Moving to Oman
What is Oman?
Oman is a hot, dictatorial, Islamic Arabian country
The Sultanate of Oman is a relatively large Arabian country, bordering Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Yemen.
It’s got a pretty long coast on the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman.
The capital is Muscat, which has been a central trading port in the region for centuries.
Oman is the oldest continuously “independent” Arabian state, with plenty of oil, a high-income economy, and of course a daily dose of bigotry.
Oman is very much dependent on the export of oil, which accounts for over 80% of its total export. Tourism is a growing factor, however.
It’s a pretty rich country –for now – and that expresses itself in a top-grade health care system, decent quality of living (relatively speaking, if you discount the lack of civil liberties), low pollution, and so on.
It used to be under heavy influence of the UK (de facto colonization), and currently it’s a unitary state, an absolute monarchy led by a sultan, based on a hereditary system – nothing could ever go wrong with that.
The sultan/king/emperor/despot controls foreign affairs and defense, has absolute power and issues laws by decree.
In short, this guy is god in his country, his word is law, his authority is inviolable and the judiciary branch is subordinate to him – as is basically everything else.
And of course this is an Islamic country, which means Sharia law is in force, due process is a joke, and while civil liberties and personal freedoms and technically protected, they are of course brushed aside on a daily basis.
Torture, beatings, abuse, sleep deprivation, and other fun stuff are the name of the game of this regime.
Geographically speaking, Oman’s mostly gravel desert plain, mountain ranges and coastal areas.
Its climate is hot (one of the hottest in the world) and dry in the center, but more humid near the coast.
Oddly enough, Oman is a hot spot for whale watching. Yes, that’s right, in this random Arabian country you can marvel at the beautiful Arabian humpback whales, sperm whales and pygmy blue whales.
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The requirements for taking a trip to Oman are negligible, as many nationalities don’t need to apply for a visa for a stay of up to 14 days, and in other cases you can get an eVisa for a stay of 30 days, which can be extended.
Staying here for a longer period of time can be done through employment at an Omani company, or via investing large sums of money into the country.
The language barrier might be pretty thick, as the average English proficiency is Very Low.
Compared to other Arabian countries such as Saudi Arabia and Dubai, the cost of living is moderate.
Cost of living in Oman
The cost of living in Oman hovers around $1,200 a month for a single person.
If you keep your air con on all day (because it’s very hot here), this number can easily increase.
Don’t count on just getting by with that amount, however, because unforeseen circumstances could easily cause you additional stress and expenses, so I would say you’d need around $2,500 a month to really be secure in Oman.
And remember: you do have to pay taxes on this income.
Living in Oman advantages
Living in Oman disadvantages
Moving to Oman - by the numbers
Climate: 9.6/10
| Hours of sunshine (10/10) | Temperature (9/10) | Rainy days (10/10) | Humidity (9.5/10) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
29 C – 84 F |
0.9 |
59% |
Level of English: 2/10
Cost of Living: 7/10
| Minimum Annual Wage | Average monthly cost single person |
|---|---|
|
$10,260 |
Taxes on international income: 7.5/10
15%
In most cases you’ll be paying 15% on your income, except if you form an LLC and fulfill some conditions.
Economic growth: 5/10
Average GDP growth over the last 10 years: 2.6%
Safety: 9.7/10
| Global Terrorism Index (10/10) | Intentional homicide rate (10/10) | Rape rate (9/10) |
|---|---|---|
|
|
0.9 |
6.6 |
Visa: 5.2/10
How is Oman to live in?
Life in Oman for foreigners isn’t too great in most cases – unless you’re fine with paying taxes on your income, living under an Islamic dictatorship, having an above average cost of living (compared to most countries I’ve talked about) and being in a lagging economy.
Sure, there are redeeming features, such as the great weather, the sometimes beautiful nature and the easy visa process, and the relative safety, but that’s about it … and Oman isn’t the only country which can offer these, not by a long shot.
There are dozens of countries which offer much better prospects than this Arabian shithole.
Living here isn’t recommended whatsoever, and it’s not even any good for any of your Flags.
Avoid at all costs.
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