Living in Oman as an Expat: Housing, Safety, Costs and Rules

Living in Oman as an Expat: Housing, Safety, Costs and Rules

As of 6 November 2026, living in Oman as an expat means an employer-sponsored work visa, a family joining visa or, for property owners, the sponsor-free Owner Visa; the country ranks 60th of 163 on the 2026 Global Peace Index, recorded 3.9 offences per 1,000 people in 2025, and expects modest dress and no public drinking.

This guide reads the daily life of an expat in Oman the way a property buyer needs it: where people live and what they pay, how safety looks in rankings and in official crime and road statistics, how healthcare and insurance work, what the climate does month by month, which rules apply to alcohol, dress and public conduct, and how a work permit differs from residency tied to a home. Every figure carries its source and date, and rules can change.

Living in Oman as an Expat at a Glance: Position on 6 November 2026

The table gives the short answers before the detail. Each row points to the section that explains it and names the source behind the number.

What Is Living in Oman as an Expat Like? Population, Language and Daily Conditions

Oman covers 309,500 square kilometres and is the third-largest country on the Arabian Peninsula, according to the Experience Oman tourism site. Muscat is the capital, Arabic is the official language, English is widely spoken, the time zone is GMT+4 and the currency is the Omani rial, which the same site gives as roughly 2.6 US dollars. The peg used in this guide is OMR 1 = $2.6008.

The National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) put the population at 5.4 million in 2025, up 91,500 on 2024, and reported a national density of 17.3 people per square kilometre. Muscat Governorate is far denser at 383.1 people per square kilometre. The distribution inside Muscat matters for anyone choosing a neighbourhood: NCSI reported that Seeb has the largest Omani population, about 284,300 residents, while in Bausher expatriates make up 78.1% of residents. The expatriate sex ratio is 284 men per 100 women, against 101 men per 100 women among Omanis, which describes a heavily male expatriate population.

These numbers describe a country where daily life for an expat is concentrated along the Muscat coast and in a few regional cities. Our cost of living in Oman guide notes that a car is effectively necessary in Muscat and that no metro is operating. Our Muscat Metro article covers the proposed line.

The education calendar is one of the first rhythms a family meets. The Ministry of Education opened the 2026/2027 school year on Sunday, 6 September 2026, one week later than the originally planned 30 August, in order to support the khareef tourism season in Dhofar, according to the Oman Observer of 5 September 2026.

Which expat group lives where

The Bausher figure shows how uneven the mix is: in that wilayat expatriates are a clear majority of residents, while Seeb has the largest Omani population. For a buyer or tenant the mix shows up in the housing stock, which runs from furnished studios advertised with bills included to detached villas in Azaiba, Mawaleh, Al Mouj and Muscat Hills, as the area tables below show. The pattern is not a ranking of quality; it describes who the housing market serves.

How Safety Looks for Living in Oman as an Expat: Rankings, Crime and Regional Tensions

Three kinds of evidence show how risky Oman is for expats: international indices, official crime statistics and the government travel advice that foreign ministries publish. They measure different things, and the gaps between them are informative.

Global Peace Index and safety rankings

The 2026 Global Peace Index, produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace, ranks 163 countries and territories. Oman is 60th with a score of 1.850, in the “high” state-of-peace category, per the Credit Libanais summary of the index. A lower score means more peace. Qatar is 31st (1.676) and Kuwait 49th (1.813) in the same summary. Muscat Daily reported on 26 July 2026 that Oman fell 18 places and attributed the drop to rising regional tensions and conflicts; subtracting 18 from 60 implies a 2025 position of 42nd. In the 2024 edition Oman ranked 37th with a score of 1.761, according to the Oman Observer of 18 June 2024, so the score has worsened by 0.089 between the 2024 and 2026 editions (1.850 minus 1.761).

A different ranking points the other way. The Oman Observer reported on 8 July 2026 that Oman placed second worldwide, just behind Singapore, in the US News and World Report safety index for 2026, whose indicators include crime rates, law enforcement effectiveness, political stability, emergency preparedness, infrastructure resilience and public perceptions of personal safety. The two results are compatible. A peace index that weighs regional conflict falls when neighbours are in conflict, while an index built on policing and perceived personal safety does not.

