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 $900 in Sanaa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,801 per month in Amman vs $1,475 in Sanaa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,449 per month in Amman vs $2,050 in Sanaa, rent included.

Amman costs about 28% more than Sanaa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Amman and Sanaa are more affordable than the global median – Amman 14% lower, Sanaa 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 JOD 4.93

$6.26 YER 1,493

11.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.49 JOD 35.09

$22.70 YER 5,413

118.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.16 JOD 5.08

$10.36 YER 2,471

-30.89%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 YER 414

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 YER 437

Cappuccino

$4.22 JOD 2.99

$3.76 YER 897

12.23%

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

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$1.16 YER 277

-56.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 JOD 0.27

$0.50 YER 119

-24.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.80 JOD 4.11

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 JOD 4.90

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 JOD 1.00

$1.91 YER 456

-26.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$1.24 YER 297

-58.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 JOD 1.14

$2.49 YER 594

-35.34%

Eggs

$2.55 JOD 1.81

$3.93 YER 938

-35.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.62 JOD 4.69

$9.73 YER 2,320

-31.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 JOD 4.57

$6.96 YER 1,660

-7.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.47 JOD 8.13

$18.66 YER 4,450

-38.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 JOD 1.41

$3.92 YER 935

-49.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 JOD 1.27

$1.41 YER 336

26.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 JOD 1.01

$2.37 YER 566

-39.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 JOD 0.56

$1.63 YER 390

-51.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 JOD 0.61

$1.79 YER 426

-51.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 JOD 0.51

$1.58 YER 377

-53.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 JOD 0.46

$0.60 YER 142

6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 JOD 0.45

$0.74 YER 176

-14.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.44 YER 821

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 YER 381

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 YER 777

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.46 JOD 2.45

$3.92 YER 936

-11.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.12 JOD 14.97

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.83 JOD 3.42

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 JOD 3.86

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 JOD 0.55

$0.42 YER 101

83.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.34 JOD 30.02

$83.6 YER 19.9K

-49.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 JOD 0.50

$4.01 YER 957

-82.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 JOD 1.01

$4.15 YER 991

-65.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.26 JOD 5.15

$7.07 YER 1,685

2.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 JOD 1.01

$2.72 YER 649

-47.79%

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

$27.0K JOD 19.1K

$16.3K YER 3.9M

65.26%

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

$31.8K JOD 22.5K

$33.4K YER 8.0M

-4.83%

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

$107 JOD 75.9

$71.1 YER 17.0K

50.51%

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

$16.95 JOD 12.02

$13.74 YER 3,275

23.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.50 JOD 23.04

$38.35 YER 9,144

-15.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 JOD 38.25

$68.8 YER 16.4K

-21.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.16 JOD 29.89

$16.94 YER 4,040

148.88%

Cinema Ticket

$11.38 JOD 8.07

$5.89 YER 1,403

93.21%

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

$277 JOD 196

$114 YER 27.3K

142.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,406 JOD 3,833

$1,841 YER 439.1K

193.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 JOD 43.55

$40.44 YER 9,644

51.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 JOD 39.53

$148 YER 35.3K

-62.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 JOD 82.5

$41.09 YER 9,799

183.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.2 JOD 57.5

$41.96 YER 10.0K

93.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 JOD 331

$166 YER 39.7K

180.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 JOD 212

$94.4 YER 22.5K

217.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$774 JOD 549

$398 YER 95.0K

94.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 JOD 373

$269 YER 64.3K

95.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,521 JOD 1,078

$3,453 YER 823.3K

-55.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$963 JOD 683

$1,080 YER 257.5K

-10.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$695 JOD 493

$189 YER 45.0K

268.14%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Sanaa: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Amman versus $166 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 268% 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: $244 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 28% 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 $1,731 per month in Amman and $1,351 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 97% less in Sanaa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $277 per month in Amman and $114 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 $900, 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 $900 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.