Property for sale in Oman: the whole market on one page
Oman opened freehold ownership to foreign buyers in 2006 and has spent the twenty years since building. The result is a market with unusual characteristics: prices well below Dubai and Doha, no annual property tax, no income tax on rent — and an inventory that is overwhelmingly off-plan, spread across three separate legal regimes that are routinely described in marketing as though they were one.
Below are twenty-four representative projects from our Oman portfolio, from the cheapest entry in the country to a branded residence on Al Mouj. Everything after the grid explains what separates them: who may buy, what it costs on top of the price, when you get the keys, and which of the widely repeated claims about this market do not survive contact with the documents.
Mira Ocean Estates, Hawana Salalah, Oman
Mira Ocean Estates, Hawana Salalah, Dhofar, Oman Details
The Sea Front Residences, Taqah, Salalah, Oman
The Sea Front Residences, Taqah, Dhofar, Oman Details
Yamal, Al Seeb — TMG Waterfront ITC Residences in Muscat, Oman
Yamal, Al Seeb, Muscat, Oman Details
Alef Qurum Residence, Telal Al Qurm — Freehold Apartments in Muscat, Oman
Telal Al Qurm, Muscat, Oman Details
Uptown Muscat, Knowledge Oasis — Apartments & Duplexes in Oman from $106,900
Knowledge Oasis Muscat, Al Rusayl, Muscat, Oman Details
Al Mina, Barr Al Jissah, Muscat, Oman — Marina Residences & Beachfront Villas
Al Mina, Barr Al Jissah, Muscat, Oman Details
Luma Residence, Bandar Jissah, Muscat Bay, Oman
Luma Residence, Bandar Jissah, Muscat Bay, Muscat, Oman Details
Olive Farms, Jebel Sifah, Oman — 46 Freehold Villas from $195,100
Olive Farms, Jebel Sifah, Muscat, Oman Details
The Sustainable City – Yiti (TSCY) — Net-Zero Freehold Homes in Muscat, Oman
The Sustainable City - Yiti, Bandar Jissah, Muscat, Oman Details
Maysan, Duqm — Freehold-Track Apartments in Oman’s Special Economic Zone
Maysan Square, Duqm, Oman Details
Sarooj Oasis Apartments, Sultan Haitham City — Freehold Homes in Oman
Sarooj Oasis, Sultan Haitham City, Muscat, Oman Details
Hay Al Wafa, Sultan Haitham City — Freehold Apartments, Townhouses & Villas in Muscat
Hay Al Wafa, Sultan Haitham City, Muscat, Oman Details
Azura Beach Residences, Al Mouj — Freehold Beachfront Apartments in Muscat, Oman
Al Mouj, Muscat, Oman Details
Vistal by Victoria Swarovski, Al Mouj — Branded Freehold Residences in Muscat, Oman
Al Mouj, Muscat, Oman Details
The St. Regis Residences, Al Mouj — Branded Freehold Living in Muscat, Oman
Al Mouj, Muscat, Oman Details
Wadi Zaha, Sultan Haitham City — Freehold Living in Oman’s New Capital District
alseeb oman Details
AIDA by DarGlobal, Yiti — Freehold Villas with Trump Golf in Muscat, Oman
AIDA by DarGlobal, Yiti, Muscat, Oman Details
Solaris (Solar Residences), Jebel Sifah, Oman — Freehold Apartments from OMR 50,000
Solaris, Jebel Sifah, Muscat, Oman DetailsThree legal frameworks, and only one of them is freehold
This is the first thing to establish about any Omani property, and the last thing most listings mention. The country runs three parallel regimes, and the difference between them is not a technicality — it decides whether you can own the asset outright, whether you can pass it to your children, and whether it counts towards residency.
