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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,193 per month in Amman vs $2,822 in Dubai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,886 per month in Amman vs $4,416 in Dubai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,580 per month in Amman vs $6,010 in Dubai, rent included.

Amman is about 58% cheaper than Dubai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Amman sits 13% below the global median, while Dubai is 105% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.12 JOD 5.04

$12.95 AED 47.55

-45.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.7 JOD 47.91

$80.6 AED 296

-16.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.10 JOD 5.03

$9.43 AED 34.63

-24.71%

Cappuccino

$4.55 JOD 3.22

$6.16 AED 22.62

-26.14%

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

$0.62 JOD 0.44

$1.69 AED 6.22

-63.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 JOD 0.43

$0.78 AED 2.87

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.67 JOD 6.14

$13.45 AED 49.38

-35.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.99 JOD 7.78

$13.65 AED 50.1

-19.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 JOD 1.06

$1.77 AED 6.51

-15.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 JOD 0.51

$1.55 AED 5.69

-53.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 JOD 1.07

$2.56 AED 9.40

-40.63%

Eggs

$2.42 JOD 1.71

$3.22 AED 11.84

-24.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.42 JOD 6.67

$12.57 AED 46.17

-25.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 JOD 4.60

$9.64 AED 35.39

-32.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.61 JOD 8.92

$13.39 AED 49.17

-5.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 JOD 1.71

$2.67 AED 9.79

-9.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 JOD 1.39

$1.92 AED 7.06

2.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 JOD 1.35

$1.85 AED 6.79

3.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 JOD 0.56

$1.37 AED 5.04

-42.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 JOD 0.69

$1.15 AED 4.21

-15.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 JOD 0.63

$1.00 AED 3.67

-11.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 JOD 0.47

$1.50 AED 5.50

-56.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 JOD 0.46

$0.68 AED 2.50

-2.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 JOD 2.81

$5.91 AED 21.71

-32.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.08 JOD 14.92

$16.16 AED 59.4

30.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.18 JOD 3.67

$2.77 AED 10.19

87.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 JOD 3.58

$3.27 AED 12.01

54.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 JOD 0.57

$1.67 AED 6.13

-51.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.47 JOD 29.35

$67.5 AED 248

-38.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 JOD 0.43

$3.35 AED 12.29

-81.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 JOD 1.01

$0.67 AED 2.46

111.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.22 JOD 5.11

$8.26 AED 30.34

-12.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 JOD 1.13

$0.97 AED 3.56

64.95%

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

$35.3K JOD 24.9K

$27.4K AED 100.8K

28.44%

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

$33.9K JOD 24.0K

$22.0K AED 80.8K

54.11%

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

$130 JOD 91.9

$250 AED 920

-48.14%

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

$15.70 JOD 11.11

$53.7 AED 197

-70.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.67 JOD 22.41

$95.2 AED 349

-66.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 JOD 37.04

$96.8 AED 356

-45.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.01 JOD 24.07

$45.40 AED 167

-25.09%

Cinema Ticket

$11.21 JOD 7.93

$16.56 AED 60.8

-32.31%

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

$485 JOD 343

$844 AED 3,099

-42.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,536 JOD 6,748

$18.2K AED 66.9K

-47.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.7 JOD 45.76

$74.5 AED 274

-13.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.8 JOD 57.2

$58.1 AED 213

39.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 JOD 88.5

$102 AED 375

22.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.3 JOD 61.1

$100 AED 368

-13.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 JOD 332

$2,530 AED 9,290

-81.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$243 JOD 172

$1,525 AED 5,599

-84.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 JOD 531

$4,580 AED 16.8K

-83.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$420 JOD 297

$3,050 AED 11.2K

-86.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,597 JOD 1,131

$7,071 AED 26.0K

-77.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,034 JOD 732

$3,971 AED 14.6K

-73.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$782 JOD 554

$3,440 AED 12.6K

-77.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

4.54

50.00%

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

Last update for Amman: September 1, 2026

Last update for Dubai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $470 in Amman versus $2,530 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 340% 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 $68.0 in Amman versus $81.0 in Dubai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $265 vs $294 – 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 137% more than Amman, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,790 per month in Amman and $4,233 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 63% less in Amman. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $485 per month in Amman and $844 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 $1,193, than in Dubai at $2,822. 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 $1,193 versus $2,822 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.