I have been working in Muscat, Oman, for the last four years. Based on my experience, I have created the “Cost of Living in Muscat” document which I hope will be useful to expats coming to Muscat (Oman) from the sub-continent. This is not a fool-proof document, but it has been designed to give you a basic idea on the cost of living in Muscat.
• Cars
• Locally produced food stuff
• Electronic goods
• Petrol, diesel
• LPG
• Unbranded clothes
What’s costly?
• Medicines and medical consultation
• Education
• Driving schools
• Branded goods
• Accommodation
• International telephone charges
Muscat advantages
• Pollution-free
• Smooth traffic except for peak hours
• Good infrastructure
• 24 hours water and electricity
• Safe place for expats
• Salubrious climate
Monthly expenses
Average monthly expenses in Omani Rials for a single person, couple and family with two children are shown below (numbers in brackets relate to the notes following the table).
|
Item |
Single |
Couple |
Couple with 2 kids |
|
Housing (1) |
225 |
275 |
350 |
|
Food (2) |
75 |
150 |
175 |
|
Utilities (3) |
50 |
80 |
125 |
|
Leisure (4) |
40 |
60 |
100 |
|
Transport (5) |
20 |
30 |
40 |
|
Clothing (6) |
15 |
25 |
40 |
|
TOTAL |
425 |
620 |
830 |
1. Rental costs for unfurnished apartments in a decent locality. Satellite television is probably provided in some cases but is unlikely to include all Indian channels.
2. Doesn’t include luxury food items or alcohol.
3. Includes electricity, water and telephone charges.
4. Includes entertainment, dining out, sports, newspapers and magazines.
5. Includes running costs for an average family car plus third party insurance, petrol, servicing and repairs, but excludes depreciation and credit purchase costs.
6. Lots of clothing is unnecessary in the region’s hot climate. Winter months from December to February requires some warm clothing.
Be it arts and culture, recreational shows, or local cuisine, the park has enough attractions to keep people of all age groups involved. Some corporates have put up their stalls near the entrance to market their products, ranging from banking solutions to mobile telephony to cars.
If you want to delve more into the local culture, then there is no better place than the heritage village. From preparation of authentic kahwa to handicrafts to farming, the visitors have a chance to understand more of Omani tradition. Further aside, a few older Omani men are sharpening their knives and tools the age-old way. It is noteworthy to mention that Muscat Municipality is striving hard in raising awareness among the coming generation of the rich heritage and culture as well as the history of the country.
At the centrecourt, a bunch of graceful male dancers weave magical patterns with their simple steps in tune with the rhythmic beat of drums. The Heritage Village also brings alive many other famous souqs from around the Arab world with their unique flavour and character.
Are you hungry? Do you want to dig into some piping hot Omani halwa? Look no further than the stalls around the Heritage Village. Experienced halwa makers are seen preparing the delectable delight by continuously stirring the huge metal pans with generous helpings of ghee at intervals. The aroma of halwa fills the air. When the halwa is done, it vanishes in seconds. Such is the demand. Also offered at the venue are pancakes and other delights prepared by elderly ladies who are kept busy with an unending queue of foodies. If you want to tuck in something different, help is near – Lebanese, Indian, Turkish food stalls have come up round the park.
If you want to buy something unique, then head to the International crafts exhibition. Craftsmen from neighbouring countries can be seen honing their skills in front of visitors, and marketing their distinctive pieces.
By large, the Qurum Natural Park has been made brighter this year with lot of open spaces and colourful lighting. Aquatic dancing fountains and water-based special effects are new additions in this year’s edition of Muscat Festival.
Part 2
Interestingly, I’ve got a good bit of experience in dealing with different kinds of people while exchanging emails. Some of them are courteous enough to say a thank you, and some of them have endless list of questions, and when I am done with answers, they disappear into thin air without bothering to reply back. This week, I did exchange a few mails with a lady who will be soon taking up a new job in Muscat. In the end, she mailed me if she could get anything that I will be requiring from India. I said thank you very much, I will let her know if I need something. Seriously, I don’t need anything from India as of now, but her thought was priceless. I was touched.
Humanity isn’t dead, yet!
The 8-year-old boy is studying in Std 3.
I am stunned. Where are we heading? At this rate, the word ‘childhood’ will be redundant very soon.
Who is to be blamed for this attitude? Parents, teachers, peers, society, education system…
Some food for thought!
* Many households have Indians as servants, and the locals think all Indians are servants.* Unskilled workers outnumber skilled workers. Hence, there is a lack in recognizing educated class.* Indians have not marketed themselves well unlike other expatriates from Western countries.
…so says the Indian ambassador of a prominent GCC state who was in Muscat recently. I do agree with him. I am not going to start a racial debate here, but unfortunately in most cases the salaries are fixed as per the colour of the skin. An Indian and a person from UK holding similar positions in the same company will have two different salary structures. Draw your own conclusions as to who will be earning more.
Ribas has won many titles as a coach here in Uruguay, but is above all famous because of his personality. He is quite strict with his players, who respect and like him in almost every case. For him, discipline is a very important part of a team’s work. He is also famous because of his ability to prepare players in psychological matters.He became champion with Peñarol (one of the biggest clubs here in Uruguay, 5 times inter-continental club champion) and got important achievements with smaller clubs such as Bella Vista and Juventud de Las Piedras. He also worked as a coach in “Serie A” in Italy. He is a Christian and talks a lot about his faith. He is said to be quite defensive in his style. His teams don’t receive many goals, but don’t play very nice football either. So be prepared to see many 1 – 0 or 0 – 0 games!
MUSCAT — A fully matured sperm whale, which washed up dead on the Darsait beach yesterday, caused intrigue among environmental agencies and excitement among the public.The whale measuring between 6-8 metres and weighing several tonnes was spotted early yesterday. The animal could have been dead for more than one week, experts opined. It is unusual for such sperm whales to be found in shallow part of Oman’s coastline as they are deep ocean-going mammals found only in waters with a depth of over 1,000 metres. (read full story)
Braving traffic and chilly weather, I went with my daughter today morning to see the spectacle. The whole place had a crowded look with families and individuals dropping in large numbers to catch a glimpse of the giant mammal. My colleague just updated me that authorities had managed to pull out the whale to the shore, and it will be buried after taking some samples.
