Jordan expat guide

Indoor smoking is still common in many adult spaces. Law vibe is fairly strict and formal, especially around paperwork.

Minimum budget: rural $500/mo, urban $1000/mo. Medical insurance: $900/yr.

Auto: Russian tourists should carry an IDP, Arabic or English translation; some desks accept readable national licenses, but IDP avoids arguments. Rentals are about $25-60/day for Picanto, Accent, Yaris class and $70-140+ for SUVs toward Wadi Rum, Dead Sea routes. Israel, Palestine, Saudi, Iraq and Syria crossings are generally not allowed or not worth it in rental cars; domestic road trips are the clean use case.

Smoking: Indoor smoking is still common in many adult spaces.

Police / rules: Police and public-order vibe is strict and rules-first: keep behavior clean, keep documents in order, and do not expect small-rule flexibility to be the default.

Zones

• Amman Highlands: Dry highland cities, limestone neighborhoods, café terraces and easy desert access. Dry elevated urban climate with mild winters around 5–15°C and hot summers around 28–36°C. Breezier and cooler than surrounding desert regions.
• Desert South & East: Red desert landscapes, Bedouin camps, reef coast, road trips and stark open light. Desert and Red Sea coast with intense dry heat. Summers reach 35–42°C inland and 32–38°C on the Aqaba coast, where the sea offers some relief. Winters are mild and dry, with cold nights in the open desert.