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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,127 per month in Amman vs $894 in Sanaa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,781 per month in Amman vs $1,467 in Sanaa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,434 per month in Amman vs $2,039 in Sanaa, rent included.

Amman costs about 26% more than Sanaa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Amman and Sanaa are more affordable than the global median – Amman 15% lower, Sanaa 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.04 JOD 4.98

$6.05 YER 1,441

16.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.80 JOD 34.54

$23.04 YER 5,491

111.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.13 JOD 5.04

$10.08 YER 2,403

-29.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 YER 427

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 YER 444

Cappuccino

$4.15 JOD 2.94

$3.75 YER 894

10.67%

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

$0.52 JOD 0.37

$1.12 YER 267

-53.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 JOD 0.26

$0.50 YER 119

-26.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.62 JOD 3.98

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 JOD 5.00

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 JOD 1.05

$1.86 YER 443

-19.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 JOD 0.39

$1.26 YER 300

-55.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 JOD 1.19

$2.62 YER 623

-35.88%

Eggs

$2.44 JOD 1.72

$3.97 YER 946

-38.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.74 JOD 4.77

$9.92 YER 2,364

-32.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 JOD 4.58

$6.74 YER 1,605

-4.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.54 JOD 8.17

$18.82 YER 4,486

-38.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 JOD 1.42

$4.03 YER 961

-50.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 JOD 1.25

$1.40 YER 333

26.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 JOD 1.03

$2.48 YER 590

-41.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 JOD 0.58

$1.62 YER 386

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 JOD 0.66

$1.79 YER 426

-48.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 JOD 0.49

$1.57 YER 375

-56.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 JOD 0.43

$0.59 YER 141

3.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 JOD 0.42

$0.68 YER 163

-13.24%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.26 YER 777

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 YER 383

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 YER 773

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.55 JOD 2.52

$4.07 YER 969

-12.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.57 JOD 15.26

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.80 JOD 3.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.38 JOD 3.81

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 JOD 0.58

$0.43 YER 101

90.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.80 JOD 30.29

$81.5 YER 19.4K

-47.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 JOD 0.52

$4.13 YER 984

-82.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 JOD 0.98

$3.98 YER 949

-65.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.99 JOD 4.95

$7.07 YER 1,684

-1.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 JOD 1.00

$2.70 YER 642

-47.78%

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

$27.3K JOD 19.3K

$16.6K YER 4.0M

64.43%

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

$31.8K JOD 22.5K

$33.3K YER 7.9M

-4.72%

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

$104 JOD 73.3

$70.4 YER 16.8K

47.21%

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

$16.75 JOD 11.85

$13.39 YER 3,191

25.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.39 JOD 22.22

$38.92 YER 9,274

-19.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 JOD 38.81

$66.8 YER 15.9K

-17.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.80 JOD 30.29

$16.46 YER 3,921

160.02%

Cinema Ticket

$11.17 JOD 7.91

$5.62 YER 1,340

98.75%

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

$279 JOD 198

$115 YER 27.3K

143.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,333 JOD 3,774

$1,817 YER 433.0K

193.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 JOD 43.57

$39.31 YER 9,366

56.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.5 JOD 39.95

$146 YER 34.9K

-61.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 JOD 81.0

$40.75 YER 9,710

180.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 JOD 55.8

$41.60 YER 9,913

89.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$463 JOD 328

$162 YER 38.5K

186.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 JOD 213

$96.4 YER 23.0K

212.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 JOD 556

$403 YER 96.0K

94.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 JOD 377

$265 YER 63.2K

100.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,713 JOD 1,212

$4,081 YER 972.6K

-58.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,011 JOD 715

$819 YER 195.2K

23.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$697 JOD 493

$191 YER 45.4K

265.51%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Sanaa: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $463 in Amman versus $162 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 266% 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 26% 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 $1,690 per month in Amman and $1,341 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 91% less in Sanaa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $279 per month in Amman and $115 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 $894, than in Amman at $1,127. 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 $894 versus $1,127 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.