What official crime statistics show

NCSI figures reported by Gulf News on 23 August 2026 give the most recent national picture, for calendar year 2025. Authorities recorded nearly 21,000 offences, up 14.8% on 2024, an average of 58 a day against 50 the year before and a rate of 3.9 offences per 1,000 inhabitants. The increase was driven by property offences, which rose 33% to nearly 13,000 cases and made up 62.3% of the total. The persons charged or apprehended rose about 10% to 26,847, of whom 85% were men.

Reading the table carefully: the 8,916 offences in Muscat are 42% of the national total, and Muscat Governorate also has the highest population density, so the share follows population as much as risk. Property offences are by far the largest category; the NCSI summary as reported does not break out violent crime by type, so this guide does not draw a conclusion about it. The 3.9 per 1,000 rate is a recorded-offence rate, which depends on reporting and on what the law classes as an offence, so it should not be compared line by line with another country’s figure.

What the UK government travel advice says

GOV.UK travel advice for Oman, updated on 27 October 2026 with new information on regional tensions, describes the situation in the Middle East as “deeply unpredictable” with a high risk of sudden escalation. It states that since early 2026 Iran has said it intends to target US- and Israel-linked locations, and that strikes and retaliatory attacks have occurred across the region. Travellers are told to expect possible flight cancellations and airspace closures and to keep departure plans under review. Muscat Daily attributes the fall in the Global Peace Index to the same tensions, and this is the factor that can change fastest from month to month.

The same advice says attacks cannot be ruled out, names residential compounds among places that have been targeted in threats, and records a July 2024 shooting near a mosque in Muscat’s Wadi Kabir area that killed 6 people. It describes personal attacks on foreigners as relatively rare, advises extra care when walking or travelling alone at night, and warns about financial crime: bouncing cheques, including post-dated and security cheques, and unpaid bills such as rent can bring imprisonment, fines, deportation, frozen assets and a bar on leaving Oman. That matters for tenants who pay rent with post-dated cheques, as discussed in the housing section.

Road safety and driving

For most expats the more frequent risk is the road. NCSI data published by the Oman Observer on 14 May 2026 recorded 1,545 reported traffic accidents in 2025, a 17% decrease from 2024, and 595 deaths: 354 Omanis, including 67 women, and 241 expatriates, including 31 women. Expatriates were therefore 40.5% of the dead (241 divided by 595). Against a population of 5.4 million, 595 deaths is about 11.0 per 100,000 residents; this is a rough figure calculated from rounded inputs, not an official rate.

The four accident types add up to the 1,545 total (661 + 320 + 312 + 252). Speeding-related incidents fell from 1,009 in 2023 to 674 in 2025, a drop of 33.2%. On driving rules, GOV.UK says a UK photocard licence can be used to drive a rental car for the first 6 weeks after arrival and that residents, and anyone staying beyond 6 weeks, must obtain an Omani licence. Passengers must wear seatbelts, children aged 3 and under need car seats, and using a mobile phone while driving is illegal. Traffic offences can bring fines of up to OMR 3,000 ($7,802) or prison terms of up to 3 years, and the advice warns of camels and goats on roads outside Muscat.

Is Oman Expensive to Live In? Is Muscat Expensive?

Whether living in Oman as an expat is expensive depends on the household: rent is moderate against some Gulf cities, while international school fees and private health cover set the budget for families. The headline inflation rate gives the direction of travel. NCSI reported through Times of Oman on 17 October 2026 that consumer prices rose 3.2% year on year in September 2026 and about 3% on average from January to September.

Food drove the increase, led by vegetables (20.1%), fruit (16.3%) and meat (10.3%). The housing group, which includes rent and utilities, was almost flat at 0.1%. The release does not report rent separately.