| Integrated Tourism Complex | Special Economic Zone | Surooh / Hai citizen scheme | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal basis | Royal Decree 12/2006, widened by RD 38/2025 | SEZAD’s own legislation | Ministry of Housing land-entitlement programme |
| Title | Full freehold | 99-year leasehold | Freehold, but restricted |
| Who may buy | Any nationality, no sponsor, no local partner | Any nationality | Omani citizens with a land entitlement |
| Examples here | Al Mouj, Muscat Bay, Jebel Sifah, Sultan Haitham City, Yiti, Telal Al Qurm | Maysan, Duqm | Nismat Zain (Sur), Husn Al Zain (Bidbid) |
| Golden Residency route | Yes | No — but a residence visa is included in the purchase | No |
| Transfer fee | ~3% for foreign buyers | 0.5% | N/A to foreign buyers |
| VAT on a new build | 5% (first supply) | 0% | N/A |
A fourth category is worth naming because it is easy to mistake for the first: estates that are neither ITC nor SEZ. Uptown Muscat sits inside Knowledge Oasis Muscat, which its own listing describes as a Madayn-administered technology estate — “neither a coastal ITC nor an OPAZ free zone”. The apartments may still be a good buy. They should not be described as ITC freehold without the title designation in writing.
Royal Decree 38/2025 widened the freehold framework, and Article 42 made freehold legally possible inside Special Economic Zones — but no conversion date has been published for Duqm. Treat that as a stated intention, not a scheduled event. Our guide to freehold property in Oman sets out the zones in detail, and comparing the ITCs covers what separates them.
The price ladder: what each budget actually buys
| Budget | What it buys | Where | Caveat |
|---|---|---|---|
| $76,700 – $100,000 | Studio or one-bedroom apartment | Duqm, Sultan Haitham City, Sohar | The cheapest is leasehold, not freehold |
| $100,000 – $150,000 | One- and two-bedroom apartments | Inland Muscat, Taqah, Jabal Sifah | Two projects in this band are citizen-only schemes |
| $150,000 – $205,000 | Larger apartments, first villas | Muscat Hills, Al Seeb, Yiti, Hawana Salalah | The best value per square foot sits here, not lower |
| $205,000 – $450,000 | Beachfront apartments, resort villas | Al Mouj, Muscat Bay, Hawana Salalah | Still below the residency threshold on one unit |
| $450,000 – $900,000 | Branded residences, marina villas | Al Mouj, Barr Al Jissah, Shatti Al Qurum | The band where Golden Residency becomes reachable |
| $900,000+ | Beachfront villas and land plots | Barr Al Jissah, Jebel Sifah, Salalah | Land is the most expensive route into Oman, not the cheapest |
Two ends of that ladder are worth stating precisely. The lowest priced home in the country is a studio at Maysan in Duqm at $76,700, sold on a 99-year lease. The lowest priced freehold open to any nationality is an Azha apartment at Sarooj Oasis at $82,160. At the top, a beachfront villa at Al Mina, Barr Al Jissah reaches $4,183,000 at roughly $660 per square foot. Full detail by budget is on our affordable houses page.
Where to buy: fourteen addresses, and what each is actually for
| Address | From | What it is | Buy it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al Mouj | $221,000 | Muscat’s largest and oldest freehold district — marina, golf, beach | The deepest resale market in Oman |
| Muscat Bay | $234,100 | A finished, occupied private bay between mountains and sea | Buying something you can walk through today |
| Sultan Haitham City | $82,160 | 15 million m² new capital district for 100,000+ residents | The cheapest freehold in Muscat |
| Jabal Sifah | $130,040 | Marina and golf ITC, built out since 2006 | An established community with real comparables |
| Yiti | $182,000 | Clifftop and net-zero communities, including Trump-branded golf | Coastal Muscat at a discount to Al Mouj |
| Muscat Hills | $163,600 | Oman’s original golf-course community, inland | Space and a settled address without a beach premium |
| Shatti Al Qurum | $447,416 | Muscat’s established seafront address | The only project clearing Golden Residency in one purchase |
| Telal Al Qurm | $111,800 | 165,000 m² ITC-licensed masterplan phased over ~15 years | A Muscat address on a small ticket |
| Knowledge Oasis | $106,900 | A Madayn technology estate — not an ITC | Only with the title designation in writing |
| Salalah & Hawana | $149,738 | Dhofar’s resort coast, opposite season to Muscat | Khareef-season rental demand |
| Taqah | $128,700 | Sea-front buildings 31–34 km east of Salalah | Only with tenure confirmed — see below |
| Duqm | $76,700 | Oman’s flagship SEZ: deep-water port, refinery, dry dock | Industrial workforce demand, not tourism |
| Sohar | $95,000 | Port and freezone city on the Batinah coast | A long hold on industrial growth |
| Sur & Bidbid | $104,000 | Government Surooh districts | Omani citizens with a land entitlement |
For a fuller treatment of where to put money first, see the best areas to invest in Oman and, for the capital specifically, the best areas to buy property in Muscat.
