cost of living in muscat
hi Sumitran
I got an offer from a local comapany in Oman Muscat. salary is 2500 OMR all inclusive. I have a upper middle life back home... I have two children in class 3 aand 1. just want to know is this a good salary and if yes how much can i save.
Iam working with an MNC here at home.

Hi Sherykhan,
The amount you've quoted is good enough for a family of your size.
How much of this you can save would depend a lot on many factors. To quote some examples :
(i) The type of house you choose to live in and in what locality,
(ii) Whether you want you children to attend the Pakistan School in Muscat, or would you want them to be educated in some International school,
(iii) The kind of vehicle you want to drive,
(iv) Whether you wish to lease or buy one, etc.
Your initial settling down cost would be high, since yours is an all-inclusive income and you would have to spend on pretty much everything, including utility bills, furniture, white goods, et al.
But once all is in place then you can start saving. How much or how little is entirely up to you.
Good luck.
hi Sumitran
Thanks for reply.
Let me share some idea of what kind of living I want in oman.
House: 2 bed in qurm area or nearby.
School: Pakistani school (BSS preferably).
Car: Toyota yaris or corolla. & will prefer to lease it.
As i stated before that I am currently working with an MNC back home. The only reason for switching is saving.
So what you suggest, how well can the main reason be achived "SAVINGS"?

Hi Sherykhan,
Barring the initial expenses that you will incur in setting up your house and after you have all things in place, you should be able to save at least 50% of your income every month.
Best of luck.
hi Sumitran
Thank you..... ThatÂ’s sounds good. ...But I am doing a bit of math by taking figures from net and by that it seems that the budget will be on a higher sideÂ….. by my calculation the money will go in the following things
House rent 2 bed = 450 OMR
School fee = per child 180 *2 =360(As per BSS web page)
School bus = per child 45*3 = 90 (As per BSS web page)
tranportation office and personal = 300
groceries =200
utilities=200
other =100
Total =1700
Can you please check the calculation if I am doing it correctly or if i have missed something?
Dear Sumitran,
I have been given offer for 600 OMR and I have been told that company will provide me 2 weeks of accomodation and then after I have to find on my own. Well can you tell me as to will it be possible for me to get accomodation in my preferred income. And i have family mywife and 1 year daughter for whom also I have to plan.
My job location is knowledge oasis, muscat, rusaiyl.
Guide me much on this..
Thanks & Regards,
Neel

Hi neel26s,
Just last week the Ministry of Labour upped the minimum salary to be eligible to apply for a family joining visa to R.O. 600/- per month (from the earlier R.O. 350/- per month income).
Since you'll be working in KOM (as ‘Knowledge Oasis Muscat' is colloquially called), you would have to find accommodation in places like Rusayl, Al Khoud, Al Mawaleh, Al Hail or thereabouts. Fortunately, house rent in these areas would be lower than it would be in downtown Muscat.
Good luck !
Dear Mr.Sumidhran,
Thank you soooo much for your valuable informations in this forum.It gives us lot of details. I resides at Tamilnadu , India and getting an offer in Muscat as Sales Manager. and gone thru all your replies. Thanks. With all the replies in this forum, few info from net , i am considering below figures considering my family of 2 adults and 2 Kids(one doing LKG and another 4 months old) per month . Please help me in below points and correct wherever required .It will be greatly help us to plan a negotiation with the company.
1. Food (Monthly Groceries / Veg & Fruits) - R0 200
2. Monthly broadband Charges - RO 20
3. Local Mobile Charges (For wife) - RO 10
4. International Calling cards (To India) - RO 20
5. Milk ( Considering Kids) - RO 15
6. Servant - RO 100
7. Water & Electricity (Both) - RO 50
8. Dining Out ( 2-3 Times per month) - RO 30
9. Subscription to DTH - RO 25
10.Local transportation with family (till getting Oman license)Monthly - RO 50
11.Elder son Schooling - RO 50
12.Miscellaneous - RO 100
I kindly request your insight on the above expenses , which will help us. The °µÍø½ûÇø Benefits of Accomodation + Company Car + Hard furnishings + Free Medical attention at their clinic+Free School Bus + Free air passage for family with annual leave + Bonus & Incentives will be from the company.
Also request your valuable feedback on the below points.
# How is Suhail Bahwan Group and its growth. Do you have any idea about their Residential complex for °µÍø½ûÇøs & their Medical Clinic?
# Regarding medical insurance , normally in oman whether it covers the outpatient charges also?
# Is it must to submit the passport to the employer in oman? Is is negotiatable?
# What would be charges of Calling Drivers per month , if my license getting delayed?
Awaiting your valuable reply urgently. Please help.
Thanks in advance.
Regards,
Bala.