A worked monthly example for a family

Our international schools in Muscat guide lists 2026-27 tuition at British School Muscat of OMR 6,143 ($15,977) at age 10 and OMR 9,503 ($24,716) at age 14. Take one child at each age: 6,143 + 9,503 = OMR 15,646 a year, or OMR 1,303.83 a month (15,646 divided by 12). Add the monthly rent of a three-bedroom Muscat Hills flat at OMR 600 ($1,560), a guide price quoted in our rent in Oman guide, and the two items alone come to OMR 1,903.83 ($4,951) a month before food, transport, health cover, uniforms and utilities. For a single professional the picture is different: the same cost-of-living guide estimates a lean-to-comfortable single budget at OMR 515-770 ($1,339-2,003) a month and a couple without children at OMR 840-1,305 ($2,185-3,394), and a family of four with mid-tier schooling at OMR 1,995-2,600 ($5,189-6,762). Those budgets are that guide’s own estimates, not official statistics.

The answer to “is Muscat expensive to live in” is therefore split. Rent in the older districts is modest next to Al Mouj, and the spread between districts is wider than the spread between cities, as the next sections show. Schooling is the line that moves a family budget most. A longer comparison, including a rent-versus-buy method, is in the cost of living in Oman article and in the sibling guide on Oman income tax for foreigners.

The income tax change of 2028

Royal Decree 56/2025 introduces a personal income tax from 1 January 2028 at 5% on income above OMR 42,000 ($109,234) per tax year, according to EY. Tax residents, defined as those present in Oman for more than 183 days in a year, are taxed on income earned in Oman and abroad; non-residents only on Omani-source income. EY lists leasing as a source of gross income, with lease-related expenses deductible. As an illustration of the arithmetic, a taxable income of OMR 50,000 exceeds the threshold by OMR 8,000, and 5% of 8,000 is OMR 400 ($1,040). The rule is not in force today and executive regulations may refine it.

Housing for Living in Oman as an Expat: Area by Area in Muscat

Rents differ more by district than by property type. Savills published average two-bedroom apartment rents for Q1 2026 in a release dated 29 April 2026, and a September 2026 sample of asking rents from the Muscat Gates renting guide fills in the districts Savills does not report. The two sources measure different things: one is an average, the other a one-week sample of asking rents, so they are shown as separate columns.

An Al Mouj two-bedroom at OMR 710 costs about twice a Qurum one at OMR 350 (710 divided by 350 is 2.03), and that annual difference is OMR 4,320 ($11,235) once multiplied by 12. The Savills release does not state the base period for its percentage changes, so the plus and minus figures are indicative only. Our areas to buy property in Muscat guide covers the same districts from the buyer’s side.

Apartments, villas and compound houses

Three housing types dominate the expat market. Apartments range from furnished studios, often advertised with bills included in Al Khuwair and Al Ghubrah, to three-bedroom flats of 194-283 square metres in Al Mouj. Villas are mainly four- to six-bedroom houses in Azaiba, Mawaleh, Al Mouj and Muscat Hills. Compound houses are listed by Savills as houses of about 230 square metres, furnished or unfurnished. The figures below come from Savills averages and guide prices as collected in our rent guide, plus the Muscat Gates sample.

Leases, Deposits and Utilities: How Renting Works in Muscat

Renting is the starting point for most people living in Oman as an expat, and leases in Muscat are usually written for twelve months. The Muscat Gates guide lists monthly transfer or post-dated cheques as payment options, advising tenants to agree the deposit, the conditions for deductions and the refund timeline in writing. It gives no standard deposit amount, and neither does this guide. The same guide says leases are registered with Muscat Municipality at a fee of 3% of the rent for the contract period, that rent cannot rise during the term unless both sides agree, and that for continuing tenancies increases are generally limited to once every three years and 7% of the current rent. Notice is typically due three months before expiry.

