Top 10 Most Expensive Places to Live in Oman

Oman’s got a knack for mixing old-world charm with new-world cash, and its priciest spots prove it. Think waterfront villas, expat-packed enclaves, and coastal getaways that’ll drain your wallet faster than a Bedouin sprint across the dunes. We’ve crunched the numbers, rents, property prices, and lifestyle costs as of April 2025—and ranked the top 10 most expensive places to live in this Sultanate.

1. Al Mouj (The Wave), Muscat

Rent: 1,200 OMR ($3,120 USD)/month for a 3-bed villa  

Buy: 1,400 OMR ($3,640 USD)/m²  

Al Mouj isn’t a neighborhood—it’s a statement. Picture this: waterfront villas so sleek they’d make James Bond jealous, a Greg Norman-designed golf course where the sand traps are as pricey as the greens, and a marina bristling with yachts that scream “I’ve made it.” Home to 8,000 people across 85 nationalities—think oil execs, diplomats, and the odd tech millionaire—this place is expat HQ. Rental yields churn at 6-8%, and two-bedroom rents spiked 5% since 2024 because supply’s tighter than a camel’s grip in a sandstorm. Demand? Relentless.  

Lifestyle costs: Dinner at The Beach Restaurant costs 15 OMR ($39 USD)—you’re paying for the view, the vibe, and the chance to eavesdrop on a deal being cut over lobster. Golf fees? 25 OMR ($65 USD) a round. Even the air smells expensive here.  

2. Madinat Al Sultan Qaboos, Muscat

Rent: 900 OMR ($2,340 USD)/month for a villa  

Buy: 1,100 OMR ($2,860 USD)/m²  

MQ’s where Muscat’s expat crowd flexes their passports—villas with gardens sit cheek-by-jowl with embassies and the ABA Oman school, a magnet for diplomat brats. Rents leapt 10-20% in the last 18 months, and property values climbed 3-7% in 2025, per LivingCost. A one-bedroom now demands 500 OMR ($1,300 USD)/month—up 8% from 2024—because everyone wants a slice of this connected, cultured pie.  

Lifestyle costs: Gym rats fork over 50 OMR ($130 USD)/month at Horizon Fitness, where treadmills hum with the chatter of CEOs and UN staffers. A quick shawarma at the local joint? 2 OMR ($5.20 USD). It’s power suits and protein shakes, with a side of community cool.  

Did You Know? MQ’s streets were laid out in the ’80s under Sultan Qaboos’s vision—modernity with an Omani twist, and it’s held its edge ever since.

3. Qurum, Muscat

Rent: 800 OMR ($2,080 USD)/month for a 3-bed home  

Buy: 1,000 OMR ($2,600 USD)/m²  

Qurum’s the beachside belle of Muscat—whitewashed villas, the Royal Opera House, and a commercial boom that’s turning it into a shopping-and-dining juggernaut. Property values rose 4% in 2025, per Expatistan, thanks to Muscat Municipality’s master plan. Beachside apartments hit 300 OMR ($780 USD)/month, and demand’s a tidal wave—expats and locals alike want in.  

Lifestyle costs:: Coffee at Fauchon in Opera Galleria runs 2.5 OMR ($6.50 USD)—you’re sipping with the culturati. A night at the opera? Tickets start at 10 OMR ($26 USD). It’s where sand meets sophistication.  

4. Muscat Hills, Muscat

Rent: 850 OMR ($2,210 USD)/month for a villa  

Buy: 1,200 OMR ($3,120 USD)/m²  

Nestled in Muscat’s hills, this gated gem trades hustle for calm. Villas kick off at 300,000 OMR ($780,000 USD), and the market’s eyeing 5% growth in 2025, per Numbeo. Rental demand’s up 7% year-on-year—families love the space, the schools (think British School Muscat), and the escape from downtown chaos.  

Lifestyle costs:: Groceries at Lulu Hypermarket run 60 OMR ($156 USD)/week for a family of four. A round at the Muscat Hills Golf Club? 20 OMR ($52 USD). It’s quiet money with a view.  

Cool Tidbit: The hills here aren’t just scenery—they’re part of the Hajar range, geologically ancient and a UNESCO hopeful.

5. Al Azaiba, Muscat

Rent: 600 OMR ($1,560 USD)/month for a villa  

Buy: 900 OMR ($2,340 USD)/m²  

Al Azaiba’s got wings—literally. A stone’s throw from Muscat International Airport, it’s sprouting compounds faster than date palms in an oasis. Apartments jumped from 200 OMR ($520 USD) to 250 OMR ($650 USD)/month in 2025—25% up, per LivingCost. Three-bedroom villas climbed 10% since 2023. It’s raw, it’s real, and it’s on the rise.  

Lifestyle costs: Taxi to the airport: 5 OMR ($13 USD). A burger at the new Hardee’s? 3 OMR ($7.80 USD). Convenience is king, and the crown’s getting heavier.  

