Jordan is not the cheapest country in the area to travel around, but it is possible to get by on a tight budget and, if you spend wisely, good value can be found all over the country.
The most basic accommodation costs from 2JD for a bed
in a very basic shared room or on the roof, but most decent budget
places charge about 5-8-11JD for a single/double/triple. A good midrange
single/double costs from 12-20JD up to 25-35JD, while top-end doubles
start from 65JD.
Street snacks like a felafel or shwarma sandwich
are cheap and you can get a decent budget meal for 1JD to 3JD. In any
midrange restaurant, expect to pay 1JD for a starter and from 1.500JD to
2.500JD for most main courses. If you're splashing out at one of Amman's better restaurants, don't expect too much change back from 15JD per person, and you'll pay more if you have a bottle of wine.
Public
transport is cheap - less than 500fils per hour of travel in a public
bus or minibus, and about 1JD per hour in a more comfortable,
long-distance private bus.
One of the biggest sightseeing expenses
in Jordan is the entrance fee to Petra (up to 31JD for three days,
depending on the season), but it's so worth it! Entry to other popular
sights such as Jerash costs 5JD but most places are free or cost just a dinar or two.
Tipping
Tips of 10% are generally
expected in better restaurants. Elsewhere, rounding up the bill to the
nearest 250 fils or with loose change is appreciated by underpaid staff,
including taxi drivers. Hotels and restaurants in the midrange and,
especially, top-end categories generally add on an automatic 10% service
charge.
Money
The currency in Jordan is the dinar (JD) - it's known as the jay-dee among hip young locals - which is made up of 1000 fils. You will sometimes hear piastre or qirsh,
which are both 10 fils (10 qirsh equals 100 fils).
Often when a price
is quoted the unit will be omitted, so if you're told that something is
25, it's a matter of working out whether it's 25 fils, 25 piastre or 25
dinars! Although it sounds confusing, most Jordanians wouldn't dream of
ripping off a foreigner.
Coins are 10, 25, 50, 100, 250 and 500
fils, and one dinar. Notes come in denominations of JD1, 5, 10, 20 and
50. Try to change larger notes as often as possible at larger
restaurants and when paying your hotel bill.
Changing money is
very easy in Jordan, and most major currencies are accepted in cash and
travellers cheques. US dollars are the most accepted, followed by UK
pounds and euros.
There
are no restrictions on bringing dinars into Jordan. It's possible to
change dinars back into some foreign currencies in Jordan, but you'll
need to show receipts to prove that you changed your currency into
dinars at a bank in Jordan.
Syrian, Lebanese, Egyptian, Israeli and Iraqi currency can all be changed in Amman, usually at reasonable rates, though you may have to shop around. Egyptian and Israeli currency are also easily changed in Aqaba.
Banks seem to offer slightly better rates
than moneychangers for cash, but the difference is not worth worrying
about unless you're going to change a huge amount. Most large hotels
will change money (sometimes for guests only) but rates are always lower
than those offered by the banks and moneychangers.
ATMs
It is possible to survive in
Jordan almost entirely on cash advances, and ATMs abound in all but the
smaller towns. This is certainly the easiest way to travel if you
remember your PIN.
There are no local charges on credit card cash
advances but the maximum daily withdrawal amount is around JD500,
depending on your particular card. All banks have large signs (in
English) outside indicating which credit cards they accept.
Visa
is the most widely accepted card for cash advances and using ATMs,
followed by MasterCard. Other cards, such as Cirrus and Plus, are also
accepted by many ATMs (eg Jordan National Bank and HSBC).
If an ATM swallows your card call 06 5669123 (Amman). Emergency numbers to contact in Amman if you lose your credit card:
American Express (06 5607014)
Diners Club (06 5675850)
MasterCard (06 4655863).
Visa (06 5680554)
Credit cards
Most major credit cards are
accepted at top-end hotels and restaurants, travel agencies, larger
souvenir shops and bookshops. However, always be sure to ask if any
commission is being added on top of your purchase price. This can
sometimes be as much as 5%; if so, it may be better to get a cash
advance and pay with the paper stuff.
International transfers
Some major banks (such as the Arab Bank and Jordan National Bank) can arrange the international transfer of money. The Cairo-Amman Bank is part of the international service offered by Western Union (www.westernunion.com). MoneyGram (www.moneygram.com)
has agreements with several banks. Fees are high with both, so
obtaining a cash advance with a credit card might be a better bet.
Moneychangers
Generally, moneychangers offer
slightly lower rates than banks for cash. In theory, they do not charge
commission on travellers cheques but in practice many do, so shop
around. Moneychanger offices are smaller and easier to use than banks,
and are generally open daily until around 9pm. Always check the rates at
banks or in the English-language newspapers before changing money.
Travellers cheques
Most flavors of travelers
cheques are accepted, with the most recognized being American Express
(Amex). Always check the commission before changing.
