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: $1,142 in Sur versus $1,437 in Sohar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,655 in Sur versus $2,112 in Sohar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,168 in Sur versus $2,788 in Sohar.

Living in Sur costs roughly 21% less than in Sohar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sur is 17% below, Sohar is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 OMR 1.47

$6.31 OMR 2.43

-39.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.90 OMR 9.97

$20.77 OMR 8.00

24.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 OMR 3.01

$8.98 OMR 3.46

-12.81%

Cappuccino

$4.97 OMR 1.91

$4.98 OMR 1.92

-0.20%

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

$0.75 OMR 0.29

$0.65 OMR 0.25

15.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.30 OMR 0.12

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.88 OMR 4.96

$13.23 OMR 5.09

-2.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.09 OMR 5.04

$14.05 OMR 5.41

-6.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 OMR 0.61

$2.19 OMR 0.84

-26.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 OMR 0.50

$1.10 OMR 0.42

17.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 OMR 0.66

$3.31 OMR 1.28

-48.64%

Eggs

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$2.74 OMR 1.06

-27.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.68 OMR 2.96

$13.58 OMR 5.23

-43.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 OMR 2.55

$9.30 OMR 3.58

-28.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.19 OMR 3.54

$14.17 OMR 5.45

-35.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 OMR 0.89

$3.32 OMR 1.28

-30.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$2.12 OMR 0.82

-40.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$2.53 OMR 0.97

-58.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 OMR 0.29

$1.17 OMR 0.45

-36.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$1.74 OMR 0.67

-54.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 OMR 0.19

$1.83 OMR 0.71

-72.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 OMR 0.58

$1.71 OMR 0.66

-11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 OMR 0.19

$0.91 OMR 0.35

-45.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 OMR 2.43

$5.83 OMR 2.24

8.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.73 OMR 6.06

$26.03 OMR 10.02

-39.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.66 OMR 2.18

$3.92 OMR 1.51

44.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.73 OMR 3.36

$8.36 OMR 3.22

4.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.67 OMR 1.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.6 OMR 20.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 OMR 1.23

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 OMR 1.02

$1.54 OMR 0.59

72.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.01 OMR 3.08

$10.34 OMR 3.98

-22.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 OMR 0.22

$0.65 OMR 0.25

-10.77%

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

$25.3K OMR 9,753

$18.2K OMR 7,024

38.84%

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

$22.6K OMR 8,693

$20.4K OMR 7,855

10.66%

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

$78.9 OMR 30.39

$102 OMR 39.32

-22.70%

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

$23.85 OMR 9.18

$28.74 OMR 11.06

-17.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.3 OMR 27.06

$87.8 OMR 33.79

-19.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.5 OMR 33.30

$49.22 OMR 18.95

75.74%

Cinema Ticket

$10.25 OMR 3.94

$11.67 OMR 4.49

-12.17%

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

$292 OMR 112

$303 OMR 117

-3.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,501 OMR 2,503

$7,016 OMR 2,701

-7.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 OMR 21.38

$51.7 OMR 19.90

7.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.74 OMR 16.46

$43.92 OMR 16.91

-2.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 OMR 35.05

$79.8 OMR 30.72

14.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.9 OMR 36.54

$47.18 OMR 18.16

101.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 OMR 101

$491 OMR 189

-46.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 OMR 103

$383 OMR 147

-30.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 OMR 183

$824 OMR 317

-42.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 OMR 149

$684 OMR 263

-43.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$568 OMR 219

$1,164 OMR 448

-51.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$520 OMR 200

$765 OMR 295

-31.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,671 OMR 1,028

$2,513 OMR 968

6.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

6.33

-17.06%

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

Last update for Sur: September 8, 2026

Last update for Sohar: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $262 in Sur and $491 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 $247 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 26% 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: $262 in Sur versus $491 in Sohar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Sohar. 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 $1,437 in Sohar – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,142 in Sur versus $1,437 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 26% less than in Sohar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.