Cost of Living Comparison Between Sanaa and Aden Cost of Living Comparison Between Sanaa and Aden

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $914 per month in Sanaa vs $1,384 in Aden, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,460 per month in Sanaa vs $2,360 in Aden, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,006 per month in Sanaa vs $3,336 in Aden, rent included.

Sanaa is about 34% cheaper than Aden, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sanaa sits 32% below the global median, while Aden is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.33 YER 1,499

$13.42 YER 3,176

-52.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.96 YER 5,433

$35.21 YER 8,334

-34.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.47 YER 2,479

$10.13 YER 2,397

3.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 YER 417

$4.37 YER 1,035

-59.73%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 YER 431

$3.83 YER 907

-52.48%

Cappuccino

$3.69 YER 873

$5.02 YER 1,188

-26.49%

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

$1.16 YER 274

$2.02 YER 477

-42.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 YER 111

$0.80 YER 189

-41.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 YER 446

$4.30 YER 1,018

-56.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 YER 289

$2.02 YER 479

-39.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 YER 588

$7.14 YER 1,689

-65.27%

Eggs

$4.03 YER 953

$5.77 YER 1,366

-30.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 YER 2,337

$11.17 YER 2,643

-11.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 YER 1,582

$16.69 YER 3,950

-59.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.58 YER 4,397

$38.73 YER 9,166

-52.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 YER 912

$9.39 YER 2,222

-59.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 YER 329

$2.59 YER 614

-46.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 YER 566

$7.58 YER 1,794

-68.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 YER 389

$3.59 YER 850

-54.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 YER 424

$3.45 YER 817

-48.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 YER 384

$3.32 YER 785

-51.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 YER 149

$0.66 YER 157

-4.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 YER 172

$1.48 YER 349

-50.68%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.38 YER 800

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 YER 395

$0.72 YER 171

131.94%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 YER 775

$1.89 YER 447

73.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 YER 958

$4.86 YER 1,151

-16.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 YER 101

$1.16 YER 275

-63.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.8 YER 19.4K

$40.75 YER 9,646

100.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.15 YER 982

$2.65 YER 628

56.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.03 YER 953

$1.97 YER 466

104.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 YER 1,661

$5.72 YER 1,355

22.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.74 YER 648

$3.69 YER 874

-25.75%

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

$16.7K YER 3.9M

$16.4K YER 3.9M

1.71%

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

$33.9K YER 8.0M

$60.4K YER 14.3M

-43.89%

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

$71.5 YER 16.9K

$79.0 YER 18.7K

-9.48%

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

$13.56 YER 3,209

$9.90 YER 2,343

36.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.21 YER 9,042

$55.6 YER 13.2K

-31.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.4 YER 16.0K

$63.8 YER 15.1K

5.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.43 YER 3,889

$27.02 YER 6,394

-39.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.89 YER 1,394

$5.58 YER 1,321

5.56%

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

$112 YER 26.6K

$147 YER 34.7K

-23.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,809 YER 428.2K

$1,870 YER 442.5K

-3.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.44 YER 9,336

$96.8 YER 22.9K

-59.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$147 YER 34.8K

$102 YER 24.2K

43.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.85 YER 9,668

$158 YER 37.4K

-74.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.77 YER 9,885

$187 YER 44.2K

-77.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$166 YER 39.4K

$240 YER 56.9K

-30.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$95.4 YER 22.6K

$177 YER 41.9K

-46.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 YER 95.4K

$528 YER 124.9K

-23.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 YER 61.7K

$530 YER 125.5K

-50.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,070 YER 963.3K

$1,231 YER 291.4K

230.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$808 YER 191.1K

$850 YER 201.1K

-4.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$190 YER 45.0K

$459 YER 108.6K

-58.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

12.67

-11.21%

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

Last update for Sanaa: July 14, 2026

Last update for Aden: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $166 in Sanaa versus $240 in Aden. 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 141% higher in Aden, 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 $23.00 in Sanaa versus $35.00 in Aden. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $496 – 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

Sanaa vs Aden: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aden costs about 51% more than Sanaa, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,371 per month in Sanaa and $2,076 in Aden. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Sanaa and $35.00 in Aden. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $914 in Sanaa and $1,384 in Aden. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sanaa, where all-in costs run around $914, than in Aden at $1,384. In Sanaa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aden it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sanaa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Sanaa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Aden makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.