Cost of Living Comparison Between Amman and Dubai Cost of Living Comparison Between Amman and Dubai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,129 per month in Amman vs $2,832 in Dubai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,798 per month in Amman vs $4,340 in Dubai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,466 per month in Amman vs $5,848 in Dubai, rent included.

Amman is about 60% cheaper than Dubai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Amman sits 15% below the global median, while Dubai is 112% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.19 JOD 5.09

$10.76 AED 39.52

-33.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 JOD 35.59

$80.4 AED 295

-37.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.10 JOD 5.03

$9.77 AED 35.87

-27.33%

Cappuccino

$4.22 JOD 2.99

$5.76 AED 21.15

-26.74%

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

$0.48 JOD 0.34

$1.19 AED 4.37

-59.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 JOD 0.25

$0.90 AED 3.31

-61.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.61 JOD 3.97

$12.10 AED 44.45

-53.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 JOD 4.92

$13.64 AED 50.1

-48.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 JOD 1.05

$1.96 AED 7.20

-24.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$1.43 AED 5.25

-64.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 JOD 1.15

$2.18 AED 8.00

-25.23%

Eggs

$2.52 JOD 1.79

$3.41 AED 12.54

-26.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.47 JOD 4.58

$10.08 AED 37.01

-35.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.58 JOD 4.66

$9.21 AED 33.82

-28.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.24 JOD 7.96

$12.68 AED 46.59

-11.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 JOD 1.42

$2.36 AED 8.66

-15.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 JOD 1.21

$1.95 AED 7.15

-12.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 JOD 1.03

$1.87 AED 6.86

-22.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 JOD 0.53

$1.54 AED 5.67

-51.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 JOD 0.63

$1.19 AED 4.35

-26.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 JOD 0.52

$1.26 AED 4.62

-42.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 JOD 0.46

$1.40 AED 5.13

-53.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 JOD 0.44

$0.66 AED 2.41

-6.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.59 JOD 2.54

$6.71 AED 24.64

-46.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.57 JOD 15.26

$16.63 AED 61.1

29.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.68 JOD 3.31

$2.63 AED 9.65

77.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 JOD 3.75

$3.56 AED 13.06

48.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 JOD 0.57

$1.65 AED 6.06

-50.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.90 JOD 29.65

$83.2 AED 306

-49.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 JOD 0.52

$3.20 AED 11.76

-76.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 JOD 0.99

$0.81 AED 2.97

72.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.04 JOD 4.98

$8.07 AED 29.62

-12.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 JOD 1.03

$0.75 AED 2.75

93.33%

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

$26.6K JOD 18.9K

$32.6K AED 119.9K

-18.40%

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

$32.1K JOD 22.7K

$22.9K AED 84.0K

40.40%

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

$107 JOD 75.7

$215 AED 789

-50.23%

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

$17.28 JOD 12.23

$61.8 AED 227

-72.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.42 JOD 22.24

$102 AED 375

-69.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 JOD 38.72

$86.9 AED 319

-37.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.42 JOD 30.73

$46.46 AED 171

-6.54%

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 JOD 8.09

$15.23 AED 55.9

-24.95%

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

$270 JOD 191

$851 AED 3,126

-68.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,445 JOD 3,854

$14.0K AED 51.5K

-61.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 JOD 44.23

$82.4 AED 302

-24.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.2 JOD 39.80

$62.2 AED 228

-9.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 JOD 81.1

$114 AED 418

0.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 JOD 55.9

$120 AED 439

-33.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 JOD 331

$2,465 AED 9,051

-81.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 JOD 213

$1,566 AED 5,751

-80.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$781 JOD 553

$4,655 AED 17.1K

-83.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 JOD 381

$2,950 AED 10.8K

-81.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,596 JOD 1,129

$7,113 AED 26.1K

-77.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,027 JOD 727

$4,104 AED 15.1K

-74.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$697 JOD 493

$3,390 AED 12.4K

-79.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.27

4.49

61.92%

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

Last update for Amman: July 12, 2026

Last update for Dubai: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Amman versus $2,465 in Dubai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 386% higher in Dubai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Amman versus $80.0 in Dubai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $282 – making Amman the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Amman vs Dubai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dubai costs about 151% more than Amman, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,694 per month in Amman and $4,248 in Dubai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Amman, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 99% less in Amman. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $270 per month in Amman and $851 in Dubai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Amman, where all-in costs run around $1,129, than in Dubai at $2,832. In Amman it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dubai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Amman costs $1,129 versus $2,832 in Dubai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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