Last update: Oct 2026 28.3M

Cost of Living in Yemen

Across Yemen, living costs for one person average $1,060 a month, including rent and utilities, which take less than a third of the total. Other living expenses average about $28 a day.

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Yemen

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

A single person spends around $1,060 per month with rent on average in Yemen.

$1,060 /mo

A couple spends around $1,736 per month with rent on average in Yemen.

$1,736 /mo

A family of three spends around $2,413 per month with rent on average in Yemen.

$2,413 /mo

Across 9 cities in Yemen, monthly living costs range from $91 to $1,391 – a $1,300 difference that makes location a key factor.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cost
Range
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.10 YER 1,910
$3.95 YER 931
$16.67 YER 3,931
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.61 YER 6,039
$15.12 YER 3,565
$85.4 YER 20.1K
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.76 YER 2,536
$8.60 YER 2,029
$11.18 YER 2,637
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.55 YER 838
$1.99 YER 469
$4.21 YER 992
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.97 YER 1,173
$2.49 YER 587
$6.22 YER 1,466
Cappuccino
$3.63 YER 856
$1.92 YER 453
$8.71 YER 2,053
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 YER 406
$1.04 YER 244
$4.96 YER 1,171
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.98 YER 230
$0.44 YER 104
$1.82 YER 430
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cost
Range
Milk (1 liter)
$3.06 YER 721
$1.94 YER 458
$5.20 YER 1,225
White Bread (500g)
$1.29 YER 304
$0.49 YER 114
$4.11 YER 968
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.48 YER 1,056
$2.05 YER 484
$9.57 YER 2,258
Eggs
$5.38 YER 1,269
$2.03 YER 478
$10.29 YER 2,427
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.02 YER 2,600
$7.57 YER 1,786
$29.82 YER 7,033
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.94 YER 2,344
$3.95 YER 932
$16.74 YER 3,947
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$28.79 YER 6,790
$10.88 YER 2,566
$58.6 YER 13.8K
Apples (1kg)
$5.92 YER 1,395
$2.03 YER 479
$15.07 YER 3,553
Banana (1kg)
$2.41 YER 567
$1.02 YER 241
$5.20 YER 1,226
Oranges (1kg)
$4.41 YER 1,041
$1.30 YER 307
$10.85 YER 2,558
Tomato (1kg)
$2.80 YER 660
$0.98 YER 231
$4.14 YER 976
Potato (1kg)
$2.63 YER 621
$0.86 YER 203
$5.14 YER 1,213
Onion (1kg)
$2.39 YER 563
$0.98 YER 232
$4.16 YER 980
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.91 YER 215
$0.43 YER 103
$1.32 YER 310
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.01 YER 239
$0.36 YER 85.7
$1.66 YER 391
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$2.57 YER 605
$2.14 YER 505
$6.41 YER 1,512
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.75 YER 413
$0.97 YER 229
$3.30 YER 778
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.55 YER 836
$1.88 YER 444
$6.25 YER 1,475
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.94 YER 1,164
$3.53 YER 832
$5.88 YER 1,386
🚌 Getting Around
Cost
Range
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.43 YER 102
$0.43 YER 102
$0.88 YER 207
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$83.8 YER 19.8K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.11 YER 497
$0.85 YER 199
$4.21 YER 992
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.06 YER 485
$0.83 YER 195
$2.55 YER 602
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.16 YER 1,688
$3.93 YER 926
$10.40 YER 2,452
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.80 YER 661
$1.89 YER 446
$4.43 YER 1,044
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$16.7K YER 3.9M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.8K YER 8.2M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cost
Range
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.4 YER 18.7K
$50.3 YER 11.9K
$128 YER 30.1K
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.01 YER 4,954
$10.17 YER 2,399
$32.31 YER 7,619
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.90 YER 9,645
$21.07 YER 4,968
$199 YER 46.9K
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cost
Range
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.2 YER 13.0K
$29.79 YER 7,026
$63.9 YER 15.1K
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.78 YER 3,486
$6.40 YER 1,509
$21.33 YER 5,031
Cinema Ticket
$5.84 YER 1,377
$5.84 YER 1,377
$5.84 YER 1,377
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cost
Range
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$63.4 YER 14.9K
$24.22 YER 5,712
$125 YER 29.4K
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,679 YER 396.0K
$645 YER 152.0K
$4,059 YER 957.2K
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cost
Range
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.5 YER 13.8K
$25.51 YER 6,016
$97.8 YER 23.1K
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$83.1 YER 19.6K
$34.09 YER 8,040
$213 YER 50.2K
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$57.9 YER 13.7K
$42.39 YER 9,997
$110 YER 26.0K
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.2 YER 14.0K
$42.78 YER 10.1K
$111 YER 26.2K
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cost
Range
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$236 YER 55.7K
$119 YER 28.1K
$336 YER 79.3K
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$130 YER 30.7K
$79.1 YER 18.7K
$251 YER 59.3K
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$483 YER 113.8K
$301 YER 70.9K
$1,061 YER 250.3K
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$331 YER 78.0K
$196 YER 46.3K
$623 YER 147.0K
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,254 YER 767.3K
$708 YER 166.9K
$7,705 YER 1.8M
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$693 YER 163.5K
$352 YER 82.9K
$1,276 YER 300.9K
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cost
Range
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$281 YER 66.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.12
11
11.25

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

Last update: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Yemen $1,060
Groceries & Markets
$356
Eating Out
$151
Monthly Utilities & Internet
$141
Accommodation & Living
$130
Clothing & Footwear
$116
Getting Around
$98
Sport & Entertainment
$67

Cost Breakdown

The average net salary in Yemen is $303 – below average monthly costs of $1,060. Many locals rely on dual incomes or shared housing. Remote workers earning abroad find strong purchasing power here.

