Cost of Living Comparison Between Sur and Salalah Cost of Living Comparison Between Sur and Salalah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,103 per month in Sur vs $1,106 in Salalah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Sur vs $1,665 in Salalah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,050 per month in Sur vs $2,225 in Salalah, rent included.

Sur and Salalah have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Sur and Salalah are more affordable than the global median – Sur 17% lower, Salalah 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 OMR 1.52

$5.13 OMR 1.98

-23.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.63 OMR 9.87

$25.64 OMR 9.87

-0.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 OMR 2.99

$13.10 OMR 5.04

-40.76%

Cappuccino

$4.82 OMR 1.85

$6.19 OMR 2.38

-22.13%

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

$0.72 OMR 0.28

$0.68 OMR 0.26

5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.25 OMR 0.10

8.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.51 OMR 4.82

$8.92 OMR 3.44

40.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.86 OMR 4.56

$10.37 OMR 3.99

14.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 OMR 0.61

$1.76 OMR 0.68

-9.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 OMR 0.47

$1.27 OMR 0.49

-3.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 OMR 0.64

$2.02 OMR 0.78

-17.33%

Eggs

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$1.90 OMR 0.73

5.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.84 OMR 1.48

$6.73 OMR 2.59

-42.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.91 OMR 1.89

$4.65 OMR 1.79

5.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.60 OMR 3.31

$8.84 OMR 3.40

-2.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 OMR 0.91

$2.04 OMR 0.79

15.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.09 OMR 0.42

16.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$1.59 OMR 0.61

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 OMR 0.31

$1.14 OMR 0.44

-28.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 OMR 0.31

$1.12 OMR 0.43

-26.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 OMR 0.19

$0.78 OMR 0.30

-35.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 OMR 0.42

$0.54 OMR 0.21

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 OMR 0.19

$0.54 OMR 0.21

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.23 OMR 2.40

$5.88 OMR 2.26

5.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.90 OMR 6.12

$20.01 OMR 7.70

-20.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.36 OMR 1.68

$3.84 OMR 1.48

13.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 OMR 3.08

$4.82 OMR 1.85

66.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 OMR 0.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.3 OMR 20.89

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.21

$2.35 OMR 0.90

34.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 OMR 0.29

$1.33 OMR 0.51

-42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.25 OMR 3.95

$11.83 OMR 4.55

-13.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 OMR 0.20

$0.60 OMR 0.23

-11.67%

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

$22.5K OMR 8,655

$21.1K OMR 8,114

6.66%

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

$21.8K OMR 8,409

$18.5K OMR 7,127

17.99%

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

$79.0 OMR 30.40

$63.8 OMR 24.55

23.85%

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

$23.13 OMR 8.90

$49.44 OMR 19.03

-53.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.0 OMR 26.95

$77.0 OMR 29.62

-9.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.9 OMR 33.07

$93.1 OMR 35.81

-7.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.71 OMR 9.90

Cinema Ticket

$10.25 OMR 3.95

$8.03 OMR 3.09

27.65%

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

$192 OMR 73.8

$111 OMR 42.87

72.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,388 OMR 2,459

$2,399 OMR 923

166.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 OMR 19.71

$27.70 OMR 10.66

84.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.04 OMR 15.03

$30.71 OMR 11.82

27.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 OMR 30.18

$62.2 OMR 23.95

26.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 OMR 33.74

$42.75 OMR 16.46

105.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 OMR 99.5

$259 OMR 99.7

-0.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 OMR 102

$208 OMR 80.2

26.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 OMR 181

$500 OMR 193

-6.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 OMR 148

$367 OMR 141

4.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$565 OMR 218

$2,034 OMR 783

-72.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$525 OMR 202

$1,218 OMR 469

-56.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,657 OMR 1,023

$1,785 OMR 687

48.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

4.58

12.45%

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

Last update for Sur: July 12, 2026

Last update for Salalah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $258 in Sur 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 49% higher in Sur. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Sur versus $26.00 in Salalah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $216 vs $227 – making Sur the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Salalah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,655 per month in Sur 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 Sur, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Salalah, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Sur and $26.00 in Salalah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sur, where all-in costs run around $1,103, than in Salalah at $1,106. In Sur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Salalah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sur – 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 Sur. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Salalah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.