A worked example at OMR 350 a month

Take a lease at OMR 350 ($910) a month. A year’s rent is 350 x 12 = OMR 4,200 ($10,923). Registration at 3% of that is OMR 126 ($328). If the landlord, who bears registration by default, pays it, the tenant’s day-one cash with annual payment is the OMR 4,200 plus whatever deposit the lease sets; assuming a deposit of one month, an assumption made only for this illustration, that is 4,200 + 350 = OMR 4,550 ($11,834). At the end of the first term, a capped increase of 7% on a continuing tenancy would take the rent to 350 x 1.07 = OMR 374.50 ($974). The disputes route for rent matters is the Rental Disputes Settlement Committee under Royal Decree 12/2025, in force from 13 July 2025 according to CMS Law, with decisions final and enforced within 30 days.

The cheque warning from GOV.UK applies here. A returned post-dated cheque can be a criminal matter, not only a civil debt, so tenants who pay by cheque need to keep the account funded; the advice also states that all debts and traffic fines must be paid before leaving the country. Landlords’ side of the lease, including the absentee case, is in our renting out your Oman property from abroad guide, and the cost side is in property management in Oman.

Electricity and water

Residential electricity is billed on a banded tariff. The Oman Observer of 29 December 2024 listed, for the primary account, 14 baisa per kilowatt-hour up to 4,000 kWh a month, 18 baisa from 4,001 to 6,000 kWh and 32 baisa above 6,000 kWh; for an additional account the rates are 22, 26 and 32 baisa. A baisa is one thousandth of a rial. A household that uses 1,500 kWh in a month, all within the first band, pays 1,500 x 0.014 = OMR 21.00 ($55); at 4,000 kWh the bill is OMR 56.00 ($146) for the energy charge. These consumption levels are illustrations, not typical bills. The regulator also cut residential tariffs for May to August 2026, and licensed companies were told not to disconnect supply during that period and to offer instalment plans for arrears, according to the Oman Observer of 3 May 2026. More on the arithmetic is in our electricity and water bills in Oman guide.

Our Listings Compared for Daily Life: Distances, Service Charges and Handover

For readers who intend to own the home they live in, four listings on our site show how the daily-life factors above translate into project data. All figures come from the listing pages as read on 6 November 2026; handover dates are developer targets and distances are the developer’s drive-time estimates.

Service charges convert directly into a monthly living cost. Using the listing’s own rates, a 79 square metre Muscat Bay one-bedroom at OMR 8.72 per square metre carries about 79 x 8.72 = OMR 689 ($1,791) a year, which is about OMR 57 a month; a 309 square metre villa at OMR 6.01 carries about OMR 1,857 ($4,830) a year. At Alef Qurum, the OMR 5 rate on a 88.25 square metre unit is 88.25 x 5 = OMR 441 a year, or about OMR 37 a month. The listing pages describe Alef Qurum and Muscat Bay as freehold within Integrated Tourism Complexes, and describe Sarooj Oasis as freehold open to any nationality; the Ministry of Housing lists Sultan Haitham City as a future city rather than an ITC, so the tenure wording differs between projects and each purchase contract defines it. More projects are in the Oman developers directory, and a price-per-area comparison is in Oman property prices per square metre.

Healthcare and Insurance for Expats in Oman

Health cover is one of the first contract items to check when living in Oman as an expat. GOV.UK states that facility quality in Oman is comparable to the UK, that British nationals must use the private healthcare system, and that visitors who cannot pay medical bills may be prevented from leaving until the debt is settled. It lists 9999 for an ambulance, names dengue and MERS-CoV as listed risks, and says extreme heat has caused deaths from dehydration and heat exhaustion. It also warns that some UK prescription and over-the-counter medicines are illegal in Oman and advises carrying a copy of the prescription and checking with the Ministry of Health.

Dhamani and employer-paid cover

Dhamani is the unified health insurance framework regulated by Oman’s financial regulator. The Oman Observer reported in August 2023 that it came into force on 1 January 2023 and that the Royal Oman Police would verify employer-provided insurance for expatriate employees when issuing residence cards. Lockton, an insurance broker, summarised the compulsory policy in 2024: employers pay the full premium for basic cover for employees and their dependants, with an annual limit of OMR 4,500 ($11,704), an inpatient sub-limit of OMR 3,000 ($7,802), an outpatient sub-limit of OMR 500 ($1,300) and OMR 1,000 ($2,601) for repatriation of mortal remains; employers may add maternity, dental and vision. Registration on the e-Dhamani platform is mandatory, and incomplete data can limit direct billing with providers. Because the broker note is from 2024, the live position should be confirmed with the employer’s insurer.