Muscat: five freehold districts, five different products
The capital carries most of the country’s freehold inventory, but “Muscat” covers products with almost nothing in common beyond the governorate.
| District | Entry | Character | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al Mouj | $221,000 | Marina, 18-hole golf, beach, retail — a working town | Established; Azura, Vistal and St. Regis in delivery |
| Muscat Bay | $234,100 | A private cove reached through the mountains | Finished and occupied |
| Muscat Hills | $163,600 | Golf-course community, ten minutes from the airport | Established; new phases to 2028 |
| Shatti Al Qurum | $447,416 | Seafront branded residences beside the embassies | In delivery |
| Telal Al Qurm | $111,800 | New ITC-licensed district, aqua park and hotels planned | Phased to ~2040 |
Al Mouj is the reference market. Its resale depth is the deepest in the country, which matters as much on the day you sell as the day you buy — our Al Mouj investment guide covers it in full. At the other end, Muscat Bay is the only large community here that is complete: you can swim in the pools and inspect the actual home before signing, which no off-plan buyer in Oman can do. The planned Muscat metro is the medium-term variable worth tracking across all five.
Sultan Haitham City: the cheapest freehold in the capital
Oman’s new capital district in Al Seeb — 15 million m², announced in 2023, planned for more than 100,000 residents — now accounts for six projects in our portfolio and holds both the cheapest freehold ticket and the cheapest freehold square foot in the country.
| Project | From | Product | Per sq ft | Handover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarooj Oasis — Azha | $82,160 | Apartments in a gated community | — | Phased |
| Wadi Zaha | $125,000 | Studios to three-storey villas | $232 | Q1 2028 |
| Hay Al Wafa | $170,600 | 1,700 sq ft two-bedroom apartments | $100 | Q4 2027 |
| Jood | $204,000 | Apartments and villas | $179 | Phased |
| Sarooj Oasis Villas | $390,000 | Four-bedroom villas | — | Phased |
| Al Ahlam District | $499,100 | 4,216 sq ft villas | $118 | Phased |
The honest caveat applies to all six: nothing in Sultan Haitham City has been handed over yet. There is no rental record for the district, no resale comparables, and the first stock to complete will set the benchmark rather than follow one. Our complete investor guide to Sultan Haitham City goes through the masterplan in detail.
The coast, and what the water actually costs
Coastal addresses cost roughly three times as much per square foot as the inland new-city product and deliver a fraction of the floor area. That is the price of the view, and it is a legitimate thing to pay for — provided you know you are paying it.
| Project | From | Per sq ft | How close is the water |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea Front Residences, Taqah | $128,700 | $217 | Directly on the sand — 99-year lease |
| Solaris, Jebel Sifah | $130,040 | $323 | Marina community — secondary stock only |
| The Beachfront, As Sifah | $143,000 | $333 | On the beach at Jebel Sifah |
| Mira Ocean Estates | $149,738 | — | Private beach, Hawana Salalah |
| Amazi, Hawana Salalah | $202,862 | — | Bay and beach frontage — finished |
| Azura Beach Residences | $221,000 | — | Beachfront at Al Mouj |
| Al Mina, Barr Al Jissah | $479,200 | ~$660 (villa) | Marina residences and beachfront villas |
Two coastlines, two seasons. Muscat’s beach season runs roughly October to April; Dhofar’s runs June to September, when the Khareef monsoon turns Salalah green and fills its hotels while the north is at its hottest. That is a genuine diversification argument inside one country, and it is covered in our comparison of Muscat versus Salalah. The full coastal picture is on our beach houses page, and the two resort communities have their own guides: Jebel Sifah and Hawana Salalah.
The industrial thesis: Duqm and Sohar
Oman’s two cheapest non-citizen addresses share a demand driver that has nothing to do with tourism, and that is the point of owning them.
