Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Mukalla and Ibb

For one person, living costs are similar in Al Mukalla and in Ibb: $842 and $882 a month, rent and utilities included.

43

Cost of Living Index in Ibb
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Ibb Living Index

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Al Mukalla

🇾🇪 Yemen

$842

/mo nomad

Ibb

🇾🇪 Yemen

$882

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $842 in Al Mukalla versus $882 in Ibb.

Al Mukalla $842
Ibb $882

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,654 in Al Mukalla versus $1,455 in Ibb.

Al Mukalla $1,654
Ibb $1,455

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,466 in Al Mukalla versus $2,028 in Ibb.

Al Mukalla $2,466
Ibb $2,028

Living in Al Mukalla costs roughly 5% less than in Ibb, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Mukalla 38% lower, Ibb 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.88 YER 3,983

$6.53 YER 1,541

158.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.8 YER 20.0K

$19.34 YER 4,562

338.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.83 YER 2,084

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 YER 482

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 YER 593

Cappuccino

$8.45 YER 1,992

$3.81 YER 898

121.78%

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

$1.12 YER 265

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 YER 210

$0.45 YER 106

97.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 YER 463

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 YER 242

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 YER 484

Eggs

$10.58 YER 2,496

$3.59 YER 848

194.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.08 YER 3,557

$13.96 YER 3,293

8.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$25.73 YER 6,070

$8.13 YER 1,918

216.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$58.5 YER 13.8K

$18.82 YER 4,439

210.84%

Apples (1kg)

$14.61 YER 3,446

$3.44 YER 812

324.71%

Banana (1kg)

$6.37 YER 1,503

$1.04 YER 246

512.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.94 YER 1,165

$2.15 YER 507

129.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 YER 776

$1.72 YER 406

91.28%

Potato (1kg)

$7.71 YER 1,818

$1.52 YER 359

407.24%

Onion (1kg)

$4.15 YER 978

$1.33 YER 314

212.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 YER 195

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 YER 609

$0.68 YER 160

279.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.56 YER 604

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 YER 441

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 YER 610

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 YER 921

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 YER 495

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 YER 610

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.36 YER 1,736

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 YER 494

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.2K YER 4.0M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$35.0K YER 8.3M

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

$62.6 YER 14.8K

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

$15.86 YER 3,742

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.84 YER 7,039

Cinema Ticket

$5.88 YER 1,386

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

$24.47 YER 5,773

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,201 YER 519.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.87 YER 7,047

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$122 YER 28.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.40 YER 11.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.56 YER 9,804

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 YER 75.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 YER 60.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 YER 177.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 YER 148.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$361 YER 85.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

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

Last update for Al Mukalla: October 18, 2026

Last update for Ibb: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Al Mukalla

–

Ibb

$257 29.2%

Groceries & Markets

Al Mukalla

–

Ibb

$251 28.4%

Eating Out

Al Mukalla

–

Ibb

$131 14.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Al Mukalla

–

Ibb

$108 12.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Al Mukalla

–

Ibb

$108 12.3%

Getting Around

Al Mukalla

–

Ibb

$15 * 1.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Al Mukalla

–

Ibb

$12 * 1.3%

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

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $85.0 in Al Mukalla vs $19.00 in Ibb for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $602 vs $251 per month, with Ibb cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇾🇪 Al Mukalla

🇾🇪 Ibb

🕒 Local time

13:50 1:50 PM

Same time as Al Mukalla

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

176,942

208,844

💱 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

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Between locations

Al Mukalla Ibb 540 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Al Mukalla
Ibb

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

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

Al Mukalla is cheaper overall, especially in transport, utilities, and clothing. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,262 in Al Mukalla and $1,323 in Ibb to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Ibb pay roughly 140% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Mukalla – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $19.00 in Ibb. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Al Mukalla gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Al Mukalla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Ibb. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.