Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sanaa and Al Mukalla

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Mukalla: $842 a month against $1,027 in Sanaa, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Sanaa outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Sanaa
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Sanaa Living Index

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Sanaa

🇾🇪 Yemen

$1,027

/mo nomad

Al Mukalla

🇾🇪 Yemen

$842

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sanaa 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 Sanaa and in Al Mukalla actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,027 in Sanaa versus $842 in Al Mukalla.

Sanaa $1,027
Al Mukalla $842

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,623 in Sanaa versus $1,654 in Al Mukalla.

Sanaa $1,623
Al Mukalla $1,654

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,220 in Sanaa versus $2,466 in Al Mukalla.

Sanaa $2,220
Al Mukalla $2,466

Living in Sanaa is roughly 22% more expensive than in Al Mukalla, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sanaa 24% lower, Al Mukalla 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.50 YER 1,534

$16.88 YER 3,983

-61.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.73 YER 6,069

$84.8 YER 20.0K

-69.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.37 YER 2,211

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 YER 477

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 YER 610

Cappuccino

$3.78 YER 892

$8.45 YER 1,992

-55.27%

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

$1.12 YER 264

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 YER 131

$0.89 YER 210

-37.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 YER 474

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 YER 401

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 YER 470

Eggs

$3.75 YER 885

$10.58 YER 2,496

-64.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.41 YER 4,107

$15.08 YER 3,557

15.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 YER 1,980

$25.73 YER 6,070

-67.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.97 YER 4,475

$58.5 YER 13.8K

-67.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 YER 783

$14.61 YER 3,446

-77.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 YER 249

$6.37 YER 1,503

-83.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 YER 529

$4.94 YER 1,165

-54.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 YER 392

$3.29 YER 776

-49.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 YER 357

$7.71 YER 1,818

-80.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 YER 313

$4.15 YER 978

-67.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 YER 283

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 YER 159

$2.58 YER 609

-74.03%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.49 YER 587

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 YER 438

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 YER 614

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.36 YER 1,265

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 YER 104

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.2 YER 19.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 YER 1,005

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 YER 492

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.47 YER 1,763

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 YER 500

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

$17.1K YER 4.0M

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

$34.5K YER 8.1M

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

$109 YER 25.6K

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

$23.24 YER 5,481

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$100 YER 23.7K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.4 YER 15.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 YER 3,899

Cinema Ticket

$5.99 YER 1,413

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

$118 YER 27.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,167 YER 511.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.90 YER 9,884

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$123 YER 28.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.13 YER 11.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.83 YER 9,632

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 YER 52.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.0 YER 22.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 YER 96.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 YER 64.5K

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)

$196 YER 46.2K

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 Sanaa: October 19, 2026

Last update for Al Mukalla: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Sanaa

$271 26.4%

Al Mukalla

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sanaa

$232 22.6%

Al Mukalla

–

Eating Out

Sanaa

$132 12.9%

Al Mukalla

–

Clothing & Footwear

Sanaa

$114 11.1%

Al Mukalla

–

Getting Around

Sanaa

$101 9.8%

Al Mukalla

–

Accommodation & Living

Sanaa

$97 9.4%

Al Mukalla

–

Sport & Entertainment

Sanaa

$79 7.7%

Al Mukalla

–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $26.00 in Sanaa vs $85.0 in Al Mukalla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $602 per month, with Sanaa cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇾🇪 Sanaa

🇾🇪 Al Mukalla

🕒 Local time

19:12 7:12 PM

Same time as Sanaa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,527,861 Capital

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

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

From you

Sanaa
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

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

Al Mukalla is cheaper overall, especially in utilities, clothing, and transport. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,541 in Sanaa 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 Sanaa pay roughly 122% 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 $26.00 in Sanaa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $842 in Al Mukalla versus $1,027 in Sanaa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Mukalla but tight or insufficient in Sanaa. The gap between the two cities makes Al Mukalla 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 Al Mukalla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Sanaa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.