Cost of Living Comparison Between Sanaa and Amman Cost of Living Comparison Between Sanaa and Amman

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $900 per month in Sanaa vs $1,154 in Amman, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,475 per month in Sanaa vs $1,801 in Amman, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,050 per month in Sanaa vs $2,449 in Amman, rent included.

Sanaa is about 22% cheaper than Amman, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sanaa and Amman are more affordable than the global median – Sanaa 33% lower, Amman 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.26 YER 1,493

$6.95 JOD 4.93

-9.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.70 YER 5,413

$49.49 JOD 35.09

-54.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.36 YER 2,471

$7.16 JOD 5.08

44.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 YER 414

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 YER 437

Cappuccino

$3.76 YER 897

$4.22 JOD 2.99

-10.90%

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

$1.16 YER 277

$0.51 JOD 0.36

127.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 YER 119

$0.38 JOD 0.27

31.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.80 JOD 4.11

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 JOD 4.90

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 YER 456

$1.41 JOD 1.00

35.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 YER 297

$0.51 JOD 0.36

143.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 YER 594

$1.61 JOD 1.14

54.66%

Eggs

$3.93 YER 938

$2.55 JOD 1.81

54.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.73 YER 2,320

$6.62 JOD 4.69

46.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.96 YER 1,660

$6.45 JOD 4.57

7.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.66 YER 4,450

$11.47 JOD 8.13

62.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.92 YER 935

$1.99 JOD 1.41

96.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 YER 336

$1.79 JOD 1.27

-21.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 YER 566

$1.43 JOD 1.01

65.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 YER 390

$0.79 JOD 0.56

106.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 YER 426

$0.86 JOD 0.61

108.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 YER 377

$0.73 JOD 0.51

116.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 YER 142

$0.64 JOD 0.46

-6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 YER 176

$0.63 JOD 0.45

17.46%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.44 YER 821

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 YER 381

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 YER 777

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.92 YER 936

$3.46 JOD 2.45

13.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.12 JOD 14.97

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.83 JOD 3.42

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 JOD 3.86

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 YER 101

$0.77 JOD 0.55

-45.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.6 YER 19.9K

$42.34 JOD 30.02

97.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 YER 957

$0.70 JOD 0.50

472.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.15 YER 991

$1.43 JOD 1.01

190.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.07 YER 1,685

$7.26 JOD 5.15

-2.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.72 YER 649

$1.42 JOD 1.01

91.55%

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

$16.3K YER 3.9M

$27.0K JOD 19.1K

-39.49%

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

$33.4K YER 8.0M

$31.8K JOD 22.5K

5.07%

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

$71.1 YER 17.0K

$107 JOD 75.9

-33.56%

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

$13.74 YER 3,275

$16.95 JOD 12.02

-18.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.35 YER 9,144

$32.50 JOD 23.04

18.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 YER 16.4K

$54.0 JOD 38.25

27.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.94 YER 4,040

$42.16 JOD 29.89

-59.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.89 YER 1,403

$11.38 JOD 8.07

-48.24%

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

$114 YER 27.3K

$277 JOD 196

-58.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,841 YER 439.1K

$5,406 JOD 3,833

-65.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.44 YER 9,644

$61.4 JOD 43.55

-34.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$148 YER 35.3K

$55.8 JOD 39.53

165.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.09 YER 9,799

$116 JOD 82.5

-64.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.96 YER 10.0K

$81.2 JOD 57.5

-48.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$166 YER 39.7K

$467 JOD 331

-64.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$94.4 YER 22.5K

$300 JOD 212

-68.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 YER 95.0K

$774 JOD 549

-48.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 YER 64.3K

$526 JOD 373

-48.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,453 YER 823.3K

$1,521 JOD 1,078

127.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,080 YER 257.5K

$963 JOD 683

12.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$189 YER 45.0K

$695 JOD 493

-72.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

7.27

54.75%

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

Last update for Sanaa: April 26, 2026

Last update for Amman: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $166 in Sanaa versus $467 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 268% higher in Amman, 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 $49.00 in Amman. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $244 – 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 Amman: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Amman costs about 28% more than Sanaa, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,351 per month in Sanaa and $1,731 in Amman. 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.

Public transport costs about 97% less in Sanaa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $114 per month in Sanaa and $277 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 Sanaa, where all-in costs run around $900, than in Amman at $1,154. In Sanaa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Amman it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sanaa costs $900 versus $1,154 in Amman. 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 Sanaa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Amman makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.