Hi Bala,
Thought the message was addressed to someone else !
Find my responses against your queries.
Good luck !
Dear Mr.Sumidhran,
Thank you soooo much for your valuable informations in this forum.It gives us lot of details. I resides at Tamilnadu , India and getting an offer in Muscat as Sales Manager. and gone thru all your replies. Thanks. With all the replies in this forum, few info from net , i am considering below figures considering my family of 2 adults and 2 Kids(one doing LKG and another 4 months old) per month . Please help me in below points and correct wherever required .It will be greatly help us to plan a negotiation with the company.
1. Food (Monthly Groceries / Veg & Fruits) - R0 200 - Yes
2. Monthly broadband Charges - RO 20 - Yes
3. Local Mobile Charges (For wife) - RO 10 - Yes
4. International Calling cards (To India) - RO 20 - Yes
5. Milk ( Considering Kids) - RO 15 - Yes
6. Servant - RO 100 – Unless you’re looking at a full-time housemaid. Part time costs are R.O. 35/- for 1 hour daily (except Fridays).
7. Water & Electricity (Both) - RO 50 - Yes
8. Dining Out ( 2-3 Times per month) - RO 30 – Each meal would cost you about R.O. 10/- to R.O. 15/- in an average Indian Restaurant.
9. Subscription to DTH - RO 25 - Yes
10.Local transportation with family (till getting Oman license) Monthly - RO 50 - Yes
11.Elder son Schooling - RO 50 - Yes
12.Miscellaneous - RO 100 - Yes
I kindly request your insight on the above expenses , which will help us. The °µÍø½ûÇø Benefits of Accomodation + Company Car + Hard furnishings + Free Medical attention at their clinic+Free School Bus + Free air passage for family with annual leave + Bonus & Incentives will be from the company. – These are all standard benefits for °µÍø½ûÇøriates joining well-established companies like the SBG.
Also request your valuable feedback on the below points.
# How is Suhail Bahwan Group and its growth. Do you have any idea about their Residential complex for °µÍø½ûÇøs & their Medical Clinic? – It is one of OmanÂ’s largest business conglomerates. Their residences are said to be good. Medical facilities are by and large mediocre in Muscat. BahwanÂ’s is no exception.
# Regarding medical insurance , normally in oman whether it covers the outpatient charges also? – Depends on what you are eligible for, depending on your grade.
# Is it must to submit the passport to the employer in oman? Is is negotiatable? – Almost always Yes. It is something that is non-negotiable.
# What would be charges of Calling Drivers per month , if my license getting delayed? – Rates would vary depending on the distances, timings and location.
Awaiting your valuable reply urgently. Please help.
Thanks in advance.
Regards,
Bala.
good day ive been offered a job in Ibri as a university lecturer with a monthly income of RO 1350 i hail from the caribbean
i intend to save about RO 600 per month since my primary focus is saving and my research anticiaptes a single person can live on ro 750 comfortably
i anticipate the cost of living to be a tad lower than that of muscat but my concern is finding an accommodation since i have read about needing to pay for 6 mths in advance
how is a newly arrived person expected to pay this?
what type of apt can i expect in ibri for ro 200
what leisure type activities are available in the area
as well any word on the recruiting credibilty of tati oman, hawthorn and global business network

Hi shotta_kh,
Salary offered is good for a bachelor. More so if the place of work is Ibri. Excluding accommodation, a single person can live comfortably on R.O. 150/- per month. The cost of living in Ibri will not be a tad lower than that of Muscat, but will be substantially lower. For payment of house rent, post dated cheques are good, if you are unable to make the payment up front. For specifics on Ibri, it is best answered by someone who is living there.
Best of luck.
hi sumitran
thanks for your insight the projection of ro150 as living costs is astounding and far lower than i anticipated
i hope someone from Ibri can help with the accomodation issues
In my research i cant seem to find the "region" that Ibri is in which helps when house hunting anyone able to answer that as well is greatly appreciated
thanks in advance
Hi shotta_khm,
I suggest you to start a new topic with your questions about accommodation on the Muscat forum for more visibility.
Just to remind that this topic is on "Cost of living in Muscat".
Thank you very much,
Christine
°µÍø½ûÇø team
Sumitran Sir,
Thank you so much for your insight for my clarifications.I am awaiting offer at any time.Shall discuss with you on receipt of offer.
Bala
Hello sir,
I am a fresh civil engineer from India ,got an opportunity to perform as a a sales engineer in oman with company accomodation plus car for travel from residence to work place with a salary package of 370 OMR
this offer is enough for my saving and food expenses
dineshdinu wrote:Hello sir,
I am a fresh civil engineer from India ,got an opportunity to perform as a a sales engineer in oman with company accomodation plus car for travel from residence to work place with a salary package of 370 OMR
this offer is enough for my saving and food expenses
Dinesh,
Just a brotherly advice. Since you're a fresher, your primary goal should be to gain work experience, rather than the savings.
The offered salary is fair enough for a starter and to furbish the monthly needs (food + leisure), provided if the company is providing accomodation/travel. According to me, you can even save atleast OMR 150 a month as well.
hiii... i have been offered a job in Muscat and i'll be getting 700OMR per month.. company will not be giving any accommodation or fooding expense in short i have to bare all my expenses. So 700OMR is sufficient for Bachelor? please help me out.
Hi ,
I have been offer a salary of 600rial/month, which is all inclusive also I might need to travel a lot as its a sales profile.
I also prefer to have a good standard of living atleast not below average.
Can somebody guide me on that Will I be able to manage.
Regards
Rishi
Dear Aditya & Rishi!
If you can just help urself by reading page number 1 of this threat, you'll be certainly clarified for everything.
Regards,
Hi,
I am offered a job in sales in Medical device Industry in Muscat and company offering OMR 1000 + all other bills borne by company like Furnished house, car, petrol , Medical insurance , utility , telephone etc..
What's the best I can negotiate on the base salary.. What I have heard 1200 OMR is ideal for a couple. I drink and enjoy shopping a lot all costly brands ..
Pls suggest ..
Amit

