I will start by saying, simply, that Amman is an expensive city, especially compared to some of its neighbors and even my expenses back in Iowa. Coming to Amman, I wanted to budget about $75 a week, plus an extra $300 for discretionary spending, travel within the country, and souvenirs for my people back home. This adds up to a total budget of $1,575. On a monthly basis, that means I can spend about $400, which is pretty frugal considering the costs of living in the city. For the most part, I have done fairly well meeting this goal. I break down my monthly budget into: $150 for travel; $200 for food/drink/entertainment; and $50 for miscellaneous items.

As a low-income student, personal finance connoisseur, and fan of transparency when it comes to money, I believe that one element of making budgeting more accessible is to make sure it isn’t a secret. With this in mind, I wanted to share what I actually spent in the month of November in Amman. You’ll notice that I didn’t perfectly stick to my budget goals, but I still think this is a realistic example of what someone could expect to spend while trying to live frugally abroad.

Category 1: Transportation

Budgeted Amount: $150.00
Actual Amount: $149.57

Transportation is probably the most unexpected expense I encountered when I started living in Amman. In the month of November, I took 59 Uber rides, which doesn’t even account for those I shared with others but didn’t order. My average Uber ride is between 1.5 and 2JD (about 2-3USD), but you will take an Uber literally everywhere. I am lucky to live within a 30-minute walk of my internship office, allowing me to walk home from work around three days a week, but I still accumulate a ton of costs from riding daily.

A photo of a broad treelined street. Cars are parallel parked along both sides bumper to bumper. — The street outside of my internship office where I Uber three or four times each week. Photo credit: Magnett, 2021.

“Budget-savvy tip: There is a new bus system in Amman that’s pretty easy to use, and has its own lane to skip traffic if you’re lucky enough to live near a stop. It can cost as little as 0.50JD (0.75USD) for a trip, but you have to download a special app to ride and can’t pay in cash. Taxis are also generally a bit cheaper than Uber or Careem, but I like to pay for the added convenience and safety features that come with Uber and Careem.”

Category 2: Food/Drink/Entertainment

Budgeted Amount: $200.00
Actual Amount: $276.53

Food-related expenses are cut down pretty significantly by the fact that host families provide all of your meals during the day. I usually eat out only one meal a week if I’m craving something in particular or go out for dinner with friends. When getting delivery from services like Talabat or Careem, it is worthwhile to make sure you aren’t doubling the cost in delivery fees. My biggest expense in this category is definitely nights-out, since alcohol can be quite pricey in Jordan and includes a significant tax. Even just one or two nights out a month can add up quickly if you aren’t cautious of what you’re ordering. On the bright side, Amman is a great city for coffee and you can find really delicious and affordable coffee in any neighborhood.

Destiny and 2 other young women sit at a table in front of a large window. They hold pints of beer and smile at the camera. — Enjoying some Jordanian beer at Carakale brewery with fellow students Amna al-Obaidi and Veronica Tis. Photo credit: Magnett, 2021.

“Budget-savvy tip: If you want to have a night out without blowing your budget, there are several happy-hour spots in Amman which offer great prices until early evening. Since many Jordanians don’t drink, there are also great alternative cafe options open late where you can drink coffee and tea, play games, or smoke shisha while enjoying time with friends.”

Category 3: Miscellaneous

Budgeted Amount: $50.00
Actual Amount: $44.00

I use this category to account for things like gifts for friends and family, souvenirs, toiletry refills and other random purchases throughout the month. Since I started Christmas shopping in November, this category was higher than in previous months.

“Budget-Savvy Tip: Buy gifts and souvenirs gradually throughout the months instead of all at the beginning or end— this will also let you have the chance to buy things while on excursions and traveling around the region.”

General Budget-Savvy Tips & Tools:

Apply for aid! As a student with high financial need, scholarships were paramount to my ability to afford to go abroad. In addition to applying for Amideast’s scholarships and those from your home institution, it’s also worth checking out outside options like Boren and Gilman.
Track Your Spending! I created a simple budget template for my time abroad which can be a good place to start (copy it to your own Google Drive and get to work!).
Use cash! Besides just being more widely accepted in Jordan, paying in cash can also help you to be more frugal as you actually “see” what you’re spending instead of just swiping a card.
Buy local! While you certainly can find most of your favorite American and European brands and chain stores, they’re often quite a bit more expensive than their Jordanian equivalents.
Be Aware of Fees! Before coming abroad it is absolutely vital to have at least one credit or debit card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. Otherwise you will be paying on top of your purchases and withdrawals all the time, which will really add up over the course of a semester. Also be aware that some U.S. cards like Discover and American Express are not as widely accepted internationally— Visa and Mastercard are likely your best bet. Likewise, you will be charged a fee each time you use an ATM, so it’s best to take out enough cash to last a while all at once (just don’t store it all in one place).

Destiny Magnett is a senior at Grinnell College studying on the Area and Arabic Studies program in Amman, Jordan this fall.