Saham vs Mugla: Which City Wins for Expats in 2026?
Mugla costs roughly 48% less than Saham. The cost gap makes Mugla the stronger pick for financial independence. Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.
Mugla is approximately 36% less expensive than Saham based on cost of living including rent. This makes Mugla a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.
Mugla has a FIRE Score of 83/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The city's safety index is 75, which is relatively safe.
Recommended profile: Mugla is ideal for GeoArbitragers and remote workers looking to maximize savings.
About Saham
Saham is a cheap place to live and not much else, with a cost of living index of 56/100 and a 1-bedroom in the center at $550/mo, but the expat community is very few and English proficiency is limited, so expect to be lonely and to learn some Arabic. The safety index of 72/100 and crime index of 28/100 are genuinely good, and a $5 restaurant meal keeps the budget tier at $682/mo, yet a digital nomad score of 51/100 and 32 Mbps internet make remote work a chore. Retirees should look elsewhere: the retiree score is 52/100 and the Retirement Residency demands $4,000/mo in income, which is absurd for a town this small. Come for the low rent, stay only if you have a local job or a high tolerance for isolation.
About Oman
Digital nomads are shut out entirely, no visa exists. Retirement demands a steep OMR 4000/mo income, filtering out most FIRE budgets despite zero income tax and cheap rent ($560/mo center). This fits high-net-worth retirees seeking tax-free stability with US Travel Advisory Level 3 (reconsider travel) and Arabic-only bureaucracy, not budget expats.
$2,124/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
About Mugla
Mugla is a small inland city of 65 thousand at 670 m elevation, so you trade beachfront bustle for cooler air and cheap living: a city center one-bedroom runs $405/mo while a three-bedroom outside the center drops to $507/mo. The catch is earning power, since the average monthly net salary of $1,520/mo barely clears the $3,000/mo income floor for Turkey's Digital Nomad Visa, making remote work the only sensible play here. With a cost of living index of 38/100, a safety index of 75/100, and an expat score of 81/100, it suits budget-minded remote workers and early retirees who want a small, widely English-speaking community and can tolerate a small expat scene and a 90 km haul to DLM.
About Turkey
Best for digital nomads meeting the $3,000/mo income requirement for Turkey’s dedicated visa. COL is 61% lower than NYC with a single monthly budget of $646.20 excluding rent. However, internists and a moderate political stability score pose risks for long-term stays.
$2,247/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
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| Metric | Saham | Mugla |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (Center) | $550 | $405.35 |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside) | $400 | $304.01 |
| 3BR Apartment (Center) | $1100 | $810.7 |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside) | $800 | $506.69 |
| Safety Index | 72 | 75 |
| Internet Speed | 32Mbps | 48Mbps |
| Walkability Score | N/A | N/A |
Monthly cost by categoryOne person, computed from each city's own average prices
| Category | Saham | Mugla |
|---|---|---|
| Total (rent included) | $971/mo | $714/mo |
| Excluding rent | $571/mo | $410/mo |
| Rent | $400/mo | $304/mo |
| Groceries | $157/mo | $107/mo |
| Dining out | $52.00/mo | $66.00/mo |
| Entertainment & lifestyle | $82.00/mo | $137/mo |
| Utilities & connectivity | $280/mo | $100/mo |
| Transport | N/A | N/A |
Usage-based estimates from this city's own average prices. A row marked N/A means that city is missing data, so no figure is shown instead of a stale one.
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Saham vs Mugla -- Frequently Asked Questions
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