What is the difference between West and East Amman?
East Amman is historic, denser and lower-income, with narrow streets and older or unfinished concrete buildings; West Amman is modern and leafy, clad in limestone, and home to most embassies, government offices and wealthy private schools. The divide is socio-economic rather than physical, and the two meet downtown.
Sources: Wikipedia: Amman · Executive Magazine: The tale of two Ammans · Jordan News: East/West divide.
Updated Prepared by DawarnaHow we researchReport a correction
West Amman and East Amman compared
| West Amman | East Amman | |
|---|---|---|
| Character | Modern, leafy, limestone-clad buildings | Historic, denser, narrower streets |
| Housing | Villas, family-owned four-storey buildings, office blocks | Older and often unfinished concrete; informal housing near the Wahdat and Jabal Hussein camps |
| Institutions | Most embassies, government offices and wealthy private schools | Many historic sites that host cultural activities |
| Climate | Hot-summer Mediterranean; about 1,000 m | Semi-arid; lower, warmer |
| Rents in our data | 2-bed median JD 730–1,085 a month | No usable listings in our snapshot |
Sources: Wikipedia, Executive Magazine and Jordan News accounts of the divide. These are generalisations; Amman has pockets of wealth and poverty in every direction.
What it means for renting and buying
West Amman
Median asking rent JD 730–1,085 for a two-bedroom, and apartments JD 810–1,230 per m².City-wide
Numbeo: one-bedroom JD 174 outside the centre against JD 328 in it.Our coverage
Our listing source covers mainly the west, so treat eastern prices as lower but unmeasured.Related guides
Best areas to live in Amman
Part of our living guides.Read more →Best areas for expats
Part of our living guides.Read more →Best areas for families
Part of our living guides.Read more →Amman's circles explained
Part of our living guides.Read more →Cost of living in Amman
Part of our living guides.Read more →Most expensive neighbourhoods
Part of our living guides.Read more →Related reading
Amman neighbourhoods guide
A guide to Amman's neighbourhoods and districts: how the city is organised, the main west, central and outer areas,…Read more →Guides to renting in Amman
Plain-English guides to renting in Amman: the process, rental contracts and utilities, with typical rents and costs.Read more →Guides to buying property in Jordan
Plain-English guides to buying property in Jordan: foreign ownership, residency by property, mortgages and…Read more →Living in Amman: a complete guide
Living in Amman: climate, costs (about JD 565 a month for one person), transport, safety, schools, where to live and…Read more →West and East Amman: questions answered
What is the difference between West Amman and East Amman?
East Amman is the historic, denser and cheaper half, with narrower streets and older or unfinished concrete buildings, while West Amman is more modern, leafier and home to most embassies, government offices and wealthy private schools. The split is social and economic, not a physical boundary. This guide →
Is West Amman richer than East Amman?
Generally yes. Wikipedia describes West Amman as more modern and the economic centre of the city, and accounts of the divide describe villas, limestone-clad buildings and upscale districts in the west, with informal housing near the Wahdat and Jabal Hussein camps in the east. Amman also has pockets of wealth and poverty in every direction. Prices by area →
Where do East and West Amman meet?
In downtown Amman, around the Husseini Mosque, one of the oldest buildings in the young capital. The historic core of downtown and Jabal Amman lies between the two halves. Jabal Amman →
Is the weather different in East and West Amman?
Yes. Amman's western and northern neighbourhoods have a hot-summer Mediterranean climate, while the eastern and southern neighbourhoods are semi-arid. The higher western and northern areas, about 1,000 metres above sea level, are cooler and see snow more often than the city centre at about 700 metres. Utilities in Amman →
Is it cheaper to live in East Amman?
Generally yes, but our price data covers mainly the west, so we cannot publish East Amman medians. Numbeo's outside-centre figures are lower than the centre's: JD 174 against JD 328 for a one-bedroom and JD 723 against JD 1,145 per m². Prices by area →
Which half of Amman is better for expats?
Most expats live in the west, where international schools, embassies, cafés and furnished apartments are concentrated, though some choose the historic hills near downtown. East Amman suits those who want a more traditional, lower-cost neighbourhood. Best areas for expats →
Is downtown Amman part of the East or the West?
Neither exactly. Downtown and Jabal Amman form the historic centre where the two halves meet, and Jabal Amman is in the Zahran District, which stretches from the 1st Circle westward. All neighbourhoods →
Which areas count as West Amman?
Abdoun, Deir Ghbar, Sweifieh, Um Uthaina, Khalda, Dabouq, Tla'a Al-Ali, Al Rabieh and the area along the circles. Eastern and outer areas include Tabarbour, Marka and Wahdat. All neighbourhoods →