Duqm is anchored by a deep-water commercial port, the Oman Drydock Company’s ship-repair facility, and a 230,000-barrel-per-day refinery that reached full nameplate capacity in mid-2025, with a petrochemical complex phasing in from 2027 and the multi-billion-dollar Sino-Oman Industrial Park alongside. Sohar Port and Freezone secured USD 968 million in new investment commitments across eight agreements in 2025 alone, and has a USD 1.7 billion investment plan for 2026 covering a further 265 hectares.
Rental demand in both comes from port, refining, logistics and manufacturing employment. That gives an Oman portfolio a component with low correlation to Muscat’s tourism cycle. It also means thin resale markets, few comparable transactions and a holding period measured in years. Both have dedicated guides: Duqm SEZ and Sohar.
What it costs to buy
| Cost | Inside an ITC | Duqm SEZ | Resale from a private owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transfer / registration fee | ~3% | 0.5% | ~3% |
| VAT | 5% on first supply of a new build | 0% | Exempt |
| Annual property tax | None | None | None |
| Tax on rental income (individuals) | None | None | None |
| Indicative total on $300,000 | ~$24,000 | ~$1,500 | ~$9,000 |
The VAT line is the most valuable sentence on this page. Residential sales in Oman are generally VAT-exempt; the exception is a first supply — a new build sold by the developer — standard-rated at 5%. The same finished villa therefore carries two different prices depending on who sells it. On a $300,000 house that is $15,000 that appears in no brochure. Our resale page covers where second-hand stock actually exists, and property tax in Oman covers the ongoing position. Inheritance is treated separately in our guide to inheritance for foreign property owners.
Service charges: the number that decides your net yield
Gulf service charges commonly land between 1% and 2% of value a year. Oman’s published rates are mostly lower, but they vary by a factor of six between projects — and on a cheap property the charge is proportionally the most dangerous number in the deal.
| Project | Published rate | As % of entry price |
|---|---|---|
| Hay Al Wafa | OMR 300–500 / year, flat | 0.46%–0.76% |
| Wadi Zaha | OMR 5–6 per m² / year | 0.52%–0.62% |
| Sea Front Residences | OMR 300 / year, flat | 0.61% |
| Alef Qurum Residence | OMR 5 per m² / year | 0.73% |
| Vistal, Al Mouj | OMR 19.5 per m² / year | Branded-residence tier |
One instruction applies to every per-square-metre quote in the country: confirm in writing that the rate is annual and not monthly. At Alef Qurum the difference between those two readings on a two-bedroom is OMR 441 and OMR 5,292 a year — a service charge or a second mortgage. Marketing sheets are frequently silent on the period. Our service charges guide covers what the fee should include, and rental yields in Oman covers what is left afterwards.
Residency: what property actually gets you
| Route | Threshold | Applies to | Reality check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Residency (10 years) | OMR 200,000 ≈ $520,160 | ITC property only | Only a handful of Oman projects reach it on one purchase |
| Owner Visa | Property-linked, lower | Designated developments | The realistic outcome for most of this page |
| Duqm SEZ residence visa | Included in the purchase | Maysan, Duqm | Administered by SEZAD, not the national programme |
Two corrections worth making. First, the Golden Residency property route is limited to real estate inside Integrated Tourism Complexes — so a purchase in Sohar, Duqm, Sur or Bidbid does not qualify regardless of value. Second, most of the inventory in this country sits well below $520,160, which means the Owner Visa, not the Golden Residency, is what a typical purchase supports. Anyone selling you a $150,000 apartment as a ten-year residency is describing a different product. Our comparison of Golden Residency and the Owner Visa sets out where they diverge, alongside the property route in detail and Oman investment immigration.
When you actually get the keys
| Status | Projects |
|---|---|
| Complete and occupied | Muscat Bay; St. Regis Residences (Aug 2024); Amazi villas; Maysan Residence One; The Beachfront Phase 1 |
| Q1 2027 | Uptown Muscat; Zen Residences; AIDA first completions |
| 2027 | Sea Front Residences, Taqah |
| Q4 2027 | Hay Al Wafa; Bellevue; Raya; Husn Al Zain |
| Q1 2028 | Wadi Zaha |
| Q4 2028 | Opal Residences; Olive Farms; AIDA final phases |
| 2029 | Alef Qurum Residence |
| Q4 2033 | Nismat Zain, Sur |
The spread from Q1 2027 to Q4 2033 is nearly seven years of holding cost, opportunity cost and construction risk — across projects whose entry prices differ by less than $30,000. If your money has a deadline, this table matters more than the price ladder.
