Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibb and Al Mukalla

For one person, living costs are similar in Ibb and in Al Mukalla: $882 and $842 a month, rent and utilities included.

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Cost of Living Index in Ibb
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Ibb Living Index

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Ibb

🇾🇪 Yemen

$882

/mo nomad

Al Mukalla

🇾🇪 Yemen

$842

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ibb and in Al Mukalla

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ibb and in Al Mukalla actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $882 in Ibb versus $842 in Al Mukalla.

Ibb $882
Al Mukalla $842

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,455 in Ibb versus $1,654 in Al Mukalla.

Ibb $1,455
Al Mukalla $1,654

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,028 in Ibb versus $2,466 in Al Mukalla.

Ibb $2,028
Al Mukalla $2,466

Living in Ibb is roughly 5% more expensive than in Al Mukalla, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ibb 35% lower, Al Mukalla 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 YER 1,541

$16.88 YER 3,983

-61.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.34 YER 4,562

$84.8 YER 20.0K

-77.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.83 YER 2,084

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 YER 482

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 YER 593

Cappuccino

$3.81 YER 898

$8.45 YER 1,992

-54.91%

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

$1.12 YER 265

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 YER 106

$0.89 YER 210

-49.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 YER 463

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 YER 242

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 YER 484

Eggs

$3.59 YER 848

$10.58 YER 2,496

-66.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 YER 3,293

$15.08 YER 3,557

-7.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.13 YER 1,918

$25.73 YER 6,070

-68.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.82 YER 4,439

$58.5 YER 13.8K

-67.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 YER 812

$14.61 YER 3,446

-76.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 YER 246

$6.37 YER 1,503

-83.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 YER 507

$4.94 YER 1,165

-56.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 YER 406

$3.29 YER 776

-47.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 YER 359

$7.71 YER 1,818

-80.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 YER 314

$4.15 YER 978

-67.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 YER 195

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 YER 160

$2.58 YER 609

-73.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.56 YER 604

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 YER 441

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 YER 610

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 YER 921

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 YER 495

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 YER 610

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.36 YER 1,736

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 YER 494

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

$17.2K YER 4.0M

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

$35.0K YER 8.3M

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

$62.6 YER 14.8K

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

$15.86 YER 3,742

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.84 YER 7,039

Cinema Ticket

$5.88 YER 1,386

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

$24.47 YER 5,773

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,201 YER 519.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.87 YER 7,047

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$122 YER 28.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.40 YER 11.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.56 YER 9,804

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 YER 75.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 YER 60.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 YER 177.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 YER 148.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$361 YER 85.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

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

Last update for Ibb: October 20, 2026

Last update for Al Mukalla: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ibb

$257 29.2%

Al Mukalla

–

Groceries & Markets

Ibb

$251 28.4%

Al Mukalla

–

Eating Out

Ibb

$131 14.8%

Al Mukalla

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ibb

$108 12.3%

Al Mukalla

–

Clothing & Footwear

Ibb

$108 12.3%

Al Mukalla

–

Getting Around

Ibb

$15 * 1.7%

Al Mukalla

–

Sport & Entertainment

Ibb

$12 * 1.3%

Al Mukalla

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $19.00 in Ibb vs $85.0 in Al Mukalla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $602 per month, with Ibb cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇾🇪 Ibb

🇾🇪 Al Mukalla

🕒 Local time

13:49 1:49 PM

Same time as Ibb

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

208,844

176,942

💱 Currency

Yemeni Rial YER ﷼

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 YER = 4.24 USD

1,000 YER = 3.77 EUR

1,000 YER = 4.24 USD

1,000 YER = 3.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Ibb Al Mukalla 540 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Ibb
Al Mukalla

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Ibb vs Al Mukalla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Mukalla is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, utilities, and transport. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,323 in Ibb and $1,262 in Al Mukalla to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Ibb pay roughly 140% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Mukalla – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $19.00 in Ibb. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Al Mukalla gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Al Mukalla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Ibb. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.