amitsinha16 wrote:Hi,
I am offered a job in sales in Medical device Industry in Muscat and company offering OMR 1000 + all other bills borne by company like Furnished house, car, petrol , Medical insurance , utility , telephone etc..
What's the best I can negotiate on the base salary.. What I have heard 1200 OMR is ideal for a couple. I drink and enjoy shopping a lot all costly brands ..
Pls suggest ..
Amit
Hi amitsinha16,
The nett-in-hand amount that you have quoted is good enough for a couple / small family.
All leading designer labels are available here and f you want to splurge, you will go broke by the 10th of every month !
You may be eligible for getting a 'Liquor Permit' - check with your company about their internal policies first. Some organisations do not allow its employees to apply for one and will refuse to give the required 'Company No Objection Certificate'.
If you are granted permission to apply for the Liquor Permit, then the cap on your monthly purchase would be 10% of your monthly income. And, R.O. 100/- monthly quota would more than suffice for you to drink all you can !
Good luck.
Hey thanks for your valuable advice... I'm trying to negotiate for a higher value..l
Is the city good enough to entertain and hope there are no issues in security for females .
I can go to pubs and drink right??? Or there also I need to show my license .
Amit

Muscat is no Dubai. Entertainment options are therefore limited. The city is generally safe for women, provided they follow the common safety guidelines. Liquor Permit is a small book against which you can buy liquor from designated liquor stores. It cannot be used anywhere else. Drinking in pubs is possible without having to show your ID - unless of course you are a minor, or is suspected to be one.
Hello All,
I found this blog very useful..
I got offer from Oman Muscat.
They are offering below :-
Salary :
Salary: 1000 - 1200 OMR (1omr = 160 Rs)
+ Free Tickets & VISA
+Medical
+ Insurance
+ Bachelor accommodation
+ Yearly Paid leave and return ticket for Self every year
Is this good amount for survival in Muscat.
hi,
i am from india. i have got an offer of transfer to muscat my monthly salary would be OMR 900 all inclusive. i need to take care of every expenses including rentals etc. i am planning to move along with my wife and 2 year kid.
can any one please help me out with your suggestion. in India i am earning 65000 per month.
please advise with your valuable suggestion.
regards,
rajiv
Hi,
I got job offer from muscat company name is sur global trading llc. They appoint me as an IT Manager. I just completed my masters from United Kingdom and Iam pakistani . They offered me basic salary 500 OR , food 30 OR, transport, 100 OR, medical 70 OR and accommodation by company.
Could you please tell me is this sufficient for me to bear my expenses and also if I want to bring my family ,though Iam still single and not married but for future concern.
Please reply me as soon as you can because Iam looking forward to join this company.
I shall be very thankful to you.AGain Iam lmention you my salary in figure
Basic= 500 OR
Transport= 100 OR
Medical=70 OR
Food= 30 OR
Accommodation = by company
Total= 700 OR
Fresh masters from Uk
Dear Safdar,
I would suggest you to read this topic from the first page and you'll get all the answers in details.
Best of luck !
hello,
i would like to know how much will it cost to take an omani driving license. how is the procedure.
regards,
rajiv
Hi All,
I got an offer from the company (VA Solution Integrators) and the client location is Muscat (client name: Royal omanian Police). The Company offered me Indian Salary and allowances.
The Allowances is given is around 616 OMR and it will be in Hand (company will not create bank account). Company provides accommodation. I believe I need to take care about Food, Internet and telephone charges.. I am currently bachelor.. Is this money is fine and I am able to save it?. How much I can save it?
In future, if I am married whether I am able to manage my family based on the above salary.. Could you please advise..
Hi
Generally 20omr is ok for electrical chgs & water
Hi gopi
616 omr eith accomodation is ok.
For food I spend around 50 omr pm
Does company provide transport ?
Check that. Though share taxis are
Here, you have to choose your locality
Accordingly.
For internet I dpend 12.5 omr per month
Hi,
Thanks for your response..
616 OMR is good salary for 5 years experience guy in IT industry? Whether I can run my family for this salary if I married?
I believe Royal Omanian Police is a government organization.. Correct me if I am wrong?
Accommodation was provided by the company so not sure about the location.