Five things sold about Oman that are not true
| The claim | What the documents say |
|---|---|
| “Foreigners must spend at least OMR 50,000” | Quoted almost universally; we have not found it published in any decree or ministry circular. Nine projects open below it. |
| “Freehold in Oman from $76,700” | The $76,700 entry at Maysan is a 99-year lease. The cheapest foreign freehold is $82,160. |
| “Surooh districts are great value for investors” | Nismat Zain and Husn Al Zain are built for Omani citizens with a land entitlement. Get eligibility in writing before paying anything. |
| “Knowledge Oasis is ITC freehold” | Its own listing calls it a Madayn technology estate, “neither a coastal ITC nor an OPAZ free zone”. |
| “Taqah beachfront is freehold with residency” | Sea Front Residences declares “99 years leasehold renewable for life”. Its sister project three kilometres away declares no tenure at all. |
None of these makes the projects concerned bad buys. Duqm’s leasehold comes with 0% VAT, a 0.5% fee and a residence visa in the purchase. The point is that each requires a different question before a deposit moves, and none of those questions is answered by a price list. Our page on the risks of the Oman market covers the broader picture.
Property types: what each one costs to enter
| Type | Entry price | Cheapest address |
|---|---|---|
| Apartments | $76,700 | Maysan, Duqm (leasehold) |
| Studios | $106,900 | Uptown Muscat — dearest per sq ft of any type |
| Villas | $123,500 | Husn Al Zain (citizens) / Olive Farms $195,100 open |
| Townhouses | $104,000 | Nismat Zain (citizens) — only three are buyable and priced |
| Beach houses | $128,700 | Taqah — the two cheapest are not freehold |
| Penthouses | $106,900 | Uptown Muscat — the only one missing Golden Residency |
| Land | $1,300,000 | Jebel Sifah — land is the most expensive route in |
| Affordable homes | $76,700 | Nine projects below OMR 50,000 |
| Resale | $130,040 | Solaris — the only project with zero developer stock |
Two type-level findings are worth carrying into a search. Studios are the worst value per square foot in Oman — Uptown’s 409 sq ft studio costs about $261 per square foot while a 1,700 sq ft two-bedroom at Hay Al Wafa costs about $100. And land is the most expensive way into the country, not the cheapest: the two plots we list start at $1,300,000 and both bundle the villa build. There is also a separate page for houses for sale in Oman and one for branded residences.
Payment plans and finance
In this price band the payment structure often matters more than the headline. Plans in our Oman portfolio run from 25% down over seven years at Plumeria in Sohar — the longest developer runway on the list — to 50% at reservation on one Taqah project. In between: 20% down and 80% over 36 months at Hay Al Wafa; an OMR 2,000 booking plus 20% and ten quarterly instalments at Alef Qurum; construction-linked schedules at Wadi Zaha; and post-handover tails at Uptown Muscat and Zen Residences.
Three questions apply to all of them. Does the post-handover portion carry interest or a profit margin? Who holds the title deed during the instalment period — you, or an escrow? And is the booking fee deducted from the down payment or charged on top? Ask for the schedule with calendar dates, not “quarterly”. Where a developer plan does not fit, some banks operating in Oman lend to non-resident freehold buyers in designated zones; criteria commonly differ between freehold and leasehold title. See mortgages in Oman for foreigners.
Which project fits your brief
The lowest possible entry price
Maysan, Duqm at $76,700 — with a completed, income-producing phase to reference, 0% VAT, a 0.5% fee and a residence visa in the purchase. It is a 99-year lease; get the current terms in writing.
The cheapest freehold title a foreigner can hold
Sarooj Oasis, Azha Apartments at $82,160 — full freehold, any nationality, no sponsor, inside a gated masterplan in the new capital district.
