- Accommodation
- Transport
- Nutrition
- sights
- Purchases
Jordan is a country that surprises even the most seasoned tourists. The famous Dead Sea, the beautiful beaches and coral reefs of the Red Sea, sights from an oriental tale, sacred Christian sites - all this attracts travelers of all ages, incomes and views.
When going to Jordan and calculating the budget for your trip, you need to keep in mind that prices here are higher than in neighboring Arab countries. This is explained by the popularity of the destination among Western tourists, as well as the high cost of the national currency.
The national currency is Jordanian dinars, each of which consists of 100 piastres. The currency is very stable and pegged to the dollar. The ratio for December 2019 is 1 dollar: 0.71 dinars. The calculation is carried out everywhere only in local currency. It is permissible to pay in dollars only for travel services. Rubles in Jordan are not accepted for exchange, the euro rate is unprofitable. In short, it's better to take dollars with you. They can be changed at the airport, hotel, bank or exchange office. Needless to say, the rates are less favorable in hotels in most countries.
In safe Jordan, you can pay with a bank card almost everywhere, with the exception of remote areas where only cash is accepted. In general, it is worth stocking up on them, because you will not find ATMs at every step - mainly in banks and shopping centers in large cities.
Let's try to calculate how much money you need to take with you to Jordan and what you can save on without sacrificing your vacation.
Accommodation
The main and only Jordanian resort on the Red Sea is Aqaba. The entire first line along the coast is occupied by five-star hotels. The rest of the "four" and "three" are considered city hotels and the cost there is lower.
During the high season, the daily cost of double rooms by the sea is as follows:
- In a 5 * hotel - from 115 dinars.
- In a 4 * hotel - from 70 dinars.
- In a 3 * hotel - 50 dinars.
- In hotels 1 * and 2 * - from 25 to 35 dinars.
- In a guesthouse near the coastline - from 50 dinars.
- In a guesthouse away from the beaches - 30 dinars.
There are fewer hotels on the Dead Sea, respectively, their cost is higher - from 140 dinars. If you are very lucky, you can find a room for 70 dinars.
If you go on an excursion to the desert in Wadi Rum on your own, an overnight stay in a Bedouin tent will cost from 5 dinars per person, for a double tent they ask for 18 dinars.
For an overnight stay at the Petra hostel, you will have to pay 10 dinars for one, the price includes breakfast in a buffet format.
In Amman, the hotel base is wider and prices are lower. The cost of a double room in a "troika" with breakfast starts from 25 dinars, then - depending on the "star rating" and proximity to tourist places. You can find a room for 15 dinars - in hotels 1-2 *. The metropolitan hostel offers accommodation in a dormitory room at a price of 5 to 8 dinars.
Transport
From two international airports of the country, in the capital Amman and in the resort of Aqaba, several types of transfers are offered:
- The simplest bus to the bus station in Amman costs 3, 3 dinars.
- Taxi from the airport to Amman - 28-30 dinars.
- A taxi from the capital's airport directly to the Dead Sea will cost from 35 dinars, a transfer along the same route with an individual meeting - from 42 dinars.
- The cost of a taxi from Aqaba airport to the city starts from 15 dinars, with a personal meeting - from 40 dinars.
City buses run regularly only in Amman. Intercity buses travel strictly to their destination without stopping along the way. A bus trip from Amman to the Dead Sea and back costs 10 dinars, to Petra and back - 18 dinars, from Amman to Aqaba - 8.6 dinars.
There are also shuttle minibuses, they run on intercity routes without a schedule, according to the number of passengers. The trip is cheaper, but the tourist bus is better. The minibuses are noisy in Arabic, the locals smoke, and the driver does not observe the speed limit even on mountain roads.
Taxis are inexpensive: they take an average of 30 piastres for landing, and 50 piastres for each kilometer of the journey. As usual, you need to keep track of whether the meter is turned on, without the meter, negotiate the cost of the trip in advance. It is a common practice for tourists to "team up" to take a taxi for the whole day, using a driver and as a guide.
Car rental costs from 25 to 35 dinars per day. When renting for more than three days, the daily rental cost is reduced to 20 dinars. Insurance is included in the rental price. You will have to pay extra if you take a car in one city and return it in any other - about 35 dinars. Excellent roads, right-hand traffic, the cost of gasoline (about dinars per liter) and signs in English all speak in favor of renting. Provided that you have the opportunity to leave a deposit of 350 dinars ($ 500).
Nutrition
Jordanian cuisine is a faithful successor to the Arabian culinary tradition, although the local dishes are not as spicy and spicy as you might expect. The best are Amman restaurants, decorated in oriental style and with a wide range of national dishes. In the capital, you can also find gourmet restaurants with high prices.
