Hi Sarah,

My name is Sally, my husband & I have been living in Amman for almost a 1yr now. Overall it is a very livable place. Just to give you an idea of where you may consider looking for lodging, these are neighborhoods that have a good mix of both expat and Jordanians - Sweyfieh (where I am living), Abdoun and Dair Ghar. Amman is usually referred in terms of location to the '7-Circles' which are 7 round-abouts that link city in West Amman.

As to food & restaurants, the 'Jordanian Dinar' is almost even to the Euro. I find that fresh veggies at small markets/grocers in the neighborhoods quite cheap, fresh & good. They are usually reasonably priced at the super markets also, we always try to buy the fruits that are in season & grown locally - imported fruits usually for a splurge. The main supermarkets are Safeway, Cosmo, Carrefore & C-Town, with a few other local chains. The imported goods, can items, specialty foods etc. can be pricey, cereal is also expensive. There are many great restaurant here,on average, you can pay anywhere from 7-10 JD for a main entree and more as you go higher end or specialty (i.e. sushi). There are also some excellent local restaurants that are very inexpensive too. There are also pharmacies everywhere, 1-2 in every neighborhood, reasonably priced medicine etc. Hopefully this gives you a small idea. please feel free to contact me if you have any more questions. (dagrads@mac. com)
Sally Grad

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Hi Sarah,

There was a study done some years back, and Amman was ranked as the most expensive Arab city when compared to the local incomes. And it IS very expensive.

In the reply from Sally, she mentioned the local markets - that is the only way to get a decent deal. But if you are looking for any types of imported food (or other things), the costs can be prohibitive. This is mainly because of the luxury taxes and GST on top of the actual costs.

Regarding a restaurant meal, as Sally mentioned, you can get a decent entree for 7 - 10 JD, but the surprise comes at the end when they at 26% to your check (16% GST, 10% gratuity).

Anne

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