A separate scheme arrived in July 2026. Decision 13 of 2026, reported by DLA Piper, extends compulsory sick-leave and extraordinary-leave insurance to expatriate employees in the public and private sectors from 19 July 2026. It is issued through the Social Protection Fund and is separate from health insurance.

The list is taken from the FCDO list of medical providers updated on 1 June 2026, which is not exhaustive and not endorsed by the FCDO. Among our listings, Muscat Bay’s page gives 20 minutes to Apollo Hospital Muscat and Sarooj Oasis gives 17 minutes to Shifa Hospital. Insurance for the home itself is a separate subject, covered in the sibling guide on property insurance in Oman.

Weather and Climate for Living in Oman as an Expat, Month by Month

Muscat’s climate is hot and dry for most of the year with a short, mild winter. The monthly figures below are the 1991-2020 normals for Muscat International Airport published by the World Meteorological Organization through NOAA and reproduced on Wikipedia; record highs are from the 1961-1990 extremes. They are airport readings, and coastal communities such as Al Mouj, Bandar Jissah or Yiti may differ by a degree or two.

May and June are the hottest months by daytime maximum (39.5 and 39.4 C), while July has the highest nights alongside June (30.0 and 30.4 C) and August the highest humidity at 67%. The coolest daytime month is January at 25.1 C. Annual rainfall of 73.3 mm falls mostly from November to April. The averages hide the extremes: the Times of Oman reported on 23 August 2026 that Al Sunainah recorded the country’s highest temperature of 46.2 C in the preceding 24 hours, citing the Civil Aviation Authority’s meteorological stations. GOV.UK adds that tropical cyclones sometimes affect Oman in July and August, and that wadis flood after heavy rain, mainly from October to March.

Our cyclones and flash floods in Oman article lists the named storms; the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources figures quoted by Muscat Daily in October 2023 show 176 cyclones formed in the Arabian Sea in the preceding 76 years, of which 30 directly affected Oman. For a household, the practical points are the air-conditioning load from May to September, the July-August humidity and the need to stay out of wadis in wet weather. Salalah follows a different pattern, with a green khareef season, and the khareef season in Salalah guide covers what it means for owners there.

Schools and Family Life in Oman

Schooling is the largest fixed cost for a family and the one most affected by where the family lives. British School Muscat’s published fee table for 2025-26 runs from OMR 4,240 ($11,027) for ages 3-4 to OMR 10,280 ($26,736) for sixth form, with a one-off reservation fee of OMR 300 ($780), a refundable deposit of OMR 100 ($260) and an infrastructure fee of OMR 300 a term for the first nine terms, capped at OMR 2,700 ($7,022). Our international schools guide compares six schools for 2026-27 and the drive times printed on listing pages.

For families arriving on an employment visa, the joining visa is the route for spouse and children. The Royal Oman Police page for the family joining visa says the sponsor must earn at least OMR 600 ($1,560) a month or show six months of bank statements with salary transfers, that children must be under 21, that the family must live in a residence rented in their name or the employer’s name, and that the visa is valid for two years from the passport stamping date with multiple entries. Documents include passport copies valid for at least six months, photographs, a lease, and an authenticated marriage certificate if bringing a spouse; adults from listed countries need a Ministry of Health-approved medical certificate. Owners follow a different set of family rules, summarised in our Oman residency for family guide.

Oman Rules and Regulations for Expats: Alcohol, Dress, Drugs and Public Conduct

The rules for living in Oman as an expat are set by Omani law and enforced by the Royal Oman Police. The table below follows the GOV.UK safety and security page, which was current on 6 November 2026, and the Experience Oman tourism site for dress. It describes the rules as stated by those bodies and is not legal advice.