The average bill for lunch or dinner in a good restaurant ranges from 20 to 35 dinars per person. Most meat dishes, such as chicken, lamb or veal, cost around 8-10 dinars per serving. The garnish is usually salads or stews.
- A serving of chicken with a vegetable side dish will cost 6 dinars.
- Kebab with herbs - 8 dinars.
- Desserts, the famous Arabian sweets, cost from 3 to 4 dinars.
- Coffee is one dinar.
You can dine at an inexpensive cafe for 10-15 dinars. Street food and fast food cost about 5 dinars, and shawarma, pizza, and other fast food dishes are of very good quality.
It is unlikely that someone will cook on their own, but for comparing food prices in supermarkets and in the market, a cheat sheet:
- One and a half liter bottle of water costs 2 dinars.
- A kilogram of rice is 1 dinar.
- Cheese - 5 dinars per kilogram.
- A package of 12 eggs is a little over a dinar.
- A chicken carcass costs 1.75 dinars per kilo.
- Chilled sea bream - 5 dinars per kg.
- Bread, or rather tortillas, in the bakery cost a dinar for several pieces per package.
- A packet of sugar weighing 4 kilograms costs a little dinar.
For imported vegetables, the price for them is acceptable: onions, green lettuce, tomatoes cost less than a dinar per kilogram, with the exception of red cabbage (1.5 dinars).
The cost of a kilogram of fruit ranges from a dinar for a pomelo or mango to two dinars and more for imported lemons.
sights
Only a listing of the sights on the most ancient Jordanian land can constitute a full-fledged book. Sacred biblical sites, the remains of thousand-year-old temples and palaces, the ruins of the times of the Roman Empire - places where world history was made. The country's natural wealth is also unique - from the alien landscapes of the Wadi Rum desert to the miraculous mud of the Dead Sea. Therefore, the most significant costs are excursions.
Peach and pink sand dunes combined with black rocks can be seen in the famous Wadi Rum Desert. Unique landscapes, Burda rock bridge, Nabatean temple and Lawrence's well - all this is Wadi Rum, included in the UNESCO heritage list. Tour by jeep or camel costs 40-50 dinars, plus 5 dinars entrance ticket. An overnight stay is worth it if you dare.
The mysterious city, carved right into the rocks more than two millennia ago, Petra, is considered one of the seven new wonders of the world and the hallmark of the country. All the buildings of pink stone have been phenomenally preserved to this day. The city is also under the auspices of UNESCO. You can come to Petra for 1-2-3 days. The cost of the trip will be respectively 50-55-60 dinars.
A provincial town from the Roman times of Jerash is also practically well preserved. For its great resemblance to Pompeii, it is called "Pompeii of the East", but it is better preserved. The entrance fee is 10 dinars.
Tip: there is a single electronic ticket Jordan Pass, which is purchased on the russified website of the same name. Those who bought it receive the right to visa-free entry into the country and free visits to most attractions. The cost varies depending on the number of days spent in Petra: from one to three days and the price, respectively, from 70 to 80 dinars. This is a real opportunity to save money on paying for visas and visiting tourist places.
Some castles and ruins of ancient cities can be visited free of charge.
While vacationing in Aqaba, one cannot but admire the underwater beauty of the Red Sea. Diving (one non-certified dive) costs 36 dinars, rental of snorkeling equipment - 5 dinars.
Purchases
Prices in the country are quite high, and international level goods can only be purchased in shopping centers in Amman. But the choice of authentic souvenirs is great, and they are sold in markets and in small shops - those places where you can bargain.
- Copper dishes and local ceramics are handcrafted and look original. Cost - from 3 dinars for a small mug or plate.
- Imitation of antiques (the antiques themselves are prohibited for export) looks convincing, and costs in the range from 1, 5 to 10 dinars.
- Gold in the country is of high standard, counterfeiting is punished quite harshly at the state level. There is a Golden Quarter in the capital, it is advised to buy jewelry there - in other cities it will be more expensive. For example: a gold chain in Amman costs 140 dinars, and in Aqaba - at least 180.
- Sand paintings in a bottle, very beautiful, cost from 3 dinars.
- The cost of a hookah cannot be less than 10 dinars, if it is cheaper, it will surely turn out to be a Chinese fake.
- It is better to buy therapeutic mud and Dead Sea salts in specialized stores, the price starts from 5 dinars.
- Excellent oriental sweets cost from 10 dinars per kilogram.
The cost of a vacation is usually lower when buying a ready-made tour. Independent travelers need to plan expenses at the rate of 70 dinars or 100 dollars per day.
