Amman vs San Jose: cost of living for digital nomads

Amman, Jordan and San Jose, Costa Rica, line by line from the catalogue: what a month costs, rent, food, coworking, safety and internet. Every figure links back to its source on the city page.

The short version

  • Amman is about 21% cheaper than San Jose for a month of nomad living ($1,500 vs $1,900).
  • Rent is the biggest gap: $650 in Amman against $900 in San Jose.
  • Amman scores higher on safety (8/10 vs 7/10).
  • Internet is faster in San Jose: 80 Mbps typical against 45 Mbps.
  • Amman is arid; San Jose is tropical.

Amman wins 4 of the measured lines; San Jose wins 4.

LineAmmanSan Jose
Monthly total (USD)$1,500$1,900
Rent$650$900
Food$350$480
Transport$90$55
Coworking$150$140
Safety (out of 10)8/107/10
Internet (Mbps)4580
Climatearidtropical
City sizemetrometro
Settinginlandinland
Nomad score (out of 10)7/108/10

Amman

Affordable Middle-East hub and gateway to Petra.

Compare Amman with

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Costs are typical monthly figures for one person in USD, from the sources named on each city page; safety and internet are the catalogue's own ratings. Check the city pages for the dates each was last verified.