What You Need to Know When You’re Moving to Amman

Relocating to Amman

About the City

Amman is also one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It is today very large, with a population estimated to be around four million.

Those four million people account for around two-thirds of Jordan’s total population. The vast majority of the population is Arabs, either native Jordanian — including some Bedouin — or Palestinian. The biggest religion by far is Islam, at more than 90% of the population, with around 8% Christians. Amman has quite a young demographic.

Amman sits in the north of Jordan, a country which is bordered by Syria to the north, Saudi Arabia to the south-east, Iraq to the north-east and the West Bank and Israel to the west. It is politically much more stable than many of those countries, and quite liberal by regional standards. The Jordanian people are known for their hospitality.

The Climate in Amman

Expats looking to move to Amman should be aware of its significantly differing seasons and unusual weather, partly due to its mountainous location. The city experiences hot and dry summers while winters are quite wet with mild or cool temperatures. Spring has highs of around 28°C (82°F) and is quite short, lasting only from April to May. In summer, from mid-June to early October, temperatures average around 30°C (86°F) and can be as hot as 40°C (104 °F). Lows in summer can get down to 20°C (68°F).

Winter begins in late November/early December and lasts until the middle of March. Temperatures hover around or below 17°C (63°F), with occasional snowfall. Fog is very common in winter. Amman gets less than 300 mm of rain a year on average and experiences droughts.

Amman has extreme cases of microclimate, with each district having distinct weather. Some districts can be frosty at the same time that others are quite warm.

Finding Accommodation

Expats moving to Amman have a good range of housing options. There are luxurious villas or apartments of varying size, both furnished or unfurnished. Within the city center, one to three bedroom apartments cost 400–900 USD per month or more depending on size, while outside the center they are a little cheaper. Here, a three bedroom apartment could cost around 500 USD.

The residential districts of western Amman are leafy, with cafes, bars and modern amenities — attracting more expats — while the east of the city is more traditional. Abdoun, towards the south of the city, is considered one of the most affluent areas and has a social scene which attracts expats and tourists. Dabouq is a quiet, pleasant emerging neighborhood with good services such as schools and banks.

A listings site with a good website in English is Abdoun.com, which has listings for all notable residential areas.