Transport charges could be claimed by month end. So I believe I need to take care for the below things as of now
1) Food
2) Internet
3) International phone call charges
4) Going for trips around in long weekends/ Visit some places in weekend
Whether the 616 OMR is fine for this? I thought of asking more salary in the company.
Hi gopi
  1. I am a math faculty. So I dont know about it
  2. ROP is govt
  3. You transportation cost will be around 50 omr if
     Uour work place is not far away
  4. If they provide accomodation free, your salary is
    Just ok for a family of 2 (husband & wife)
Regards
Hi,
I got job offer in Muscat, in Ruwi area with 725RO + Insurance + Compancy Car + Furniture. First I would be moving alone for 6 months and then I will bring my family (spouse and 3 years daughter). Company is not going to provide accomodation. However, once I finalized the house, company will provide all furniture item. Once I obtain drivinig licence, then I will be getting company mantained car as well. Also I need to pay utility charges i.e. electricity and water.
I want to know is 725OR is good salary to middle class family. What will be my saving potential.
Waiting for your reply.Â
Regards,
WASIM
Dear Wasim,
Just read this threat from the begining and you'll get all the answers on the first page even.
Hi My husband has been offered a salary of 2700 OMR per month in a reputed bank along with other benefits such as
Family medical Â
Life Insurance coverage Â
Loan scheme Â
Annual leave 26 working days Â
One time Furnishing allowance of OMR 5000/- payable upon joining as per HR Policy. Â
Annual Club Membership upto OMR300/- per anum as per HR policy Â
Credit card Â
Performance bonus.
We are a family of three ( our son is in grade 1).
Wanted to know whether this is a decent offer, as our placement consultant had indicated that this particular role has an eligibility of 4000 OMR per month.
 Â
Regards,
Megmat
Hi,
I'm considering offer from a company in Muscat.they are offering 600RO,Fully furnished Family accommodation,Car as per company policy & insurance.
I have exp of 13 year in respective field need answer of following queries.
1) Salary will be sufficient for family of three (wife+ 3 year old nursery going kid)
2) Can I ask to cover my kid school fee & transportation cost along with package.
3)Can i ask to cover utility bills to be pay by company.
It will be sufficient to take care expensive & save some money.
Regards
Hemant
Please refer to my replies in RED
hemantverma wrote:Hi,
I'm considering offer from a company in Muscat.they are offering 600RO,Fully furnished Family accommodation,Car as per company policy & insurance.
I have exp of 13 year in respective field (With 13 years of experience, I really wonder why you're accepting the offer of OMR 600. Which field you're in) need answer of following queries.
1) Salary will be sufficient for family of three (wife+ 3 year old nursery going kid) To an extent it is sufficient with a primary living.
2) Can I ask to cover my kid school fee & transportation cost along with package. (Yes, it would make life much easier as the schooling/transport is extremely expensive in Oman).
3)Can i ask to cover utility bills to be pay by company. (Yes, you will save approximately OMR 50)
It will be sufficient to take care expensive & save some money. (In general, the offered salary is acceptable and will allow you to save atleast 25 - 30%. However if your company covers the child's education + utilities, you'll be able to save upto 50% of your salary).
Regards
Hemant
Articles to help you in your °µÍø½ûÇø project in Muscat
Driving in Oman
°µÍø½ûÇøriates tend to prefer to drive in Oman, as public transportation isn't fully implemented across the ...
The health system in Oman
Most of the time, when securing a job in Oman, your employer will provide you with health insurance, but it is ...
Setting up a business in Oman
A major change came a few years ago when it was officially decided that °µÍø½ûÇøriates do not need an Omani partner ...
Banking in Oman
Oman's banking sector is characterized by a mix of well-established local banks, international bank branches, ...
Finding a job in Oman
While it's not recommended for anyone to go to Oman to look for a job, it's important to ensure you have a ...
The Omani lifestyle
Before moving to Oman, people should be aware of the local lifestyle. The Omani way of life is a unique blend of ...
Work conditions in Oman
Working in Oman offers a unique combination of professional opportunities and cultural experiences. The country ...
Relocating to Oman
Moving to Oman can be an exciting experience, offering a unique combination of modern amenities and a rich ...
Find more topics on the Muscat forum
