How much does a trip to Jordan cost? Daily budget and prices

Jordan sits above Egypt and Turkey on price. Two things drive that: hotels and alcohol. Everything else — falafel, hummus, tea, minibuses, shared taxis — is cheap enough that a careful traveller can move around the country on a small daily spend.

The table below is per person per day, sharing a room at mid-range and comfort. It excludes international flights, the Jordan Pass and diving. Figures are a 2026 estimate; Petra hotels and Dead Sea resorts charge most in spring and autumn.

A falafel sandwich is pocket change; mansaf in a restaurant is a proper meal out. Beer is the surprise: it is taxed heavily and costs more than a main course at a cheap restaurant. Petra is the single biggest ticket most visitors buy, and the price depends on whether you sleep in Jordan.

Restaurants at mid-range and above add 10% service plus 16% sales tax to the menu price, so a JOD 10 dish lands nearer JOD 13 on the bill. Cheap counters usually quote the final price.

The Jordan Pass is the one purchase that changes the arithmetic. It costs JOD 70–80 depending on the Petra option you choose, and it covers the visa fee plus entry to Petra, Jerash, Wadi Rum and most other ticketed sites. Buy it online before you arrive, and it is waived against your visa on entry.

Add it once to your trip total, not to your daily budget. If you are visiting Petra for one day and paying the visa fee separately, the pass is usually the cheaper route; if you are only passing through Amman for two nights, it is not.

Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) are the comfortable months and the expensive ones. Petra and Wadi Musa hotel rates climb, Dead Sea resorts charge their top rates, and Wadi Rum camps fill early. Booking two to three months ahead matters most for those weeks.

Summer is hot and cheaper, especially in Amman and Aqaba. Winter is the cheapest stretch for Petra and the south, but cold nights in Wadi Rum and rain in Amman cut into what you can do. Ramadan shifts restaurant hours and can lower hotel rates; check dates before you book.

Food is the easiest saving. Falafel, hummus, fuul and shawarma from busy counters cost a fraction of a restaurant meal and are what most Jordanians eat at lunch. Carry small notes: many counters and taxis do not take cards and rarely have change for a JOD 50 note.

Transport is the second lever. JETT and minibuses between cities cost a few dinars; a private driver for the Petra–Wadi Rum–Aqaba leg costs many times that. If you are two or more people, a shared driver can still beat the comfort tier, but not the backpacker one.

Sleep is where the tiers separate. Dorms in Amman and Wadi Musa, and basic Wadi Rum camps, keep the day under JOD 56. Petra and the Dead Sea are the two places where cheap beds are scarce.

The dinar is divided into 1,000 fils, and one dinar is a high-value note by regional standards. Cards work in hotels, malls and many restaurants in Amman and Aqaba. Carry cash for the souq, falafel counters, minibuses and taxis.

ATMs are common in Amman; withdraw at bank branches or malls rather than small street machines. Ride-hailing apps show the fare upfront; yellow taxis are required to run the meter, so ask for it if the driver does not. Tipping is expected in restaurants and for drivers and guides; 10% is a normal restaurant tip, and small notes for guides and camp staff go a long way.

A seven-night first trip — two or three nights in Amman, two at Petra, one in Wadi Rum, one or two in Aqaba or at the Dead Sea — lands roughly at JOD 170–400 backpacking, JOD 520–1,200 mid-range and JOD 1,600+ comfort, before flights and the Jordan Pass. Add JOD 70–80 for the pass and whatever your flight costs.

The spread is wide because the same itinerary can be done by minibus and dorm, or by private driver and resort. Pick the tier first, then book the two or three nights that set the ceiling: Petra in high season and any Dead Sea resort.