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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Dubai costs about 159% more than Amman, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.93 AED 40.14

$6.93 JOD 4.90

57.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.7 AED 304

$49.59 JOD 35.10

66.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.44 AED 34.67

$7.24 JOD 5.12

30.39%

Cappuccino

$5.57 AED 20.46

$4.14 JOD 2.93

34.54%

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

$1.25 AED 4.59

$0.51 JOD 0.36

145.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 AED 3.43

$0.38 JOD 0.27

144.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.04 AED 44.22

$5.62 JOD 3.98

114.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.55 AED 49.77

$7.25 JOD 5.13

86.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 AED 7.36

$1.42 JOD 1.01

40.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 AED 5.29

$0.51 JOD 0.36

182.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 AED 8.09

$1.63 JOD 1.15

34.97%

Eggs

$3.46 AED 12.69

$2.56 JOD 1.81

35.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 AED 37.01

$6.48 JOD 4.59

55.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 AED 34.86

$6.68 JOD 4.73

42.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.48 AED 45.84

$11.66 JOD 8.25

7.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 AED 8.49

$2.00 JOD 1.41

15.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 AED 6.95

$1.75 JOD 1.24

8.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 AED 6.74

$1.40 JOD 0.99

30.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 AED 5.46

$0.76 JOD 0.54

96.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 AED 4.54

$0.93 JOD 0.66

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 AED 4.78

$0.69 JOD 0.49

88.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 AED 5.30

$0.62 JOD 0.44

132.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 AED 2.56

$0.59 JOD 0.42

18.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.44 AED 23.66

$3.56 JOD 2.52

80.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.61 AED 61.0

$21.01 JOD 14.87

-20.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 AED 9.65

$4.77 JOD 3.38

-44.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 AED 12.59

$5.28 JOD 3.74

-35.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 AED 6.03

$0.77 JOD 0.54

112.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.2 AED 295

$42.74 JOD 30.25

87.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 AED 11.83

$0.69 JOD 0.49

366.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 AED 2.89

$1.39 JOD 0.98

-43.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 AED 29.91

$6.89 JOD 4.88

18.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 AED 2.83

$1.47 JOD 1.04

-47.62%

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

$32.5K AED 119.5K

$26.6K JOD 18.8K

22.23%

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

$22.6K AED 83.0K

$31.7K JOD 22.4K

-28.61%

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

$219 AED 803

$106 JOD 74.7

107.09%

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

$62.0 AED 228

$16.80 JOD 11.89

269.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 AED 371

$32.25 JOD 22.83

212.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.7 AED 326

$55.0 JOD 38.89

61.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.84 AED 168

$42.58 JOD 30.14

7.66%

Cinema Ticket

$15.27 AED 56.1

$11.19 JOD 7.92

36.46%

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

$849 AED 3,120

$276 JOD 195

207.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K AED 51.9K

$5,297 JOD 3,749

166.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.0 AED 298

$60.6 JOD 42.86

33.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.9 AED 231

$57.2 JOD 40.49

9.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 AED 416

$113 JOD 80.0

0.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 AED 442

$79.0 JOD 55.9

52.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,450 AED 8,998

$469 JOD 332

422.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 AED 5,837

$296 JOD 209

437.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,667 AED 17.1K

$790 JOD 559

490.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,973 AED 10.9K

$532 JOD 376

459.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,138 AED 26.2K

$1,660 JOD 1,175

330.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,288 AED 15.7K

$1,035 JOD 733

314.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,166 AED 15.3K

$694 JOD 491

500.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

7.27

-38.24%

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

Last update for Dubai: May 30, 2026

Last update for Amman: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,450 in Dubai versus $469 in Amman. 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 $83.0 in Dubai versus $50.0 in Amman. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $284 vs $244 – 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

Dubai vs Amman: 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 $4,363 per month in Dubai and $1,684 in Amman. 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 $849 per month in Dubai and $276 in Amman. 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.