Several of these rules matter more to residents than to tourists. A resident who wants alcohol at home needs the Royal Oman Police licence rather than relying on hotel bars; the cohabitation rule affects couples who are not married; and the cheque rule affects every tenant who pays by post-dated cheque. The Ramadan rule is the one that changes the rhythm of a whole month: shops and restaurants adjust their hours, and GOV.UK also asks residents to avoid loud music and dancing in public during the month.

Moving to Oman: Visas, Residence Cards and a Checklist for UK Citizens

A UK citizen moving to Oman, whether for a short posting or for living in Oman as an expat long term, needs a full British passport with an expiry date at least 6 months after arrival. GOV.UK states that British citizens can stay up to 14 days without a visa and that longer stays, work or study need a visa, which it suggests applying for online through the Royal Oman Police eVisa portal before travel. At the border officers may ask for a return or onward ticket, proof of accommodation and proof of travel health insurance. Overstaying is fined at up to OMR 10 ($26) a day with a maximum of OMR 500 ($1,300), and detention is possible. Oman does not recognise dual nationality.

Once resident, the residence card is the document that matters. Decision 157/2025, announced by the Royal Oman Police on 9 November 2025, raised the maximum validity from three years to 10 years, with categories and controls set by the Director General. The fee is OMR 5 ($13) per year of validity, a damaged card is replaced for OMR 20 ($52), and holders must renew within 30 days of expiry, according to the Oman Observer and a KPMG alert of 10 December 2025.

The last row is the newest rule. Gulf News reported on 5 November 2026 that a government-regulated savings scheme administered by the Social Protection Fund starts on 19 July 2027 for expatriate workers. Employers contribute 9% of the monthly basic salary, the scheme replaces the end-of-service gratuity for employment periods beginning on or after the start date, and gratuity accrued before then stays protected. On a basic salary of OMR 800 ($2,081), the contribution is 800 x 0.09 = OMR 72 ($187) a month, or OMR 864 ($2,247) a year, paid by the employer. Anyone planning a move should compare it with their contract.

Work Permit, Owner Visa or Golden Residency: How Residency Tied to a Home Differs

The sponsored work visa is tied to the employer and ends with the job. Property-linked routes work differently. Royal Oman Police Decision 87/2026, published in Official Gazette No. 1653 in June 2026, allows foreign owners of registered units to obtain residency without a sponsor on a certificate from the competent authority. The Oman Observer of 25 June 2026 reports that residency ends if ownership is transferred and that the spouse’s and relatives’ residency ends with it. The decision sets no minimum property value, and buyers of plots prepared for construction or units whose registration is incomplete may receive a visa of six months to one year, renewable, with stays of up to three months per entry. IMI Daily adds that the permit lacks the GCC visa-free movement and the right to sponsor domestic staff that investor permits carry.

The Golden Residency threshold can be checked against listing prices with simple arithmetic. Muscat Bay’s villa entry price of $897,000 is OMR 344,894 (897,000 divided by 2.6008), above OMR 200,000, while the Muscat Bay one-bedroom entry and the Alef Qurum three-bedroom entry, both OMR 90,011, are below it. A price above the threshold is only one condition: the property must be in an ITC and the Royal Oman Police decides each application. Our Golden Residency versus Owner Visa article sets out both routes, and Oman residency by property lists every requirement. For readers who want the ownership steps, the sibling guides on how to buy property in Oman and mistakes and red flags when buying in Oman cover the contract side, and the retiring in Oman article covers the long-stay case, including what inheritance looks like for an owner who stays.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Oman safe for expats?

Official statistics and rankings describe a low-violence country with a rising property-crime count and a regional-tension risk. Oman ranks 60th of 163 in the 2026 Global Peace Index, recorded 3.9 offences per 1,000 people in 2025, and GOV.UK updated its advice on 27 October 2026 to warn that the regional situation is deeply unpredictable. Living in Oman as an expat also means taking road risk seriously: 595 people died on the roads in 2025.

Is Oman expensive to live in?

