Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Aden and Al Mukalla

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Mukalla: $842 a month against $1,396 in Aden, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Aden
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Aden Living Index

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Aden

🇾🇪 Yemen

$1,396

/mo nomad

Al Mukalla

🇾🇪 Yemen

$842

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Aden and in Al Mukalla

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Aden and in Al Mukalla actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,396 per month in Aden vs $842 in Al Mukalla, rent included.

Aden $1,396
Al Mukalla $842

A couple spends around $2,358 per month in Aden vs $1,654 in Al Mukalla, rent included.

Aden $2,358
Al Mukalla $1,654

A family of three spends $3,320 per month in Aden vs $2,466 in Al Mukalla, rent included.

Aden $3,320
Al Mukalla $2,466

Aden costs about 66% more than Al Mukalla, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Aden sits 3% above the global median, while Al Mukalla is 38% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.62 YER 2,978

$16.88 YER 3,983

-25.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.24 YER 8,549

$84.8 YER 20.0K

-57.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.47 YER 2,470

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 YER 821

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 YER 1,059

Cappuccino

$4.03 YER 951

$8.45 YER 1,992

-52.31%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 YER 787

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 YER 430

$0.89 YER 210

104.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$5.33 YER 1,257

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 YER 573

Rice (white) (1kg)

$9.41 YER 2,220

Eggs

$10.55 YER 2,488

$10.58 YER 2,496

-0.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 YER 1,973

$15.08 YER 3,557

-44.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.69 YER 3,701

$25.73 YER 6,070

-39.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$57.1 YER 13.5K

$58.5 YER 13.8K

-2.32%

Apples (1kg)

$13.40 YER 3,160

$14.61 YER 3,446

-8.28%

Banana (1kg)

$3.76 YER 886

$6.37 YER 1,503

-40.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$10.47 YER 2,470

$4.94 YER 1,165

111.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 YER 1,102

$3.29 YER 776

41.95%

Potato (1kg)

$4.24 YER 1,001

$7.71 YER 1,818

-45.01%

Onion (1kg)

$4.22 YER 995

$4.15 YER 978

1.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 YER 293

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 YER 343

$2.58 YER 609

-43.80%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$6.21 YER 1,465

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 YER 982

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.23 YER 1,233

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 YER 81.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.88 YER 678

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$50.8 YER 12.0K

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.88 YER 2,331

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.93 YER 5,880

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.11 YER 2,385

Cinema Ticket

$6.04 YER 1,424

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$33.38 YER 7,874

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,414 YER 1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 YER 25.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$83.0 YER 19.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 YER 26.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 YER 38.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 YER 55.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 YER 60.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 YER 195.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$534 YER 126.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$602 YER 142.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$450 YER 106.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$381 YER 90.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Aden: October 18, 2026

Last update for Al Mukalla: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Aden

$631 45.2%

Al Mukalla

–

Accommodation & Living

Aden

$257 18.4%

Al Mukalla

–

Clothing & Footwear

Aden

$208 14.9%

Al Mukalla

–

Eating Out

Aden

$201 14.4%

Al Mukalla

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Aden

$61 * 4.3%

Al Mukalla

–

Sport & Entertainment

Aden

$37 2.7%

Al Mukalla

–

Getting Around

Aden

$1.4 * 0.1%

Al Mukalla

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Aden versus $85.0 in Al Mukalla. Groceries tell a different story – $631 in Aden vs $602 in Al Mukalla – so Al Mukalla wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇾🇪 Aden

🇾🇪 Al Mukalla

🕒 Local time

17:24 5:24 PM

Same time as Aden

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

508,489

176,942

💱 Currency

Yemeni Rial YER ﷼

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 YER = 4.24 USD

1,000 YER = 3.77 EUR

1,000 YER = 4.24 USD

1,000 YER = 3.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Aden Al Mukalla 480 km

From you

Aden
Al Mukalla

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Aden vs Al Mukalla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aden costs about 66% more than Al Mukalla, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,094 per month in Aden and $1,262 in Al Mukalla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,396 in Aden and $842 in Al Mukalla. That's a gap of about 66%.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Aden, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al Mukalla, where all-in costs run around $842, than in Aden at $1,396. In Al Mukalla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aden it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al Mukalla – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Al Mukalla. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Aden makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.