Cost of Living Comparison Between Sur and Ruwi Cost of Living Comparison Between Sur and Ruwi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,142 in Sur versus $624 in Ruwi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,655 in Sur versus $819 in Ruwi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,168 in Sur versus $1,014 in Ruwi.

Living in Sur is roughly 83% more expensive than in Ruwi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sur 17% lower, Ruwi 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 OMR 1.47

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.90 OMR 9.97

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 OMR 3.01

Cappuccino

$4.97 OMR 1.91

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

$0.75 OMR 0.29

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.88 OMR 4.96

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.09 OMR 5.04

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 OMR 0.61

$2.04 OMR 0.79

-21.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 OMR 0.50

$1.95 OMR 0.75

-33.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 OMR 0.66

$1.03 OMR 0.40

65.05%

Eggs

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$1.18 OMR 0.45

69.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.68 OMR 2.96

$2.04 OMR 0.78

276.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 OMR 2.55

$2.04 OMR 0.78

225.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.19 OMR 3.54

$4.98 OMR 1.92

84.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 OMR 0.89

$0.98 OMR 0.38

135.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$0.97 OMR 0.37

30.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$0.99 OMR 0.38

7.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 OMR 0.29

$1.03 OMR 0.40

-28.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$1.02 OMR 0.39

-21.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 OMR 0.19

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 OMR 0.58

$1.02 OMR 0.39

49.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 OMR 0.19

$0.97 OMR 0.37

-48.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 OMR 2.43

Wine (Bottle)

$15.73 OMR 6.06

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.66 OMR 2.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.73 OMR 3.36

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 OMR 1.23

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 OMR 1.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.01 OMR 3.08

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 OMR 0.22

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

$25.3K OMR 9,753

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

$22.6K OMR 8,693

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

$78.9 OMR 30.39

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

$23.85 OMR 9.18

$26.38 OMR 10.16

-9.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.3 OMR 27.06

$79.4 OMR 30.55

-11.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.5 OMR 33.30

Cinema Ticket

$10.25 OMR 3.94

$9.04 OMR 3.48

13.38%

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

$292 OMR 112

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,501 OMR 2,503

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 OMR 21.38

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.74 OMR 16.46

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 OMR 35.05

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.9 OMR 36.54

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 OMR 101

$387 OMR 149

-32.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 OMR 103

$391 OMR 151

-31.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 OMR 183

$926 OMR 357

-48.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 OMR 149

$579 OMR 223

-33.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$568 OMR 219

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$520 OMR 200

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,671 OMR 1,028

$4,449 OMR 1,713

-39.95%

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 Ruwi: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $262 in Sur and $387 in Ruwi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ruwi pays 67% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 Ruwi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sur and Ruwi differ by about 83% in total monthly costs ($1,142 vs $624 including rent). Ruwi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 67% lower in Ruwi. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $262 in Sur versus $387 in Ruwi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 108% higher in Sur. 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 $624 in Ruwi – a 83% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $624 in Ruwi versus $1,142 in Sur, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ruwi but tight or insufficient in Sur. The gap between the two cities makes Ruwi 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 Ruwi 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 Ruwi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Sur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.