It depends on the household, because rent, schools and health cover differ widely. Consumer prices rose 3.2% in September 2026, with food up 8.0% and the housing group up 0.1%. A Qurum two-bedroom averaged OMR 350 ($910) a month in Q1 2026, while one child at British School Muscat costs OMR 6,143 ($15,977) a year at age 10.

Is Muscat expensive to live in?

Muscat rents range from about OMR 130 ($338) for an Al Khuwair studio to OMR 710 ($1,847) for an average Al Mouj two-bedroom, so the district sets the price more than the city does. Asking rents for one- and two-bedroom flats in Al Mouj and Muscat Hills were OMR 450-700 in a 10-16 September 2026 sample. Living in Oman as an expat in Muscat also usually requires a car.

What are the living conditions in Oman?

Living conditions are those of a high-income Gulf state: a population of 5.4 million, English widely spoken, modern private hospitals and international schools in Muscat, and a hot climate with a Muscat annual mean maximum of 32.8 C. Expats concentrate in Muscat, where density is 383.1 people per square kilometre, and in regional cities such as Salalah and Sohar.

What are the rules and regulations for expats in Oman?

The main rules are modest dress in public, drinking only in licensed venues or at home under a Royal Oman Police licence for non-Muslim residents, a drinking age of 21, severe drug penalties and no eating or drinking in public in Ramadan daylight. Cheques and debts matter too: bouncing a cheque or leaving bills unpaid can bring prison, deportation or an exit ban, as GOV.UK describes.

Can a UK citizen move to Oman?

A UK citizen can move to Oman on an employer-sponsored work visa, a family joining visa or the Owner Visa if they own a registered unit. GOV.UK says British citizens may stay 14 days without a visa, that longer stays, work or study need a visa, and that the passport must be valid for at least 6 months after arrival. Residents must exchange a UK licence for an Omani one after the first 6 weeks.

How do I move to Oman?

Moving to Oman starts with a visa and, for most people, a job offer that provides the work visa and residence card. After arrival the steps are the residence card (up to 10 years, OMR 5 per year), health cover under Dhamani, a registered lease at 3% of the term’s rent, and an Omani driving licence within 6 weeks if driving a UK-licensed rental car.

Do expats need health insurance in Oman?

Expats in the private sector are covered by the Dhamani framework, under which employers pay the full premium for basic cover for employees and dependants, according to Lockton. The basic annual limit is OMR 4,500 ($11,704), with OMR 3,000 for inpatient care. GOV.UK says British nationals must use private healthcare and that unpaid bills can stop a visitor leaving.

Do expats who buy property get residency in Oman?

A purchase does not give residency by itself. The Owner Visa under Royal Oman Police Decision 87/2026 is sponsor-free, has no minimum property value and ends if ownership is transferred, while Golden Residency requires a single Integrated Tourism Complex property worth at least OMR 200,000 ($520,160) and is decided by the Royal Oman Police.

Last checked: 6 November 2026. Sources: GOV.UK, Oman travel advice; GOV.UK, entry requirements; GOV.UK, health; GOV.UK, safety and security; FCDO, Oman list of medical facilities; Gulf News, Oman crime 2025; Credit Libanais, Global Peace Index 2026; Oman Observer, Global Peace Index 2024; Oman Observer, US News safety index; Oman Observer, traffic accidents 2025; Oman Observer, population 2025; Times of Oman, inflation September 2026; Savills, Oman Q1 2026; Muscat Gates, renting guide; Oman Observer, electricity tariffs; Oman Observer, summer tariff cut; Lockton, compulsory health insurance; Oman Observer, Dhamani platform; DLA Piper, sick-leave insurance; Gulf News, expat savings scheme; Oman Observer, residence cards; KPMG, residence card alert; Royal Oman Police, family joining visa; Oman Observer, ROP Decision 87/2026; IMI Daily, owner residence permit; EY, Oman personal income tax; Experience Oman, about Oman; Experience Oman, Oman at a glance; Muscat climate normals (WMO 1991-2020); Times of Oman, 23 August 2026 temperatures; British School Muscat, fees; Oman Observer, 2026/2027 school year.