Cost of Living Comparison Between Sur and Sohar Cost of Living Comparison Between Sur and Sohar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,103 in Sur versus $1,428 in Sohar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Sur versus $2,124 in Sohar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,050 in Sur versus $2,820 in Sohar.

Living in Sur costs roughly 23% less than in Sohar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sur is 17% below, Sohar is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 OMR 1.52

$6.65 OMR 2.56

-40.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.63 OMR 9.87

$21.08 OMR 8.11

21.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 OMR 2.99

$9.12 OMR 3.51

-14.91%

Cappuccino

$4.82 OMR 1.85

$7.01 OMR 2.70

-31.24%

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)

$12.51 OMR 4.82

$13.09 OMR 5.04

-4.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.86 OMR 4.56

$14.16 OMR 5.45

-16.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 OMR 0.61

$2.27 OMR 0.87

-29.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 OMR 0.47

$1.06 OMR 0.41

16.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 OMR 0.64

$3.33 OMR 1.28

-49.85%

Eggs

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$2.73 OMR 1.05

-26.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.84 OMR 1.48

$13.68 OMR 5.26

-71.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.91 OMR 1.89

$8.89 OMR 3.42

-44.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.60 OMR 3.31

$14.06 OMR 5.41

-38.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 OMR 0.91

$3.30 OMR 1.27

-28.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$2.10 OMR 0.81

-39.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$2.58 OMR 0.99

-58.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 OMR 0.31

$1.17 OMR 0.45

-30.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 OMR 0.31

$1.75 OMR 0.67

-53.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 OMR 0.19

$1.83 OMR 0.71

-72.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 OMR 0.42

$1.74 OMR 0.67

-37.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 OMR 0.19

$0.98 OMR 0.38

-47.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.23 OMR 2.40

$5.85 OMR 2.25

6.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.90 OMR 6.12

$25.86 OMR 9.95

-38.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.36 OMR 1.68

$3.96 OMR 1.52

10.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 OMR 3.08

$8.79 OMR 3.38

-8.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 OMR 1.01

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.3 OMR 19.74

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.21

$3.34 OMR 1.28

-5.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 OMR 0.29

$1.60 OMR 0.62

-52.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.25 OMR 3.95

$10.37 OMR 3.99

-1.16%

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

$18.2K OMR 7,016

23.36%

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

$21.8K OMR 8,409

$20.6K OMR 7,923

6.14%

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

$79.0 OMR 30.40

$102 OMR 39.11

-22.27%

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

$23.13 OMR 8.90

$29.28 OMR 11.27

-21.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.0 OMR 26.95

$87.1 OMR 33.53

-19.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.9 OMR 33.07

$52.4 OMR 20.15

64.09%

Cinema Ticket

$10.25 OMR 3.95

$11.69 OMR 4.50

-12.32%

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

$192 OMR 73.8

$267 OMR 103

-28.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,388 OMR 2,459

$7,155 OMR 2,754

-10.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 OMR 19.71

$50.6 OMR 19.48

1.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.04 OMR 15.03

$43.88 OMR 16.89

-11.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 OMR 30.18

$80.2 OMR 30.88

-2.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 OMR 33.74

$46.41 OMR 17.86

88.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 OMR 99.5

$497 OMR 191

-47.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 OMR 102

$383 OMR 148

-30.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 OMR 181

$780 OMR 300

-39.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 OMR 148

$683 OMR 263

-43.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$565 OMR 218

$1,184 OMR 456

-52.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$525 OMR 202

$775 OMR 298

-32.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,657 OMR 1,023

$2,506 OMR 965

6.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

5.62

-8.36%

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

Last update for Sur: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sohar: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $258 in Sur and $497 in Sohar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sur pays 6% 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 $21.00 in Sohar. Groceries flip the comparison at $216 vs $347, with Sur cheaper for home cooking.

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 Sohar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sur is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 6% 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 $497 in Sohar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 61% higher in Sohar. 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 $1,428 in Sohar – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,103 in Sur versus $1,428 in Sohar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sur but tight or insufficient in Sohar. 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 Sohar 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 29% less than in Sohar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.