6. Salalah (Al Haffa), Dhofar

Rent: 550 OMR ($1,430 USD)/month for a beachfront home  

Buy: 850 OMR ($2,210 USD)/m²  

Salalah’s green jewel, Al Haffa, flips the desert script—think coconut groves and misty hills. Khareef season (July-September) spikes rents 15%, per Expat Arrivals, as tourists swarm. Beachfront homes near Al Baleed Resort hit 300,000 OMR ($780,000 USD); off-season, apartments dip to 400 OMR ($1,040 USD)/month.  

Lifestyle costs: Lebanese grub at Baalbeck: 12 OMR ($31 USD). A Khareef festival pass? 5 OMR ($13 USD). It’s Oman’s tropical twist.

7. Ruwi, Muscat

Rent: 500 OMR ($1,300 USD)/month for a 3-bed home  

Buy: 800 OMR ($2,080 USD)/m²  

The Breakdown: Ruwi’s Muscat’s old soul—Central Bank, Securities Market, and a bustle that never quits. Apartments climbed 5% to 250 OMR ($650 USD)/month in 2025; prime villas top 600 OMR ($1,560 USD), per Numbeo. It’s rough around the edges but primed for a comeback—watch this space.  

Lifestyle costs: Utilities (85m² apt): 45 OMR ($117 USD)/month. Street-side chai? 0.5 OMR ($1.30 USD). Hustle’s cheap, living’s not.  

8. Shatti Al Qurum, Muscat

Rent: 700 OMR ($1,820 USD)/month for a villa  

Buy: 950 OMR ($2,470 USD)/m²  

Shatti’s where embassies meet the beach—think diplomats in flip-flops. Apartments start at 300 OMR ($780 USD)/month—up 6% YoY—and three-bedroom homes near consulates hit 1,000 OMR ($2,600 USD), per Expatistan. It’s coastal clout with a passport stamp.  

Lifestyle costs:: Trader Vic’s dinner: 20 OMR ($52 USD)/head. Beach yoga? 5 OMR ($13 USD)/session. It’s where power chills.  

9. Al Dahariz, Salalah

Rent: 500 OMR ($1,300 USD)/month for a coastal home  

Buy: 800 OMR ($2,080 USD)/m²  

Al Dahariz is Salalah’s second punch, modern homes, beach vibes, and a steady climb. Villas rose 8% to 600 OMR ($1,560 USD)/month in 2025, with 4% annual growth, per LivingCost. Apartments hover at 350 OMR ($910 USD)/month—tourism’s the quiet engine.  

Lifestyle costs: Groceries at Al Maha Market: 50 OMR ($130 USD)/week. A dolphin-watching tour? 10 OMR ($26 USD). Laid-back costs a little extra.

10. Al Ghubra, Muscat

Rent: 450 OMR ($1,170 USD)/month for a 3-bed home  

Buy: 750 OMR ($1,950 USD)/m²  

Al Ghubra’s got Grand Mall and highways in its DNA—apartments hit 200 OMR ($520 USD)/month, up 7% from 2024, and villas near the action fetch 600 OMR ($1,560 USD), per Numbeo. It’s urban muscle without the downtown madness.  

Lifestyle costs: Vox Cinemas ticket: 3.5 OMR ($9 USD). Kebabs at Turkish House? 4 OMR ($10.40 USD). City perks, lighter hit.  

What’s Driving the Costs?

Housing’s the Heavyweight: Rent’s 50-70% of your tab—Muscat’s city-center one-bedroom averages 211 OMR ($548 USD)/month, but Al Mouj’s 1,200 OMR ($3,120 USD) villas scoff at that. Buying? 750-1,400 OMR ($1,950-$3,640 USD)/m², with coastal zones flexing hardest, per Expatistan.  

Daily Dollars: Utilities (85m² apt) run 40-50 OMR ($104-$130 USD)/month. Meals out? 10-20 OMR ($26-$52 USD). Groceries for a family: 50-70 OMR ($130-$182 USD)/week, per Numbeo.  

Oman’s Edge: It’s 39.2% cheaper than the U.S., 81st globally, per LivingCost. Tax-free salaries (avg. 2,035 USD) are the ace up the sleeve—40% of 5.28M residents are expats chasing that perk, per Expat Arrivals.

Why These Spots Bleed Cash

Muscat’s got eight of the ten—its expat swarm and coastal scarcity are a one-two punch. Salalah’s duo thrives on tourism and nature’s quirks, outpacing Sohar’s 150-200 OMR ($390-$520 USD) apartments. Muscat’s rents grew 5% YoY in 2025, a 35% edge over smaller cities, per LivingCost. It’s not luck—it’s math with muscle.

The Final Word

Oman’s top 10 aren’t just pricey—they’re a chessboard. Al Mouj’s yields toy with Ruwi’s grit; Salalah’s green rush dances past Al Ghubra’s mall hum. This isn’t about rent—it’s about leverage, lifestyle, and a slice of the Sultanate’s soul. From frankincense trails to embassy lawns, these spots prove cash buys more than a roof, it buys a story. And in 2025, those stories don’t come cheap.