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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,822 per month in Dubai vs $1,193 in Amman, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,416 per month in Dubai vs $1,886 in Amman, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,010 per month in Dubai vs $2,580 in Amman, rent included.

Dubai costs about 137% more than Amman, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Dubai sits 105% above the global median, while Amman is 13% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.95 AED 47.55

$7.12 JOD 5.04

81.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.6 AED 296

$67.7 JOD 47.91

19.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 AED 34.63

$7.10 JOD 5.03

32.82%

Cappuccino

$6.16 AED 22.62

$4.55 JOD 3.22

35.38%

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

$1.69 AED 6.22

$0.62 JOD 0.44

172.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 AED 2.87

$0.60 JOD 0.43

30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.45 AED 49.38

$8.67 JOD 6.14

55.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.65 AED 50.1

$10.99 JOD 7.78

24.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 AED 6.51

$1.50 JOD 1.06

18.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 AED 5.69

$0.72 JOD 0.51

115.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 AED 9.40

$1.52 JOD 1.07

68.42%

Eggs

$3.22 AED 11.84

$2.42 JOD 1.71

33.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 AED 46.17

$9.42 JOD 6.67

33.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.64 AED 35.39

$6.50 JOD 4.60

48.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.39 AED 49.17

$12.61 JOD 8.92

6.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 AED 9.79

$2.42 JOD 1.71

10.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 AED 7.06

$1.96 JOD 1.39

-2.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 AED 6.79

$1.91 JOD 1.35

-3.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 AED 5.04

$0.79 JOD 0.56

73.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 AED 4.21

$0.97 JOD 0.69

18.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 AED 3.67

$0.89 JOD 0.63

12.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 AED 5.50

$0.66 JOD 0.47

127.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 AED 2.50

$0.66 JOD 0.46

3.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.91 AED 21.71

$3.97 JOD 2.81

48.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.16 AED 59.4

$21.08 JOD 14.92

-23.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 AED 10.19

$5.18 JOD 3.67

-46.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 AED 12.01

$5.06 JOD 3.58

-35.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 AED 6.13

$0.81 JOD 0.57

106.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.5 AED 248

$41.47 JOD 29.35

62.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 AED 12.29

$0.61 JOD 0.43

449.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 AED 2.46

$1.42 JOD 1.01

-52.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.26 AED 30.34

$7.22 JOD 5.11

14.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 AED 3.56

$1.60 JOD 1.13

-39.38%

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

$27.4K AED 100.8K

$35.3K JOD 24.9K

-22.14%

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

$22.0K AED 80.8K

$33.9K JOD 24.0K

-35.11%

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

$250 AED 920

$130 JOD 91.9

92.83%

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

$53.7 AED 197

$15.70 JOD 11.11

241.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$95.2 AED 349

$31.67 JOD 22.41

200.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.8 AED 356

$52.4 JOD 37.04

84.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.40 AED 167

$34.01 JOD 24.07

33.49%

Cinema Ticket

$16.56 AED 60.8

$11.21 JOD 7.93

47.73%

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

$844 AED 3,099

$485 JOD 343

73.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K AED 66.9K

$9,536 JOD 6,748

91.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.5 AED 274

$64.7 JOD 45.76

15.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 AED 213

$80.8 JOD 57.2

-28.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 AED 375

$125 JOD 88.5

-18.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 AED 368

$86.3 JOD 61.1

16.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 AED 9,290

$470 JOD 332

438.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,525 AED 5,599

$243 JOD 172

526.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,580 AED 16.8K

$750 JOD 531

510.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,050 AED 11.2K

$420 JOD 297

626.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,071 AED 26.0K

$1,597 JOD 1,131

342.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,971 AED 14.6K

$1,034 JOD 732

284.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,440 AED 12.6K

$782 JOD 554

339.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

6.81

-33.33%

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

Last update for Dubai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Amman: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,530 in Dubai versus $470 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 340% 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 $81.0 in Dubai versus $68.0 in Amman. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $294 vs $265 – 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 137% more than Amman, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,233 per month in Dubai and $1,790 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 63% less in Amman. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $844 per month in Dubai and $485 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 $1,193, than in Dubai at $2,822. 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 $1,193 versus $2,822 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.