The Muscat Experience

So during my 36-hour stay in Muscat, I couldn’t help but compare Dubai and Muscat in every aspect.

When I landed in Muscat the first impression I got was that maybe I have landed in Quetta, a city in Pakistan which is also surrounded by mountains. The difference was that Muscat was cleaner, and less congested.

Other than that, from my discussions with people I met, I learned that Muscat is a much more laid back place compared to Dubai. There is no rush of life in Muscat, no one seems to be in a hurry, and people are generally relaxed. Above all, housing is pretty affordable.

The most remarkable thing was that the currency of Oman is very strong. One Omani Riyal is equal to almost 10 UAE Dirhams. And the prices of things reflected that. A bowl of soup costs 1 OR in Muscat, and in Dubai it costs around 15 AED.

Now that I have seen three different cities of Gulf, Dubai, Doha, and Muscat (and more planned in future like Kuwait, Riyadh, and Bahrain), I am often asked which place is the best to live.

The answer is not so simple. It really depends on your taste. Dubai is a very happening place with all the problems a big city can have. Doha is following the footsteps of Dubai but is still way behind. So things are a bit slow there. And Muscat is growing at it’s own speed, and is a much more peaceful place. So if you enjoy quiet, peaceful, relaxed lifestyle then maybe you should live in Muscat.

In my case, I have always lived in big cities with the all the hustle and bustle of metropolitan life. I can’t survive in small cities. So I can’t imagine living anywhere else but Dubai. It would get too boring for me.