GeoRealityMatch
Aerial shot of Muscat's skyline with coastal view and mountains. Ideal for travel and geography content.Oman
Scenic view of Doha city skyline with traditional dhow boat at dusk along the waterfront.Qatar

Compare countries · Oman vs Qatar

Oman vs Qatar

OmanWestern AsiaQatarWestern Asia

Oman is cheaper (cost of living 43.6 vs 50.4).Qatar is more peaceful (Global Peace Index 1.676 vs 1.850), scores higher on human development (0.886 vs 0.858) and has the higher income per person ($74,330 vs $19,520).It also has the longer life expectancy (82.5 vs 80.2 years).

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Safety

Qatar is the more peaceful

Global Peace Indexlower is more peaceful
Oman1.850High safety#59 of 161IEP GPI · 2026
Qatar1.676Very high safety#31 of 161IEP GPI · 2026
Homicidesper 100,000 people a year
Oman0.1Very lowUNODC / World Bank · 2023
Qatar0.1Very lowUNODC / World Bank · 2022
Safety indexNumbeo's safety index, higher is safer
Oman81.6Very highNumbeo · 2026
Qatar84.8Very highNumbeo · 2026
UK travel adviceFCDO, for British travellers
OmanNo advice against travelFCDO foreign travel advice, GOV.UK · read 2026-10-29
QatarNo advice against travelFCDO foreign travel advice, GOV.UK · read 2026-10-29
Money

Income per person is higher in Qatar

GNI per personnational income per person, US dollars
Oman$19,520HighWorld Bank · 2024
Qatar$74,330Very highWorld Bank · 2025
Cost of living indexexcluding rent, New York = 100
Oman43.6AffordableNumbeo · 2026
Qatar50.4ModerateNumbeo · 2026
Rent indexNew York = 100
Oman13.2ModerateNumbeo · 2026
Qatar40.0Very expensiveNumbeo · 2026
Property price to incomeyears of median income to buy a median flat
Oman3.8Very affordableNumbeo · 2026
Qatar5.7Very affordableNumbeo · 2026
Health

People live longer in Qatar

Life expectancyyears, at birth
Oman80.2Very high#40 of 195World Bank · 2024
Qatar82.5Very high#22 of 195World Bank · 2024
Health coverageWHO universal health coverage index, 0 to 100
Oman73ModerateWHO · 2023
Qatar84Very highWHO · 2023
Air pollutionPM2.5, micrograms per cubic metre, national average
Oman30.0Very highWHO · 2023
Qatar58.1Very highWHO · 2023
Work and internet

Broadband is faster in Qatar

Home internetmedian download speed
Oman95 MbpsFast#68 of 149Ookla Speedtest · 2025
Qatar197 MbpsVery fast#34 of 149Ookla Speedtest · 2025
English proficiencyEF English Proficiency Index score
OmanNo figure from EF EPI
Qatar469LowEF EPI · 2025
How it changed

Human development: Qatar 0.886, Oman 0.858

OmanQatar

UNDP Human Development Report, 1990–2023.

Year by year:OmanQatar

Practical facts

Capital
Muscat
Doha
Population
5.5M (2025)
3.0M (2025)
Languages
Arabic
Arabic
Currency
Omani rial (OMR)
Qatari riyal (QAR)
Area
309,500 km²
11,490 km²
Plug type
Type G
Type G
Drives on the
right
right
Short visit
Visa-free for UK, EU and US passports
Visa-free for UK, EU and US passports

Short visits: passport-index-dataset, 2024, for UK, EU (German) and US passports. Population and area: World Bank. Languages, currency and driving side: restcountries.com. Plug types: worldstandards.eu.

Every figure

Oman and Qatar, side by side

The same figures as a facts file

Quick answers

Is Oman cheaper than Qatar?

Numbeo's 2026 cost-of-living index (NYC = 100) puts Oman at 43.6 and Qatar at 50.4. Oman is about 13% cheaper overall.

Is Oman or Qatar safer?

On the Global Peace Index (lower = more peaceful), Oman scores 1.85 and Qatar scores 1.68. Qatar ranks as the more peaceful of the two.

Which has the higher quality of life, Oman or Qatar?

On the UN Human Development Index, Oman scores 0.858 and Qatar scores 0.886. Qatar scores higher on this composite of income, health and education. Single indexes hide trade-offs; the full comparison above shows where each country wins.

What is life like in Oman compared to Qatar?

GNI per capita runs $19,520 in Oman against $74,330 in Qatar; people live 80.2 years on average against 82.5; Numbeo users rate healthcare 64 against 74. Those are national averages and they hide the thing you actually feel: capital-city costs run well ahead of the national figure in most countries, and rural provision of healthcare and internet often lags the number shown here. The table below splits it indicator by indicator.

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Every figure is sourced where it is shown. A dash means the country has no figure from that source.Photographs by Joerg Hartmann, Natalya Rostun on Pexels