Cost of Living in Oman: Cost of living in Muscat for Indian Family

Cost of Living in Oman Per Month: The Full Range

Your cost of living in Oman per month depends most on which city you’re in, then on household size.

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Sources: Oman Business Setup, 2026 household budget breakdown, Expat Focus, Oman cost of living guide, National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), Oman 

Exchange rate used: 1 OMR = ₹249.16 as of September 2026. Verify the current rate before finalizing your budget.

Counselor insight: The single biggest mistake families make is pricing their Oman budget entirely off Muscat figures they found online, only to discover that their actual university is in Salalah or Sohar, where the real cost of living in Oman for Indian students is significantly lower. Always check which city your specific university sits in before finalizing a number.

Cost of Living in Oman by City: Muscat vs Salalah vs Sohar

Oman's cost of living splits clearly by city, and the gap is large enough to change which university makes financial sense.

Sources: Oman Business Setup, 2026 city comparison, Expat Focus, Oman cost of living guide
Exchange rate used: 1 OMR = ₹249.16. Verify the current rate before finalizing your budget.

Counselor insight: Salalah and Sohar aren't just cheaper versions of Muscat; they come with real trade-offs: fewer job opportunities for a working spouse and fewer international school options for children. Weigh those against the savings before choosing based on cost alone.

Cost of Living in Muscat: A Closer Look

Muscat deserves its own breakdown since it's where most Indian students and families actually end up, given the location of Sultan Qaboos University, and it's the city with the most reliable independent cost data.

Cost of living in Oman for a single person with rent, Muscat:

Couples and families in Muscat:

Sources: Oman Business Setup, 2026 sample budgets, Wise, Muscat cost of living 2026, Expat Focus, Oman cost of living guide

Exchange rate used: 1 OMR = ₹249.16. Verify the current rate before finalizing your budget.

Counselor insight: If you're a family moving with school-age children anywhere in Oman, not just Muscat, ask about school fees before anything else. That single line item can double a family-of-four budget, and it's the number most general cost-of-living calculators leave out or bury.

Accommodation Cost in Oman for International Students

Housing is the biggest line item in an Oman budget, and the gap between Muscat and the rest of the country is widest here.

Dhofar University in Salalah provides free on-campus accommodation, but only to female students. Male students at Dhofar have no on-campus housing option and must arrange private accommodation off-campus, which the university's own international student support team can help source.

Sources: Oman Business Setup, 2026 rent data, Dhofar University, official international students page. 

No official Omani body publishes shared or hostel-specific rent by city, so the Salalah/Sohar row above reflects general 1-bedroom apartment pricing rather than a dedicated hostel figure, which isn't separately published for those cities.

Exchange rate used: 1 OMR = ₹249.16. Verify the current rate before finalizing your budget.

Counselor insight: Ask your shortlisted university directly what accommodation it actually offers rather than assuming Dhofar's free-housing policy applies to you. It's real, confirmed on the university's own site, but it's gender-restricted, and no equivalent free on-campus offer is confirmed at Sohar University or SQU for international students generally.

Food, Transport, and Daily Expenses in Oman

Food and grocery costs run roughly 15-20% lower outside Muscat. Public transport is not free for students on an ongoing basis anywhere in Oman; the only confirmed free-travel offer is a single promotional day each year for World Public Transport Day, so budget for the fares above rather than free transport.

Sources: Mwasalat, official public transport operator

Exchange rate used: 1 OMR = ₹249.16. Verify the current rate before finalizing your budget.

Oman Student Visa Requirements for Indian Students

Indian applicants apply for a student visa sponsored by their Omani educational institution, wherever in the country it's located, processed through the Royal Oman Police (ROP).

Sources: Royal Oman Police, official student visa page

Counselor insight: The medical certificate requirement surprises families because it applies only to a specific set of countries, including India, rather than to every applicant. Confirm the current approved clinic list with your university's international office before you travel.

Can International Students Work Part-Time in Oman?

Counselor insight: Don't build any part-time income into your Oman budget unless your specific program has a mandatory internship component confirmed in writing by the university.

Does the SQU Scholarship Cover the Cost of Living in Oman?

Sources: Sultan Qaboos University, Deanship of Postgraduate Studies, Scholarships

Exchange rate used: 1 OMR = ₹249.16. Verify the current rate before finalizing your budget.

Compare the OMR 250-350 stipend to Muscat's OMR 265-525 total student monthly budget above, since SQU is based in Muscat and this stipend doesn't apply if you're studying at Dhofar or Sohar University instead. If your scholarship includes on-campus housing, which most full SQU awards do, the stipend covers day-to-day costs comfortably. If you're placed off-campus, food and personal spending alone can come close to using up the entire stipend.

Counselor insight: Confirm in writing whether your specific SQU award includes on-campus accommodation or just the cash stipend.

Oman Study Budget Planning Calendar for 2027-28

Should You Move to Oman? A Cost-Based Decision Framework

1. If you're an SQU scholarship holder with on-campus housing in Muscat: Your biggest cost is covered. Budget an additional OMR 50-100/month (₹12,458-₹24,916) beyond your stipend for personal spending.
2. If you're a self-funded student choosing between Muscat and Salalah or Sohar: Salalah or Sohar can cut your total cost of living in Oman by roughly 15-30% compared to Muscat, but you should weigh that against fewer job opportunities and, for families, fewer international school options.
3. If you're an Indian family weighing a move for a job offer: Run the household numbers above for the specific city the job is in, not a generic Oman average, and factor in school fees separately.

What to Do If Your Budget Falls Short in Oman

How to Reduce Your Cost of Living in Oman

• Consider Dhofar University in Salalah if you're a female student. Free on-campus housing there is confirmed and is one of the single biggest cost reductions available anywhere in this guide, though it doesn't extend to male students.
• Consider a university outside Muscat if your course is offered there. Salalah or Sohar can cut costs by 15-30%.
• Split a flat with roommates if hostel space runs out. Cuts your individual rent roughly in half.
• Cook at home and shop at local souks. Imports and eating out are where costs climb fastest, in any city.
• Get a Mwasalat monthly pass. It is cheaper than cash fares or taxis for daily commutes.
• Apply for every scholarship track, not just SQU's flagship one. Bilateral/MOHERI awards have less competition and still help.
• Register for university health cover the moment you enroll. Delaying risks a coverage gap, not savings.

3 Takeaways on Cost of Living in Oman

• Budget by city first, then by household size: Muscat runs highest, with Salalah and Sohar estimated to be 15-30% cheaper based on the general cost differential.
• Treat the lack of part-time work rights as a core planning constraint for students in every Omani city, since it changes how much a scholarship or loan needs to cover.
• Confirm your SQU scholarship's housing terms directly with the university, and, for female students at Dhofar, confirm the free-housing offer in writing since it doesn't extend to male students.

Verified by: LeapScholar's counseling team, with experience guiding Indian students through Gulf-region scholarship and visa applications.

Have questions about studying in Oman? Book a free session with a LeapScholar counselor.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cost of Living in Oman