Living in Muscat with Your Family as an Investor: Schools, Housing and Healthcare

When an investor considers moving to Oman, the decision is not only a business one. The spouse and children have their own questions: where will the children study? Where will we live? What if we need a doctor? These are fair questions, and answering them early makes the investment decision calmer and clearer. In this article we set out what official and reliable sources say, and point clearly to what needs personal checking.

First of all: the family's residency

The family's residency starts from the investor's own residency. Once the company is set up and you hold residency, you can apply to bring your spouse and children through the Royal Oman Police, under conditions and procedures set by the police. Our advice is to review these conditions before setting the family's moving date, and to prepare the required documents early, such as the marriage certificate and the children's birth certificates, duly attested.

Schools: several options under the Ministry of Education

Education in Oman has two parts: government schools and private schools. Private schools operate under a licence from the Ministry of Education and are supervised by it. Muscat has many private schools, including international schools teaching foreign curricula, bilingual schools, and schools teaching the Omani curriculum. Most resident families choose private schools.

What to ask when choosing a school:

• Is the school licensed by the Ministry of Education?
• Which curriculum does it teach, and is it recognised by the universities your children may consider later?
• Are there places available in the required grade? Some schools have waiting lists.
• What are the tuition fees and the extras such as transport, books and uniform? Ask the school for them in writing and dated.
• How far is the school from your home and your workplace?

A practical tip: start contacting schools well before the move, especially if you will arrive in the middle of the school year.

Housing: renting is the usual choice

Most resident families in Muscat rent apartments or villas. The city stretches along the coast, and each area has its own character: areas close to offices and shopping centres, and quieter ones closer to schools. So we suggest choosing the school first, then looking for housing near it and near your workplace, because daily commuting time affects family life more than it seems at first.

• Read the lease carefully: duration, payment method, and who pays for maintenance.
• Make sure the lease is registered with the municipality; a registered lease protects both parties and is requested in several transactions.
• Ask whether electricity and water bills are included in the rent or separate.
• Visit the neighbourhood at different times of day before deciding.

Healthcare: public and private

The Ministry of Health oversees the health sector in Oman, public and private, and licenses private hospitals and clinics. Muscat has several private hospitals and clinics that most residents use. Emergency services are provided to all residents and visitors. Non-emergency treatment for residents is mostly in the private sector and paid, so many families rely on health insurance.

Before moving, get health insurance quotes for the whole family and read what is and is not covered: chronic conditions, maternity and dental care. If a family member needs ongoing treatment, check in advance that the medicine and the specialist are available.

A suggested order for the family's move

Many investors move a few months ahead of their families: they set up the company and settle into work, then the family follows. This gives you time to learn the city and choose housing calmly. If you decide to move together, this practical order helps:

• Set up the company and obtain your residency.
• Contact schools and confirm places.
• Choose housing near the school and workplace and register the lease.
• Complete the family's residency procedures with the Royal Oman Police.
• Arrange health insurance before the family arrives.

A useful step is for the family to make a short scouting visit before the final decision: visit two or three schools, walk around the candidate neighbourhoods, and try the daily commute at rush hour. A few days on the ground answer questions that websites cannot.

What we deliberately left out

We did not include figures for school fees, rents or insurance. The reason is simple: these figures change and vary widely by school, area and company, and any general number could mislead you. It is better to get written, dated quotes and add them to your project's numbers from the start, because the family's living costs are part of the investment decision.

Ministry of Education: private schools regulation (accessed October 2026) Ministry of Health (October 2026) Royal Oman Police: residency services (October 2026) Muscat Municipality: lease contract services (October 2026) Oman Observer: report on healthcare costs (May 2026)