2.41 OMR 0.93

-56.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 OMR 0.29

$1.26 OMR 0.49

-41.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$1.19 OMR 0.46

-32.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 OMR 0.19

$1.24 OMR 0.48

-58.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 OMR 0.58

$1.85 OMR 0.71

-17.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 OMR 0.19

$0.61 OMR 0.24

-18.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 OMR 2.43

$6.45 OMR 2.48

-2.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.73 OMR 6.06

$15.36 OMR 5.91

2.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.66 OMR 2.18

$5.43 OMR 2.09

4.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.73 OMR 3.36

$9.04 OMR 3.48

-3.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.32 OMR 0.51

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.7 OMR 29.52

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 OMR 1.23

$3.31 OMR 1.28

-3.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 OMR 1.02

$2.62 OMR 1.01

1.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.01 OMR 3.08

$7.90 OMR 3.04

1.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 OMR 0.22

$0.63 OMR 0.24

-7.94%

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

$25.3K OMR 9,753

$25.0K OMR 9,621

1.38%

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

$22.6K OMR 8,693

$23.0K OMR 8,865

-1.95%

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

$78.9 OMR 30.39

$173 OMR 66.4

-54.24%

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

$23.85 OMR 9.18

$31.32 OMR 12.06

-23.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.3 OMR 27.06

$69.0 OMR 26.56

1.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.5 OMR 33.30

$62.5 OMR 24.05

38.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.49 OMR 11.35

Cinema Ticket

$10.25 OMR 3.94

$10.31 OMR 3.97

-0.58%

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

$292 OMR 112

$293 OMR 113

-0.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,501 OMR 2,503

$10.7K OMR 4,121

-39.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 OMR 21.38

$55.5 OMR 21.36

0.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.74 OMR 16.46

$44.08 OMR 16.97

-3.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 OMR 35.05

$90.7 OMR 34.91

0.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.9 OMR 36.54

$94.1 OMR 36.25

0.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 OMR 101

$665 OMR 256

-60.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 OMR 103

$457 OMR 176

-41.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 OMR 183

$1,340 OMR 516

-64.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 OMR 149

$848 OMR 327

-54.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$568 OMR 219

$2,837 OMR 1,092

-79.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$520 OMR 200

$1,589 OMR 612

-67.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,671 OMR 1,028

$1,698 OMR 654

57.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

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

Last update for Sur: September 8, 2026

Last update for Muscat: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $262 in Sur and $665 in Muscat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sur pays 57% 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 $34.00 in Muscat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 vs $284 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 33% in total monthly costs ($1,142 vs $1,519 including rent). Sur is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 57% 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: $262 in Sur versus $665 in Muscat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Muscat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,142 per month in Sur versus $1,519 in Muscat – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,142 in Sur versus $1,519 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 33% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.