Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibb and Sanaa

For one person, living is cheaper in Ibb: $882 a month against $1,027 in Sanaa, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. The total is higher in Sanaa despite lower rent and utilities.

43

Cost of Living Index in Ibb
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Ibb Living Index
50

Cost of Living Index in Sanaa
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Sanaa Living Index

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Ibb

🇾🇪 Yemen

$882

/mo nomad

Sanaa

🇾🇪 Yemen

$1,027

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ibb and in Sanaa

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 Sanaa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $882 in Ibb versus $1,027 in Sanaa.

Ibb $882
Sanaa $1,027

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,455 in Ibb versus $1,623 in Sanaa.

Ibb $1,455
Sanaa $1,623

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,028 in Ibb versus $2,220 in Sanaa.

Ibb $2,028
Sanaa $2,220

Living in Ibb costs roughly 14% less than in Sanaa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ibb 35% lower, Sanaa 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 YER 1,541

$6.50 YER 1,534

0.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.34 YER 4,562

$25.73 YER 6,069

-24.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.83 YER 2,084

$9.37 YER 2,211

-5.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 YER 482

$2.02 YER 477

0.99%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 YER 593

$2.58 YER 610

-2.71%

Cappuccino

$3.81 YER 898

$3.78 YER 892

0.79%

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

$1.12 YER 265

$1.12 YER 264

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 YER 106

$0.56 YER 131

-19.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 YER 463

$2.01 YER 474

-2.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 YER 242

$1.70 YER 401

-40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 YER 484

$1.99 YER 470

3.02%

Eggs

$3.59 YER 848

$3.75 YER 885

-4.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 YER 3,293

$17.41 YER 4,107

-19.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.13 YER 1,918

$8.39 YER 1,980

-3.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.82 YER 4,439

$18.97 YER 4,475

-0.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 YER 812

$3.32 YER 783

3.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 YER 246

$1.05 YER 249

-0.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 YER 507

$2.24 YER 529

-4.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 YER 406

$1.66 YER 392

3.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 YER 359

$1.51 YER 357

0.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 YER 314

$1.33 YER 313

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 YER 195

$1.20 YER 283

-30.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 YER 160

$0.67 YER 159

1.49%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.56 YER 604

$2.49 YER 587

2.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 YER 441

$1.86 YER 438

0.54%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 YER 610

$2.60 YER 614

-0.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 YER 921

$5.36 YER 1,265

-27.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 YER 104

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.2 YER 19.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 YER 495

$4.26 YER 1,005

-50.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 YER 610

$2.08 YER 492

24.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.36 YER 1,736

$7.47 YER 1,763

-1.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 YER 494

$2.12 YER 500

-1.42%

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

$17.2K YER 4.0M

$17.1K YER 4.0M

0.13%

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

$35.0K YER 8.3M

$34.5K YER 8.1M

1.61%

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

$62.6 YER 14.8K

$109 YER 25.6K

-42.41%

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

$15.86 YER 3,742

$23.24 YER 5,481

-31.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.84 YER 7,039

$100 YER 23.7K

-70.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.4 YER 15.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 YER 3,899

Cinema Ticket

$5.88 YER 1,386

$5.99 YER 1,413

-1.84%

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

$24.47 YER 5,773

$118 YER 27.9K

-79.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,201 YER 519.3K

$2,167 YER 511.2K

1.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.87 YER 7,047

$41.90 YER 9,884

-28.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$122 YER 28.7K

$123 YER 28.9K

-0.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.40 YER 11.2K

$48.13 YER 11.4K

-1.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.56 YER 9,804

$40.83 YER 9,632

1.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 YER 75.5K

$224 YER 52.9K

42.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 YER 60.6K

$97.0 YER 22.9K

165.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 YER 177.5K

$408 YER 96.3K

84.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 YER 148.9K

$273 YER 64.5K

130.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,161 YER 981.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$798 YER 188.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$361 YER 85.1K

$196 YER 46.2K

84.02%

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 Sanaa: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ibb

$257 29.2%

Sanaa

$97 9.4% 62.3% $160

Groceries & Markets

Ibb

$251 28.4%

Sanaa

$271 26.4% 8.2% $21

Eating Out

Ibb

$131 14.8%

Sanaa

$132 12.9% 1.1% $1.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ibb

$108 12.3%

Sanaa

$232 22.6% 115% $124

Clothing & Footwear

Ibb

$108 12.3%

Sanaa

$114 11.1% 5.4% $5.8

Getting Around

Ibb

$15 * 1.7%

Sanaa

$101 9.8% 570% $86

Sport & Entertainment

Ibb

$12 * 1.3%

Sanaa

$79 7.7% 575% $68

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $320 in Ibb and $224 in Sanaa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ibb pays 84% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Ibb vs $26.00 in Sanaa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $271 per month, with Ibb cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇾🇪 Ibb

🇾🇪 Sanaa

🕒 Local time

14:36 2:36 PM

Same time as Ibb

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

208,844

1,527,861 Capital

💱 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

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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 Sanaa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibb is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 84% higher in Ibb, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $320 in Ibb versus $224 in Sanaa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Sanaa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $882 per month in Ibb versus $1,027 in Sanaa – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $882 in Ibb versus $1,027 in Sanaa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ibb but tight or insufficient in Sanaa. The gap between the two cities makes Ibb the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Ibb gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Sanaa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.