For westerners visiting or moving to the Middle East, there can be quite a culture shock. Most Middle Eastern countries are Muslim so there can be strict rules about appearance when out in public, especially for women, and about drinking and eating in public during certain times of the year. However, Jordan is one of the more liberal areas of the Middle East with friendly, accepting people.
Living in Jordan
If you are coming from the West to move to Jordan, you will find it very accommodating to foreigners. Many companies employ westerners so there are areas of the country, especially in the capital city of Amman, that cater to Americans and Europeans. You will even find schools designated for children of westerners living in the country with their families.
The official currency of Jordan is the dinar, which is coded as JOD. One US dollar is worth about .70 Jordanian Dinar, so your dollars will stretch a bit further in Jordan, but not as far as other countries in the Middle East.
There are areas of the city where westerners congregate for entertainment and to dine, dance, or work out. Western-style grocery stores can be found around the area, as can cinemas, gymnasiums, and restaurants. You should be able to easily make friends with both westerners and friendly Jordanians when you move to the country.
Buying a Home
It is a fairly simple process to buy or rent a home in Jordan with the only requirement being an agreement between Jordan and the buyer’s home country for them to live there. Most of the properties that are available in the country are in and around Amman, although you may occasionally see listings for other areas. You need to hire an agent to help you buy real estate in Jordan, but you don’t necessarily need to retain a lawyer to complete the process of renting or buying a home.
In the city, you can find all types of properties for sale and rent from modest apartments to lavish palaces. While most western currencies are strong against the Jordanian Dinar, the price points are close to western standards, so you won’t find housing to be cheap. However, with the right agent, you should be able to find properties that will meet your needs at a price that you can afford.
When closing a sale on a house, there will be taxes that need to be paid by both the seller and the buyer. A stamp duty tax, sales taxes, transfer taxes, and the real estate broker fees are all extra costs added to the price of a property when you buy a house or an investment property. A real estate agent can provide you with more information about who is responsible for paying which taxes because many of them are divided between the buyer and seller.
If you plan to move to Jordan, you can contact real estate agents online to start locating properties that you can look at once you fly into the country.
