Cost of Living Comparison Between Amman and Sanaa Cost of Living Comparison Between Amman and Sanaa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,154 per month in Amman vs $897 in Sanaa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,795 per month in Amman vs $1,450 in Sanaa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,437 per month in Amman vs $2,003 in Sanaa, rent included.

Amman costs about 29% more than Sanaa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Amman and Sanaa are more affordable than the global median – Amman 13% lower, Sanaa 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.94 JOD 4.91

$5.98 YER 1,424

16.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.74 JOD 34.51

$23.00 YER 5,474

111.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.99 JOD 4.95

$10.32 YER 2,456

-32.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 YER 436

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 YER 443

Cappuccino

$4.02 JOD 2.85

$3.73 YER 887

7.77%

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

$0.52 JOD 0.37

$1.14 YER 272

-54.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 JOD 0.25

$0.50 YER 118

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.56 JOD 3.94

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 JOD 4.87

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 JOD 1.04

$1.88 YER 448

-21.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 JOD 0.39

$1.25 YER 298

-55.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 JOD 1.19

$2.50 YER 594

-32.80%

Eggs

$2.57 JOD 1.82

$3.97 YER 944

-35.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.72 JOD 4.76

$9.58 YER 2,279

-29.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 JOD 4.69

$6.71 YER 1,598

-1.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.54 JOD 8.17

$19.11 YER 4,548

-39.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 JOD 1.47

$4.05 YER 963

-48.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 JOD 1.21

$1.41 YER 335

21.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 JOD 1.00

$2.37 YER 563

-40.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 JOD 0.54

$1.64 YER 391

-53.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 JOD 0.66

$1.76 YER 420

-47.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 JOD 0.48

$1.65 YER 392

-58.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 JOD 0.47

$0.64 YER 151

3.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 JOD 0.45

$0.72 YER 172

-12.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.45 YER 821

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 YER 388

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 YER 771

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 JOD 2.44

$3.96 YER 942

-13.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.24 JOD 15.04

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.68 JOD 3.31

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 JOD 3.75

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 JOD 0.54

$0.43 YER 102

79.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.58 JOD 30.14

$82.1 YER 19.5K

-48.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 JOD 0.51

$4.18 YER 994

-82.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 JOD 0.99

$3.95 YER 941

-64.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.19 JOD 5.09

$7.20 YER 1,713

-0.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 JOD 1.03

$2.65 YER 631

-45.28%

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

$26.6K JOD 18.9K

$16.5K YER 3.9M

61.59%

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

$32.0K JOD 22.7K

$33.4K YER 7.9M

-3.93%

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

$106 JOD 75.4

$69.8 YER 16.6K

52.59%

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

$17.02 JOD 12.05

$13.63 YER 3,245

24.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.08 JOD 22.71

$38.15 YER 9,079

-15.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 JOD 38.34

$67.9 YER 16.2K

-20.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.75 JOD 30.27

$17.01 YER 4,049

151.32%

Cinema Ticket

$11.12 JOD 7.87

$5.68 YER 1,353

95.77%

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

$280 JOD 198

$111 YER 26.5K

151.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,364 JOD 3,798

$1,848 YER 439.7K

190.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 JOD 44.14

$40.61 YER 9,664

53.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 JOD 40.43

$147 YER 35.0K

-61.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 JOD 80.4

$40.75 YER 9,699

178.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 JOD 55.9

$41.65 YER 9,913

89.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$468 JOD 331

$163 YER 38.9K

186.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 JOD 208

$97.7 YER 23.2K

201.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$775 JOD 549

$400 YER 95.3K

93.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$537 JOD 380

$261 YER 62.1K

105.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,628 JOD 1,153

$4,190 YER 997.2K

-61.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,033 JOD 731

$800 YER 190.3K

29.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$701 JOD 496

$193 YER 45.9K

263.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.27

11.25

-35.38%

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

Last update for Amman: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sanaa: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $468 in Amman versus $163 in Sanaa. 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 263% higher in Amman, 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 $49.00 in Amman versus $23.00 in Sanaa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $243 – making Sanaa 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 Sanaa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Amman costs about 29% more than Sanaa, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,730 per month in Amman and $1,346 in Sanaa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 93% less in Sanaa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $280 per month in Amman and $111 in Sanaa. 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 Sanaa, where all-in costs run around $897, than in Amman at $1,154. In Sanaa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Amman it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sanaa costs $897 versus $1,154 in Amman. 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 Sanaa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Amman makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.