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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,123 per month in Amman vs $2,908 in Dubai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,767 per month in Amman vs $4,381 in Dubai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,412 per month in Amman vs $5,854 in Dubai, rent included.

Amman is about 61% cheaper than Dubai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Amman sits 16% below the global median, while Dubai is 117% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.93 JOD 4.90

$10.93 AED 40.14

-36.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.59 JOD 35.10

$82.7 AED 304

-40.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.24 JOD 5.12

$9.44 AED 34.67

-23.31%

Cappuccino

$4.14 JOD 2.93

$5.57 AED 20.46

-25.67%

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

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$1.25 AED 4.59

-59.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 JOD 0.27

$0.93 AED 3.43

-59.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.62 JOD 3.98

$12.04 AED 44.22

-53.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 JOD 5.13

$13.55 AED 49.77

-46.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 JOD 1.01

$2.00 AED 7.36

-29.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$1.44 AED 5.29

-64.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 JOD 1.15

$2.20 AED 8.09

-25.91%

Eggs

$2.56 JOD 1.81

$3.46 AED 12.69

-26.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.48 JOD 4.59

$10.08 AED 37.01

-35.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.68 JOD 4.73

$9.49 AED 34.86

-29.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.66 JOD 8.25

$12.48 AED 45.84

-6.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 JOD 1.41

$2.31 AED 8.49

-13.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 JOD 1.24

$1.89 AED 6.95

-7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 JOD 0.99

$1.83 AED 6.74

-23.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 JOD 0.54

$1.49 AED 5.46

-48.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 JOD 0.66

$1.24 AED 4.54

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 JOD 0.49

$1.30 AED 4.78

-46.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 JOD 0.44

$1.44 AED 5.30

-56.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 JOD 0.42

$0.70 AED 2.56

-15.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 JOD 2.52

$6.44 AED 23.66

-44.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.01 JOD 14.87

$16.61 AED 61.0

26.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.77 JOD 3.38

$2.63 AED 9.65

81.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 JOD 3.74

$3.43 AED 12.59

53.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 JOD 0.54

$1.64 AED 6.03

-53.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.74 JOD 30.25

$80.2 AED 295

-46.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 JOD 0.49

$3.22 AED 11.83

-78.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 JOD 0.98

$0.79 AED 2.89

75.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.89 JOD 4.88

$8.14 AED 29.91

-15.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 JOD 1.04

$0.77 AED 2.83

90.91%

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

$26.6K JOD 18.8K

$32.5K AED 119.5K

-18.19%

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

$31.7K JOD 22.4K

$22.6K AED 83.0K

40.07%

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

$106 JOD 74.7

$219 AED 803

-51.71%

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

$16.80 JOD 11.89

$62.0 AED 228

-72.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.25 JOD 22.83

$101 AED 371

-68.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 JOD 38.89

$88.7 AED 326

-38.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.58 JOD 30.14

$45.84 AED 168

-7.11%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 JOD 7.92

$15.27 AED 56.1

-26.72%

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

$276 JOD 195

$849 AED 3,120

-67.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,297 JOD 3,749

$14.1K AED 51.9K

-62.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 JOD 42.86

$81.0 AED 298

-25.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 JOD 40.49

$62.9 AED 231

-9.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 JOD 80.0

$113 AED 416

-0.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 JOD 55.9

$120 AED 442

-34.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$469 JOD 332

$2,450 AED 8,998

-80.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 JOD 209

$1,589 AED 5,837

-81.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$790 JOD 559

$4,667 AED 17.1K

-83.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$532 JOD 376

$2,973 AED 10.9K

-82.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,660 JOD 1,175

$7,138 AED 26.2K

-76.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,035 JOD 733

$4,288 AED 15.7K

-75.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$694 JOD 491

$4,166 AED 15.3K

-83.34%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Dubai: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $469 in Amman versus $2,450 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 500% 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 $83.0 in Dubai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $284 – 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 159% 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 $1,684 per month in Amman and $4,363 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 88% less in Amman. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $276 per month in Amman and $849 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 $1,123, than in Dubai at $2,908. 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 $1,123 versus $2,908 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.