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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,105 per month in Sur vs $1,086 in Salalah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,581 per month in Sur vs $1,648 in Salalah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,056 per month in Sur vs $2,209 in Salalah, rent included.

Sur costs about 2% more than Salalah, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sur and Salalah are more affordable than the global median – Sur 18% lower, Salalah 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.86 OMR 1.49

$5.35 OMR 2.06

-27.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.74 OMR 9.91

$26.28 OMR 10.12

-2.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.74 OMR 2.98

$12.82 OMR 4.93

-39.63%

Cappuccino

$4.85 OMR 1.87

$6.01 OMR 2.32

-19.30%

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

$0.72 OMR 0.28

$0.64 OMR 0.25

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.25 OMR 0.10

8.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.16 OMR 4.68

$9.21 OMR 3.55

32.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.80 OMR 4.54

$10.59 OMR 4.08

11.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 OMR 0.61

$1.69 OMR 0.65

-6.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 OMR 0.47

$1.28 OMR 0.49

-4.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 OMR 0.67

$2.11 OMR 0.81

-17.54%

Eggs

$2.03 OMR 0.78

$1.95 OMR 0.75

4.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.82 OMR 1.47

$6.92 OMR 2.66

-44.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.04 OMR 1.94

$4.57 OMR 1.76

10.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.29 OMR 3.19

$8.90 OMR 3.43

-6.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 OMR 0.91

$2.13 OMR 0.82

11.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 OMR 0.51

$1.11 OMR 0.43

18.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$1.61 OMR 0.62

-34.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 OMR 0.29

$1.20 OMR 0.46

-37.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 OMR 0.29

$1.14 OMR 0.44

-32.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 OMR 0.21

$0.78 OMR 0.30

-30.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$0.54 OMR 0.21

90.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 OMR 0.21

$0.58 OMR 0.22

-6.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.36 OMR 2.45

$5.75 OMR 2.21

10.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.81 OMR 6.09

$19.58 OMR 7.54

-19.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.32 OMR 1.66

$3.88 OMR 1.49

11.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 OMR 3.04

$4.65 OMR 1.79

69.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 OMR 0.51

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.7 OMR 21.44

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.22

$2.25 OMR 0.87

40.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$1.27 OMR 0.49

-37.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.55 OMR 4.06

$11.58 OMR 4.46

-8.89%

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

$20.9K OMR 8,064

11.02%

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

$21.4K OMR 8,231

$18.0K OMR 6,917

19.01%

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

$79.8 OMR 30.73

$65.8 OMR 25.32

21.36%

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

$23.22 OMR 8.94

$49.61 OMR 19.10

-53.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.3 OMR 27.05

$76.6 OMR 29.48

-8.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.1 OMR 33.13

$93.7 OMR 36.09

-8.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.21 OMR 10.09

Cinema Ticket

$10.47 OMR 4.03

$7.93 OMR 3.05

32.03%

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

$195 OMR 75.0

$111 OMR 42.88

74.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,463 OMR 2,488

$2,377 OMR 915

171.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 OMR 19.63

$27.90 OMR 10.74

82.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.75 OMR 15.30

$31.60 OMR 12.17

25.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 OMR 30.05

$64.5 OMR 24.82

21.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 OMR 33.73

$43.98 OMR 16.93

99.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 OMR 99.2

$255 OMR 98.1

1.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 OMR 102

$215 OMR 82.8

23.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$468 OMR 180

$492 OMR 189

-4.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 OMR 150

$370 OMR 142

5.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$571 OMR 220

$1,991 OMR 766

-71.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$522 OMR 201

$1,225 OMR 472

-57.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,659 OMR 1,024

$1,753 OMR 675

51.70%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Salalah: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $258 in Sur versus $255 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 52% higher in Sur, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. 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: $215 vs $228 – 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

Sur costs about 2% more than Salalah, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,658 per month in Sur and $1,629 in Salalah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Salalah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,105 in Sur and $1,086 in Salalah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $195 per month in Sur and $111 in Salalah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Salalah, where all-in costs run around $1,086, than in Sur at $1,105. In Salalah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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