Groceries average around $323 per month nationally. A mid-range dinner for two costs about $34.

Most affordable: Say’un at $91 per month. The capital, Sanaa, sits at $1,023. Across the country, monthly costs span roughly $1,300 between the cheapest and priciest cities.

Cost Highlights

Overall cost of living ($1,060) is 22% below the global median of $1,361.

Average rent ($258) is 61% below the global median of $661.

Dinner for two at a restaurant ($34) is 29% below the global median of $48.

Public transport ($85) is 158% above the global median of $33.

Good to know
🕒 Local time
12:42 12:42 PM
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
28,250,420
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to YER – Yemeni Rial Converter

Yemeni Rial exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 236 YER (1,000 YER = 4.24 USD). 1 EUR = 262 YER (1,000 YER = 3.81 EUR).

By City in Yemen
Rank
City
Population
Living Index
Solo costs
(no rent) / month
Solo costs
(with rent) / month
Family of 3 costs
(no rent) / month
Family of 3 costs
(with rent) / month
Mobile download speed
(Mbps)
Internet download speed
(Mbps)
1
96375
35 $628 $734 $1,469 $1,575
4.33
2.98
2
508489
67 $1,082 $1,391 $2,720 $3,316
11.55
21.9
3
12817
37 $664 $769 $1,501 $1,606
8.96
16.67
4
176942
$850 $850 $2,488 $2,488
62.65
30.62
5
208844
42 $562 $876 $1,331 $2,033
19.21
5.69
6
49422
37 $661 $769 $1,498 $1,605
255.09
7.41
7
1527861
49 $821 $1,023 $1,834 $2,216
72.09
7.25
8
48037
$90.9 $90.9 $212 $212
132.88
34.12
9
458933
32 $585 $671 $1,423 $1,724
99.17
19.54
Yemen Median Internet Speeds (Updated April 2026)

Mobile

Download
Mbps
Upload
Mbps
Latency
ms

Fixed Broadband

Download
Mbps
Upload
Mbps
Latency
ms
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Cost of Living in Yemen - Frequently Asked Questions
How does Yemen compare in terms of overall affordability for travelers, expats, and digital nomads?
Compared with many regions, you can find notably low prices for basic staples and local services in Yemen, though regional differences and access to goods vary widely. For many travelers and remote workers, the appeal is the ability to stretch a modest budget by shopping at markets, cooking at home, and choosing local transportation. Major urban centers may feel more expensive than rural towns, but even there, you set the pace with your housing choice and meal plan. Cost of Living in Yemen is best judged by your daily habits and where you spend most of your time. Tip: Start with a short visit to map affordability against your work and life needs.
What does daily life look like for housing, food, transport, and errands when you arrive in Yemen?
Housing searches often center on older neighborhoods with easy access to markets and utilities; rents are often negotiated, and longer stays can unlock better deals. Food comes from bustling markets and street stalls, with cooking at home keeping costs predictable. Public transport, from shared taxis to local buses, is usually affordable and flexible, while walking or short rides help you stay mobile in dense towns. Co-working spaces exist in bigger towns, offering reliable internet and a social scene for work sessions. Tip: Build a simple weekly errand route to minimize trips and keep your budget steady.
What’s a practical budgeting framework and neighborhood fit for quality of life in Yemen, including seasonality and saving ideas?
A practical budgeting framework is to separate essentials from discretionary items, tracking groceries, utilities, and transport while leaving room for occasional treats or travel. For quality-of-life, aim for neighborhoods that balance safety, access to markets, and a community feel – look for expat or local communities in central areas with reliable services. Save by cooking at home, buying in bulk at markets, and negotiating longer-term rents. Seasonality affects expenses through heat and power use, with cooling in hot months and seasonal holidays that influence dining and activities. Yemen living cost tends to feel more elastic based on your lifestyle and location. Tip: Choose a base area with steady internet, nearby markets, and short commutes to keep daily costs predictable.
What is the monthly cost of living in Yemen as of 2026?
In 2026, monthly costs in Yemen range from $91 in the most affordable city to $1,391 in the most expensive one. Where you choose to live makes a dramatic difference – the gap between cheapest and most expensive cities is huge.
What are typical monthly expenses in Yemen in 2026?
Living costs across Yemen vary hugely by location. In 2026, monthly expenses range from $91 in affordable regions to $1,391 in major cities.
How far does $1,200 go in Yemen?
Absolutely – in smaller cities across Yemen, $1,200 covers rent and daily expenses with room to spare for eating out, entertainment, and saving. Even mid-sized cities work at this budget level.

Yemen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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