Muscat is the capital of Oman, a low-rise coastal city of white buildings set between the Gulf of Oman and the rugged Hajar Mountains. Its old harbour district of Mutrah, the vast Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, the Royal Opera House and a string of quiet beaches make it one of the Gulf's most relaxed and culturally rooted capitals.
Local currency: Omani rial (OMR); 1 rial = 1,000 baisa.
Daily budget by traveller style
Typical per-person daily spend in Muscat.
- Mid-range
- OMR 75/day (approx $195)
- Luxury
- OMR 190+/day (approx $494+)
Cost breakdown
Typical price ranges across major spending categories.
Accommodation
- Hostel
- OMR 10-18 (approx $26-47) guesthouse or basic room in Ruwi, Muttrah, or Seeb
- Budget
- OMR 22-35 (approx $57-91)
- Midrange
- OMR 40-75 (approx $104-195)
- Luxury
- OMR 100-250 (approx $260-650)
Food
- Street
- OMR 0.5-2 (approx $1.30-5.20) shawarma, samosas, karak tea
- Local
- OMR 2-5 (approx $5.20-13) Omani, Indian, or Yemeni restaurant set meal
- Midrange
- OMR 8-18 (approx $21-47)
- Fine
- OMR 25-60 (approx $65-156)
Transport
- Bus
- OMR 0.2-0.5 (approx $0.52-1.30) per Mwasalat city bus trip
- Taxi
- OMR 3-6 (approx $7.80-15.60) for a short in-town ride; Otaxi or Uber app fares shown before booking
- Airport
- OMR 8-12 (approx $21-31) taxi from Muscat International Airport to Muttrah, Ruwi, or Qurum
- Daytrip
- OMR 12-20 (approx $31-52) per day for a small rental car, plus fuel
Activities
- Museum
- OMR 5 (approx $13) National Museum of Oman, foreign-visitor rate
- Sites
- Free: Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Muttrah Souq, Muttrah Corniche, Qurum Beach
- Tour
- OMR 25-45 (approx $65-117) half-day city or boat tour
- Excursion
- OMR 25 (approx $65) adult 3-hour dolphin and snorkelling boat trip from Marina Bandar Al Rowdha
Trip budgets by length
What a typical trip to Muscat costs end-to-end.
Weekend 3 Days traveller
Budget approx OMR 75-100 (approx $195-260), Midrange approx OMR 270-480 (approx $702-1,248), Luxury approx OMR 690-1,440 (approx $1,794-3,744)
Week 7 Days traveller
Budget approx OMR 180-275 (approx $468-715), Midrange approx OMR 630-1,120 (approx $1,638-2,912), Luxury approx OMR 1,610-3,360 (approx $4,186-8,736)
Money-saving tips
Practical ways to stretch your budget further.
Stay in Ruwi or Muttrah rather than Shatti Al Qurum or Barr Al Jissah to save roughly OMR 30-60 (approx $78-156) per night.
Eat at Indian, Yemeni, and Omani local restaurants where a plate of biryani or shuwa with rice costs OMR 2-5 (approx $5.20-13).
Use the free sights first: Grand Mosque, Muttrah Corniche, Souq, fish market, Qurum Beach.
Visit from November to March, when walking is comfortable and no air-conditioned taxi is needed for short distances; summer rates for hotels are lower, but midday heat limits sightseeing.
Book the dolphin boat trip at the lower per-person group rate (OMR 25 adult, OMR 12.5 child under 10) rather than a private boat, which is listed from OMR 168 per booking.
Use supermarkets such as Lulu Hypermarket and Carrefour for water, fruit, and picnic food.