The Muscat Experience

December 5th, 2008
Leave your comment Posted by umar
Published in textblog


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.

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  • Yeeey! This post made my day (night actually).

    This was exactly what I tell everyone. Oman is much more laid back and relaxed. In Oman, they make sure that they keep that way. They aren't trying to follow Dubai's footsteps like the other GCC countries. They want to keep that laid back Muscat feel :)
  • Olde_Tyme_Karachiite
    I found your comments interesting. I have actually visited Dubai, Muscat and Doha at length in the late 70's and mid 80's and stayed there for months on end. Of the 3, Muscat would have been my first choice to live. The Omani people were so friendly, very hospitable, and devoid of the upper crustiness found in Dubai. We found ourselves in a small town one day, in the middle of the afternoon siesta, and a family took us in, 4 complete strangers, and fed us a wonderful lunch and really took us into their hearts. Dubai was too busy and crazy, even in those days. Doha was pretty primitive, with the average Qatari not too worldly, but hospitable and friendly regardless. Enjoy reading your experiences. - ss
  • Do tell us what you think of Bahrain when you visit!
  • Abid » sure thing!
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