The most floor area per dollar
Hay Al Wafa at $170,600 for a 1,700 sq ft two-bedroom — roughly $100 per square foot, with the service charge published in advance and a Q4 2027 handover.
Something finished you can inspect today
Muscat Bay from $234,100 — complete and occupied, with a functioning resale market. The finished premium runs about 4% to 9% per square foot over off-plan neighbours in the same bay.
Residency on a single purchase
The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Shatti Al Qurum — the only Oman project in our portfolio that clears the OMR 200,000 Golden Residency threshold at its entry price.
Diversification away from the tourism cycle
Plumeria in Sohar at $95,000 or Maysan in Duqm at $76,700 — demand driven by port, refinery and logistics employment rather than visitors.
Frequently asked questions
Can foreigners buy property in Oman?
Yes, on full freehold title inside designated Integrated Tourism Complexes and other freehold zones, with no sponsor or local partner required. Title is registered with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning and carries the same permanent, inheritable rights an Omani citizen holds. See buying property in Oman as a foreigner.
What is the cheapest property in Oman?
A studio at Maysan in Duqm from $76,700, sold on a 99-year lease. The cheapest full freehold open to any nationality is an Azha apartment at Sarooj Oasis, Sultan Haitham City, from $82,160.
Is there a minimum purchase price for foreigners in Oman?
OMR 50,000 is quoted almost universally, but we have not found it published in any Royal Decree or ministry circular, and nine projects in our portfolio open below it. Ask any seller who cites the rule to name its source.
What taxes do I pay on property in Oman?
There is no annual property tax and no personal income tax on rental income. On purchase, expect a foreign-buyer transfer fee of about 3% inside an ITC, plus 5% VAT on the first supply of a new build. A resale from a private owner is VAT-exempt, and Duqm’s SEZ charges 0.5% with no VAT.
Does buying property in Oman give residency?
The ten-year Golden Residency requires OMR 200,000 — about $520,160 — of ITC property. Most stock falls below that, so the property-linked Owner Visa is the realistic route. A purchase at Maysan in Duqm includes a residence visa under SEZAD’s own framework.
Where is the best place to buy property in Oman?
It depends on the brief. Al Mouj has the deepest resale market, Muscat Bay is the only large finished community, Sultan Haitham City has the cheapest freehold, and Duqm and Sohar offer an industrial rather than tourism thesis. Our guide to the best areas to invest in Oman compares them directly.
Is property in Oman cheaper than Dubai?
Materially, at the entry level and per square foot, with a comparable tax position — no annual property tax and no income tax on rent. The trade-off is a much smaller, younger market with far fewer resale comparables. See Oman versus Dubai.
Are there completed properties in Oman or only off-plan?
Mostly off-plan. Four things in our portfolio are built and standing: Muscat Bay, The St. Regis Residences (handed over August 2024), the Amazi villas, and Residence One at Maysan. Phase 1 at The Beachfront, As Sifah is also delivered.
What are the risks of buying property in Oman?
The main ones are tenure that is not what it appears, delivery dates running to 2033, districts with no resale market yet, and service charges quoted without a period. Each is addressed above; our page on the risks of the Oman market covers the rest.
The short version
Oman offers freehold title to any nationality, no property tax, no tax on rental income, and entry prices that start below $100,000 in the capital’s new district. Those are real advantages and they are not marketing.
What the marketing leaves out is that the country runs three legal frameworks and only one of them is freehold, that almost nothing has been handed over yet, and that the widely quoted OMR 50,000 minimum appears in no published decree we can find. Nine projects open below it; only four of those are freehold a foreign buyer can hold.
Three questions cover most of the risk on this page. Ask for the title designation in writing, naming your specific unit — freehold, usufruct or leasehold, and if leasehold, for how many years. Ask whether the service-charge rate is annual or monthly. And ask what has actually resold in that community in the last twelve months — if the answer is nothing, you are buying into a market that has not yet proved it can give you your money back.
Ask for title documents, current prices and payment schedules
Further reading: the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning registers title; the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism licenses Integrated Tourism Complexes; the Central Bank of Oman publishes lending benchmarks. See also our Oman market outlook and the full Oman portfolio.
