Keeping it real:

 

How much money do I need monthly to survive in Jordan?

 

500JD / 700 dollars is enough

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DO NOT LIVE IN AMMAN! IT'S EXPENSIVE!

CHOOSE A DIFFERENT CITY THEN AMMAN!

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IN ALL CITIES OUTSIDE OF AMMAN an average apartment rent is 125 JD (3 bedroom apartment) UNFURNISHED 

food & drinking water 150 JD (enough for 5 people)

internet 25 JD

water 10 JD

electricity 15 JD

prepaid phone with minutes and internet (9 JD (smart 6 from Umniah)

 

TOTAL: 350 JD / 500 dollar

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transportation: walk / bicycle / local bus / coaster / service taxi 

the price depends on how much you want to use transportation

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If you need anything in Jordan like furniture, apartments, work, etc go to:

https://jo.opensooq.com/en

 

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Get a Jordanian phone number

 

The first thing you need when you get in Jordan is, get a Jordanian phone number.

The best phone contract you can get is: 

 

a Smart 6 contract from Umniah.

Umniah is a famous internet phone company in Jordan

 

Smart 6 is a monthly prepaid contract with minutes, text messages and internet.

The Smart 6 contract only costs 9 JD. Every month you buy new prepaid credits for 9 JD. You can buy the prepaid credits at any supermarket or grocery store.

 

Finances:

 

If you are on welfare (SSI) and you receive SSI money, you can stay 30 days in Jordan. If you stay longer than 30 days, the US government wants to know. They will cut the social security. Best is to have your own savings.

 

If you have retirement money or disability money (SSDI), then you can keep receiving your money while staying in Jordan.

 

Transportation:

 

Transportation is a challenge in Jordan.

You need a taxi all the time. And that costs a lot of money.

Almost all people in Jordan don't like taxi's, because many taxi drivers rip people off.

 

Do not go in a taxi that has no price meter.

You will pay too much.

Don't do it.

 

Biking is an option. But not for inexperienced and unfit bikers; there are no bike roads / paths and there are many steep hills.

 

If you want to buy a bike, buy an E-Bike (electric Bike). They cost 450 JD -  750 JD. It will safe you a lot of money and time in the long term.

Click here for a good E-Bike shop in Amman

 

Walking is an option but only for the fit, since there are many steep hills everywhere,

even downtown.

 

Products are not close together and its difficult to find out where you can get certain products. You will travel a lot and spend a lot of time just to get certain products.

 

advice #1:

when you do your shopping, buy in bulk.

 

advice #2:

only buy products that last long even without a refrigerator.

 

advice #3:

have a list of phone numbers of people that can serve you:

taxi drivers, gas tank delivery, water tank delivery, maintenance man, people with a truck that can help you move big things, like furniture, etc

 

Following this advice will save you a lot of transportation costs, time and frustration.

 

Food:

 

Buy and prepare your own food.

The cheapest and most nutritious foods to eat in Jordan are:

 

potatoes, tomato's, cucumbers, marrow squash, onions, garlic, carrots, oranges

(other fruits than oranges are pretty expensive)

 

lentils, rice, bulgur, freekeh, beans, flour, potatoes, turnip

(buy it in bulk, 10kg, 20kg, 30kg, etc)

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tea

water

 

fish, sardine, beef, lamb, goat

 

Have a daily program:

 

If you have no daily program, you can fall in a spiral of depression, minding peoples business, gossiping, wasting time, wasting money and causing trouble and sin.

 

Make sure that you have a daily program and follow it strict.

And start early in the morning at sunrise.

 

For example:

wake up

pray

read

exercise

shower/freshen up

eat

work

homeschooling

cooking

 

Water:

 

Water is scarce in Jordan. Learn to shower/freshen up with 1 small basin of water

Soap your body and rinse it with the water in your basin.

Daily or every other day.

 

Learn to wash clothes by hand or bring your clothes once or twice a month to a laundromat for bulk washing and drying of your clothing. not expensive.

 

Don't drink tap water.

Buy tanks or bottles of purified water.

 

Winter:

 

Most houses in Jordan are very cold during the winter. You can feel cold draft at the windows.

 

Make sure you have warm indoor winter clothing. warm socks, sleeping bags, many warm blankets, gloves, sweaters, etc.

 

Make sure you have enough gas heaters and gas tanks in the house to keep you warm.

 

Preparing for the wilderness time.

 

The best thing to do is work and save money for the wilderness time. 

Buy land/property/apartment; land is not expensive in southern Jordan.

 

Can foreigners buy/rent land/property in Jordan?

The answer is YES!

Click here

 

You can easily find prices of $ 0,75 - $ 7 per m2.

2000 jd for a quarter acre.

 

Store equipment.

 

Learn how to work with cattle

Learn how to grow fruits and vegetables

 

Slowly build up a lifestyle of self-sustenance.

keeping cattle, growing fruits and vegetables.

Be as independent as you can of Babylon and Jordan.

 

Don't be discouraged, but just use wisdom as you make your preparations to go to Jordan; it's possible!

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