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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,153 per month in Amman vs $1,020 in Sanaa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,845 per month in Amman vs $1,621 in Sanaa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,536 per month in Amman vs $2,223 in Sanaa, rent included.

Amman costs about 13% more than Sanaa, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Amman and Sanaa are more affordable than the global median – Amman 16% lower, Sanaa 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.98 JOD 4.94

$6.33 YER 1,494

10.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.2 JOD 46.84

$24.97 YER 5,898

164.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.01 JOD 4.97

$9.53 YER 2,252

-26.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 YER 468

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 YER 604

Cappuccino

$4.36 JOD 3.08

$3.80 YER 898

14.74%

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

$0.65 JOD 0.46

$1.18 YER 279

-44.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 JOD 0.39

$0.63 YER 150

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.38 JOD 5.93

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.90 JOD 7.71

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 JOD 1.06

$2.09 YER 493

-28.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 JOD 0.50

$1.66 YER 391

-57.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 JOD 1.07

$1.98 YER 469

-23.23%

Eggs

$2.41 JOD 1.71

$3.70 YER 875

-34.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.31 JOD 6.59

$17.00 YER 4,017

-45.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.74 JOD 4.77

$8.11 YER 1,916

-16.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 JOD 9.05

$19.13 YER 4,520

-33.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 JOD 1.81

$3.26 YER 770

-21.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 JOD 1.42

$1.01 YER 239

99.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 JOD 1.29

$2.26 YER 533

-19.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 JOD 0.55

$1.69 YER 398

-53.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 JOD 0.70

$1.53 YER 362

-35.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 JOD 0.59

$1.38 YER 326

-39.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 JOD 0.43

$1.21 YER 286

-49.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 JOD 0.44

$0.68 YER 160

-10.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.46 YER 817

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 YER 440

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 YER 775

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.94 JOD 2.79

$5.60 YER 1,322

-29.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.83 JOD 14.75

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.03 JOD 3.56

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 JOD 3.61

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 JOD 0.53

$0.44 YER 103

70.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.80 JOD 30.30

$86.0 YER 20.3K

-50.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 JOD 0.46

$4.26 YER 1,006

-84.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 JOD 1.02

$2.17 YER 513

-33.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 JOD 4.90

$7.41 YER 1,751

-6.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 JOD 1.13

$2.11 YER 499

-24.17%

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

$35.8K JOD 25.3K

$16.7K YER 4.0M

113.80%

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

$34.9K JOD 24.7K

$34.6K YER 8.2M

0.97%

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

$129 JOD 91.3

$108 YER 25.6K

18.84%

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

$15.62 JOD 11.06

$23.71 YER 5,601

-34.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.12 JOD 22.74

$101 YER 23.9K

-68.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 JOD 37.23

$67.5 YER 15.9K

-22.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.31 JOD 23.59

$16.01 YER 3,782

108.06%

Cinema Ticket

$11.36 JOD 8.04

$5.84 YER 1,379

94.52%

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

$492 JOD 348

$118 YER 27.8K

318.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,419 JOD 6,668

$2,184 YER 515.8K

331.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.3 JOD 45.54

$41.56 YER 9,818

54.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$82.0 JOD 58.1

$121 YER 28.7K

-32.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 JOD 89.5

$48.05 YER 11.4K

163.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.3 JOD 60.4

$41.45 YER 9,793

105.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$462 JOD 327

$225 YER 53.1K

105.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$245 JOD 174

$95.8 YER 22.6K

156.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$767 JOD 543

$401 YER 94.7K

91.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 JOD 295

$270 YER 63.8K

54.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,590 JOD 1,125

$4,166 YER 984.2K

-61.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,032 JOD 731

$817 YER 192.9K

26.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$774 JOD 548

$197 YER 46.5K

292.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

11.25

-39.47%

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

Last update for Amman: September 14, 2026

Last update for Sanaa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $462 in Amman versus $225 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 293% 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 $66.0 in Amman versus $25.00 in Sanaa. Groceries tell a different story – $265 in Amman vs $269 in Sanaa – so Amman wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 13% more than Sanaa, 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 $1,730 per month in Amman and $1,530 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 101% less in Sanaa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $492 per month in Amman and $118 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 $1,020, than in Amman at $1,153. 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 $1,020 versus $1,153 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.