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: $1,105 in Sur versus $1,441 in Sohar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,581 in Sur versus $2,151 in Sohar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,056 in Sur versus $2,862 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 18% below, Sohar is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.86 OMR 1.49

$6.53 OMR 2.51

-40.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.74 OMR 9.91

$21.05 OMR 8.10

22.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.74 OMR 2.98

$8.87 OMR 3.41

-12.74%

Cappuccino

$4.85 OMR 1.87

$6.62 OMR 2.55

-26.74%

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

$0.72 OMR 0.28

$0.65 OMR 0.25

10.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.16 OMR 4.68

$12.74 OMR 4.91

-4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.80 OMR 4.54

$14.10 OMR 5.43

-16.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 OMR 0.61

$2.24 OMR 0.86

-29.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 OMR 0.47

$1.11 OMR 0.43

9.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 OMR 0.67

$3.22 OMR 1.24

-45.96%

Eggs

$2.03 OMR 0.78

$2.82 OMR 1.09

-28.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.82 OMR 1.47

$13.59 OMR 5.23

-71.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.04 OMR 1.94

$9.31 OMR 3.58

-45.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.29 OMR 3.19

$14.40 OMR 5.54

-42.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 OMR 0.91

$3.21 OMR 1.24

-26.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 OMR 0.51

$2.11 OMR 0.81

-37.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$2.55 OMR 0.98

-58.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 OMR 0.29

$1.18 OMR 0.46

-36.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 OMR 0.29

$1.74 OMR 0.67

-55.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 OMR 0.21

$1.86 OMR 0.72

-70.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$1.72 OMR 0.66

-40.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 OMR 0.21

$0.99 OMR 0.38

-45.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.36 OMR 2.45

$6.14 OMR 2.36

3.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.81 OMR 6.09

$26.43 OMR 10.18

-40.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.32 OMR 1.66

$4.00 OMR 1.54

8.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 OMR 3.04

$8.47 OMR 3.26

-6.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 OMR 1.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.9 OMR 20.00

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.22

$3.16 OMR 1.21

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$1.53 OMR 0.59

-47.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.55 OMR 4.06

$10.51 OMR 4.05

0.38%

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

$18.1K OMR 6,963

28.58%

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

$21.4K OMR 8,231

$20.8K OMR 8,000

2.89%

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

$79.8 OMR 30.73

$101 OMR 38.93

-21.06%

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

$23.22 OMR 8.94

$29.04 OMR 11.18

-20.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.3 OMR 27.05

$87.4 OMR 33.63

-19.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.1 OMR 33.13

$51.6 OMR 19.86

66.82%

Cinema Ticket

$10.47 OMR 4.03

$11.78 OMR 4.54

-11.12%

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

$195 OMR 75.0

$269 OMR 104

-27.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,463 OMR 2,488

$7,119 OMR 2,741

-9.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 OMR 19.63

$51.6 OMR 19.88

-1.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.75 OMR 15.30

$43.42 OMR 16.72

-8.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 OMR 30.05

$78.3 OMR 30.14

-0.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 OMR 33.73

$46.95 OMR 18.08

86.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 OMR 99.2

$485 OMR 187

-46.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 OMR 102

$388 OMR 149

-31.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$468 OMR 180

$753 OMR 290

-37.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 OMR 150

$669 OMR 257

-41.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$571 OMR 220

$1,154 OMR 444

-50.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$522 OMR 201

$774 OMR 298

-32.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,659 OMR 1,024

$2,455 OMR 945

8.32%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Sohar: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $258 in Sur and $485 in Sohar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sur pays 8% 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 $215 vs $351, 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 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Sur pays 8% more on average, 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 $485 in Sohar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Sohar. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,105 per month in Sur versus $1,441 in Sohar – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,105 in Sur versus $1,441 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 30% less than in Sohar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.