We took a pretty standard route to hit the tourist highlights through Jordan: Amman > Madaba > Wadi Rum > Petra > Jerash. The most popular tourist destination we didn’t hit was the Red Sea (many people visit Aqaba), and Jerash was probably the least popular place we visited (though it’s still very popular with foreign tourists). Honestly, I’m a little nervous to do this post because Jordan felt expensive. I can’t tell if that’s because it really is expensive, or if that’s more due to us choosing pretty affordable destinations on this trip. We shall see! (All prices are in USD as of October/November 2019.) The final total is …
Jordan: $1,839.70
Transportation: $274.68
Jordan was one of the few countries where we rented a car (the others were Costa Rica, Portugal and Bosnia & Herzegovina). Typically we prefer buses (both economically and environmentally), but after researching bus routes in Jordan, we decided renting a car would be worth it. Intercity bus routes are fairly limited, and given that we were hitting all the most popular destinations, we didn’t want to arrive at Petra (for example) with a busload of other tourists all at the same time. We didn’t rent a car for our first few days in Amman, but looking back, the taxi rides into the city from the airport and then back to the airport to pick up our rental car weren’t much cheaper. However, we didn’t have to drive in Amman this way, which I would not have been comfortable doing! Average: $30.52/day.
Lodging: $527.04
Our average lodging cost would have been a very respectable $26/night except for two outliers: We spent two nights glamping in Wadi Rum ($70.52/night including food – also the highlight of our time in Jordan! absolutely recommend), and then we had a little mishap in Petra and our $12/night reservation at a Bedouin home changed into a $112/night hotel. (Let’s just say this was not the first time we arrived at a reservation for the owner to tell us the previous lodgers decided not to leave and so we didn’t have a room.) Average: $52.70/night.
Eating out: $413.36
Eating out in Jordan was not cheap! Even with Jonathan and I sharing dishes most of the time, lunches and dinners could easily cost $20-$30 USD. Of course, we also had to get mint lemonades with every meal because those drinks are refreshing and delicious! Because food was more expensive, we usually only had two meals a day instead of three, which is probably why our average daily cost doesn’t look that much higher than many of the other places we’ve visited. (Food was included in our glamping experience in Wadi Rum, so that day is not factored into our average daily cost.) Average: $45.93/day.
Treats: $26.78
We like treats, so this category includes any coffee, dessert or alcohol that was not purchased as part of a meal (or a grocery run). Average: $2.68/day.
Groceries/household items: $48.33
I think “groceries” is a pretty loose term here … this was mostly food items from various markets, plus a few personal costs including laundry and toiletries. Average: $4.83/day.
Entertainment (tours, etc.): $355.22
Jordan was another destination were we took heavy advantage of guided tours, given the long and rich history of the region. Before arriving in the country, we purchased a Jordan Pass for each of us, which included admission to many popular sites in Jordan including Petra, several crusader castles, Jerash and multiple museums ($120.29 for two “Jordan Expert” Passes, excluding the visa cost portion). We began our time in Jordan with our customary free walking tour in Amman (and tipped the guide) and purchased day passes to the Ramada Resort Dead Sea so we could float in the Dead Sea and use the hotel pool ($84.63). From Madaba, we visited several historic Biblical sites including Bethany Beyond the Jordan (the baptismal site of Jesus Christ, admission and guide = $34.55) and Mount Nebo ($8.46). During our stay in Wadi Rum, we went on a three-hour Jeep tour of the desert ($42.32, similar tour here), and once in Petra, we attended Petra By Night ($47.95, not included in Petra admission fees). Average: $35.52/day.
Gifts & souvenirs: $14.10
In addition to our regular postcards, we each purchased a simple keffiyeh (Jonathan is wearing his in the photo above; this patterned headscarf is traditionally red and white in Jordan and the Gulf, while the black and white keffiyeh is worn in Palestine), and Jonathan purchased a nicer keffiyeh (or shemagh) with tassels to frame as a souvenir when we returned home. These scarves are also available at many markets and tourist sites in other colors. When we asked our free walking tour guide in Amman if it was disrespectful to buy a keffiyah in Jordan that was not red and white, he answered, “No, but people will know you are a tourist.” To which Megan considered herself and thought, “I think they will know anyway!” And so, on our very last day in Jordan, she did buy a multicolored shemagh to wear as a scarf upon returning home. Average: $1.41/day.
Travel insurance: $67.20
We have travel insurance through World Nomads for $6.72/day. Travel insurance costs will vary depending on chosen plan, length of travel, location, etc.
Other: $112.99
As mentioned earlier, we purchased a Jordan Pass for our visit, which included our visas. The visa portion of the passes was $56/person. We also paid for a bathroom at a restaurant, which reminds me—don’t assume that parking and/or restrooms will be free at a restaurant in Jordan even if you eat there. Average: $4.59/day.
Total: $183.97/day = $91.99/person per day
Did you know we have a new page on the blog completely dedicated to Money & Budgeting? Check it out! We also list our country-specific costs on this page, but those numbers might differ a bit from the numbers shown here. The numbers in our detailed budgeting posts (like this one) are a true reflection of what we personally spent on our trip. The numbers on the Money & Budgeting page are meant to reflect what a typical tourist traveling at our comfort level can expect to spend.
Of course, you can always spend far less (or far more) than the numbers listed here or on our Money & Budgeting page. These figures are provided as a loose guide to help you plan travels within your budget range.
Feature image: Roman ruins in Jerash (November 2019)
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