What if you were born in Oman?

If you had grown up in Oman instead of Pakistan, here is what your money, your home and your day in Muscat could look like.

Try it with my numbers

Mutrah Fort and the Muscat corniche. Photo: Safa.daneshvar, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Oman

Each person keeps the same place on the income ladder they have in Pakistan. Amounts are per month, after tax, in OMR and in rupees at today’s rate.

Single, starting out

Earns Rs 60,000 a month in Pakistan, on your own.

Take-home in Oman: OMR 375Rs 270,000
Rent (city centre): OMR 108
Transport (public transport): OMR 25
Food: OMR 54
Saved: OMR 56

Family of four

Earns Rs 120,000 a month in Pakistan, as a family of four.

Take-home in Oman: OMR 861Rs 621,000
Rent (suburbs): OMR 220
Transport (public transport): OMR 59
Food: OMR 146
Saved: OMR 129

High-earning couple

Earns Rs 300,000 a month in Pakistan, as a couple.

Take-home in Oman: OMR 1,400Rs 1,010,000
Rent (city centre): OMR 342
Transport (car): OMR 131
Food: OMR 171
Saved: OMR 391

Try it with my own income

A day in Muscat

The family of four above, with one parent working as an engineer.

Morning
You wake up in Muscat, a city of mild winters around 19°C and hot summers near 35°C, and rain is rare.
Commute
Public transport is limited here, so you share rides or use taxis and buses for a longer commute.
Work
As an engineer: You spend the morning on site and the afternoon on drawings and calls with suppliers.
Language
You speak Arabic at home, and English works almost everywhere.
Lunch
Lunch might be shuwa: lamb marinated in spices and slow-cooked in an underground oven.
Evening
You get home with OMR 129 saved each month. Walking home late feels completely normal here.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast and the mountains.

Oman compared with Pakistan

	Oman	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	2.0× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	80 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	47 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	3.3%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	28°C	26°C
Languages	Arabic	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	OMR	PKR

Sources: World Bank (price levels, household spending, life expectancy, PM2.5, unemployment), NASA POWER (climate), Dareecha’s daily exchange rates.

Thinking of really moving? See Pakistan vs Oman, living in Oman and the visa checker.

Questions

How much would I earn if I was born in Oman?

It depends on where you are on the ladder. A family earning Rs 120,000 a month in Pakistan, above the national average, would take home around OMR 861 a month at the same level in Oman (about Rs 621,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Oman more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 2.0 times as much as in Pakistan (World Bank price levels), but incomes there are higher too, so what matters is how far your pay goes.

What language would I speak in Oman?

Mainly Arabic. English is widely spoken.

Can I actually move to Oman?

This page imagines being born there. For a real move, compare costs, safety and jobs on the Pakistan vs Oman page, and check visa rules in the visa checker.