Cost of living in Yemen, prices and what it is like to live for an Expat, quality of life / hardship, and compare cost of living for Expatriates as at January 2023.

What is it like to live in Yemen?

Climate: The climate is mostly desert, hot and humid along the west coast, temperate in the western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon, and extraordinarily hot, dry, harsh desert in the east.

Language: The official language is Arabic. Most road signs and commercial documents carry English translations. English is widely used for international commerce in Sanaa, however interpreters and translators are often required. English is widely spoken in Aden and the main cities of the former south Yemen.

Religion: Islam.

Economy: Agriculture is the mainstay of Yemen's economy, generating more than 20 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). Yemen is a small oil producer. Yemen's industrial sector constitutes almost half of gross domestic product. Together with services, construction, and commerce, industry accounts for less than 25 percent of the labour force. The largest contributor to the manufacturing sector's output is oil refining, which generates almost half of total revenue. The Yemen government expects LNG to add substantially to its budget and enable it to develop a petrochemicals industry.

Inflation: 30.6% for Yemen as at July 2021.

Money: The currency of Yemen is the Yemeni Rial (YER). ATMs are very scarce. US dollars in cash is the most easily convertible currency.

Tax: In Yemen is based on the current personal income tax rates which are progressive up to 15%.

Population: 29.7 Million (2022 est.)

Expat Life: Expatriate dress code is casual but modest. Ties are not usually required for men, but suits should be worn for official occasions. The safety risk for expatriates in Yemen is extreme. Risks include complex and unpredictable safety challenges, violent crime, kidnapping, militancy and violent protest activity.

Health Care: Health care facilities, particularly away from the main towns, are poor. Thousands of cases of dengue fever have been reported. Polio and malaria are also common.

Yemen covers all areas within the country other than Sanaa.

Cost Of Living

What is the cost of living in Yemen?

The cost of living for expatriates in Yemen as at January 2023 is average in comparison to other places in the world, with an overall Cost of Living Index (COLI), for all 13 basket groups, of 56.03 (New York =100). We have collected prices for the same items, world wide, based on Expat spending norms, in or closest to the location, and converted them to $USD so that we can compare the cost of 13 different baskets in 780 global locations. For each basket, compared to New York, the equivalent cost in Yemen is as follows:

1) Alcohol and/or Tobacco: Cost is very low for tobacco related products such as cigarettes. A basket costing USD$1000 in New York costs USD$470.

2) Clothing: Cost is very high for items such as business, casual and children's clothing and footwear. A basket costing USD$1,000 in New York costs USD$5000. Average price for an international brand of mens jeans is USD$38, a quality international brand of running shoes USD$64, mens leather shoes suitable for office wear USD$60 while a medium size international summer dress from a global chain store is USD$55.

3) Communication: Cost is low for various communication costs such as home telephone rental, internet subscription, mobile service provider tariff and data costs. A basket costing USD$200 in New York costs USD$132. Average price for a monthly standard plan internet subscription is USD$58, while the benchmark mobile tariff is USD$0.05 per minute.

4) Education: Cost is average for items such as creche / pre-school fees, primary school fees, high school fees and tertiary study fees. A basket costing USD$30,000 in New York costs USD$19800. Average annual private international school fee (excluding extras) USD$12,953 for Primary School, and USD$14,414 for High School.

5) Furniture & Appliances: Cost is average for items such as dining table and chairs, home entertainment, kitchen appliances, and sofas. A basket costing USD$2,500 in New York costs USD$1975. Average price for a 6kg front loader Washing Machine is USD$684, and USD$587 for a 46+'' LED UHD TV.

6) Groceries: Cost is very low for items such as consumables, cleaning products, dairy, fresh fruit & vegetables, general food products, snacks, soft drinks. A basket costing USD$1,000 in New York costs USD$390. Average grocery prices in a major international retail store for 1 kg apples is USD$4.61, 1 kg oranges USD$3.55, 1 head lettuce USD$0.88, 1 kg potatos USD$2.28, 1 kg boneless, skinless, chicken breast USD$9.28, 1 kg cheddar cheese USD$5.06, 1 dozen large eggs USD$3.38, 500g loaf white bread USD$1.36, 1 L full cream milk USD$2.17, and 1.5 L water USD$0.90.

7) Healthcare: Cost is very low for general heath care, doctor visits, hospital stays, non-prescription medicine, and medical insurance. A basket costing USD$1,000 in New York costs USD$410. Average healthcare cost for a private practice Doctor visit for an uninsured patient is USD$33, and a private hospital stay per day including nursing care, medications, diagnostic tests, food, and related costs is USD$1,013.

8) Household Accommodation: Cost is very low for items such as apartment rent, house rent, property purchase, mortgage rate, and utilities. A basket costing USD$5,000 in New York costs USD$800. Average expatriate house / apartment rent for a secure upmarket unfurnished apartment (3 bedrooms) is USD$904 in a central location, and USD$538 in a suburban location, per month, excluding utilities.

9) Miscellaneous: Cost is high for items such as dry cleaning, linen, magazines, newspapers, office supplies, and postage stamps. A basket costing USD$500 in New York costs USD$430. Average price for dry cleaning (1 mens 2 pc suit) is USD$8.38, while an international newspaper is USD$2.58.

10) Personal Care: Cost is very low for items such as cosmetics, hair care, and toiletries. A basket costing USD$500 in New York costs USD$170. Average cost for a mens haircut and blow dry is USD$14, while a womens hair colour, cut and blow dry - medium length is USD$68.

11) Recreation & Culture: Cost is average for items such as books, cinema, sport and theatre tickets. A basket costing USD$500 in New York costs USD$355. Average price for a latest release international cinema ticket (average of on and off peak where applicable) for one adult is USD$7.57, and an international fitness, recreation or sports club membership cost for one adult is USD$58 per month.

12) Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels: Cost is very low for items such as hotel daily room rates, meals and beverages in a restaurant, and take away food and beverages. A basket costing USD$1,000 in New York costs USD$260. Average cappuccino price (regular, medium) is USD$3.15, coke/pepsi (330ml) USD$1.06, burger meal (international franchise or similar) USD$7.58, and a mid-range international restaurant meal for 2 USD$13.87.

13) Transport: Cost is average for items such as fuel (petrol/gasoline), car hire, public transport, vehicle purchase and maintenance. A basket costing USD$1,000 in New York costs USD$690. Average average price over the last year for highest available octane petrol / gasoline (1L) is USD$1.52, while the benchmark car sedan purchase price including taxes/duties for a compact / small / economy vehicle (1.4 L) is USD$9,722.

How does the cost of living in Yemen compare?

Yemen is -49.5% cheaper than USA for groceries, -71.6% cheaper for household costs than UK, and 31% more expensive for transport costs than India.

What is the quality of life / hardship in Yemen?

Yemen is ranked as an extreme hardship location.The hardship premium for Yemen for an expat from Australia, is for example 30%, i.e. host location (Yemen) premium of 40% minus home (Australia) location premium of 10%.

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