Jordan Guide
Money
By Western standards, Jordan is a good-value destination. It's possible to see the sights, eat adequately, sleep in basic comfort and get around on public transport for roughly £40/US$60 a day. If you like things more comfortable – staying in good mid-range hotels, eating well, perhaps renting a car to see some out-of-the-way places – reckon on nearer £75/US$115 a day per person. To travel independently while hiring drivers and guides, staying in five-star hotels and generally living the high life, aim for £150/US$225 a day per person.
Jordan has a government sales tax, which applies at different rates, depending on the goods/services involved, up to about 14 percent: bear in mind that, in many situations, the price you see (or are told) doesn't include this tax, which is only added on when you come to pay. In Aqaba, sales tax is lower than the rest of Jordan. In addition, hotels and restaurants above a certain quality threshold automatically add a ten percent service charge to all bills. They are legally obliged to state these charges somewhere, although it can be as surreptitious as a tiny line on the bottom of a menu, or just a simple "++" attached to a hotel price-list, as in "Double Room JD60++". If you try to bargain, you'll often find the "plus-plus" suddenly disappearing from view.