A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Amman vs. Dharamsala for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Amman or Dharamsala?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Amman and Dharamsala. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Amman or Dharamsala?

Amman

Amman is the largest city in of the Hashemite Kingdom of the country of Jordan. It is also the capital city of Jordan and has a population of over four million people. Many people use Amman as a base for venturing out into the rest of Jordan and other surrounding countries. There are many things to see and do in Amman.

Dharamsala

With a name that literally means "a spiritual dwelling," Dharamsala roughly translates as a shelter or rest house for pilgrims and travelers. Home to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government in Exile, Dharamsala is today a popular destination for foreigners on vacation, backpackers seeking the surrounding mountains, as well as students of Buddhism.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Jordan, The Best Budget Tours to Jordan, The Best Religious Tours in India, and The Best Yoga Tours and Retreats in India.


Which place is cheaper, Dharamsala or Amman?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Amman is $135, while the average daily cost in Dharamsala is $37. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Amman and Dharamsala in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Amman $49
    Dharamsala $20
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Amman $98
    Dharamsala $40
Compare Hotels in Amman and Dharamsala

Looking for a hotel in Amman or Dharamsala? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Amman


Hotels in Dharamsala


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Amman Hotel Prices and Dharamsala Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Amman $24
    Dharamsala $4.54
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Amman

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Amman:


  • Bus Ride (for Two)
    $0.71
  • RIde to Airport
    $28

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Amman

Also for Amman, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Amman Queen Alia Airport: Bus Transfer from/to Amman North: $7.79
  • Private Transfer from Amman Airport to Amman Hotel: $19
  • Amman Transfer To Multiple Destinations: $20
  • Private Transfer from Amman Airport to Amman City: $21
  • Amman Airport Transfer Pickup/Drop-Off: $22
  • Airport Transfer To and From Amman: $23
  • Amman Airport private Transfers From/To multi destinations: $24
  • Amman Airport Private Transfer to Amman: $25
  • Amman Airport Luxury Private Transfer to Amman: $25
  • Amman Queen Alia Airport (AMM) to Amman hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $26
  • Amman hotels to Amman Queen Alia Airport (AMM) - Departure Private Transfer: $26
  • From Amman :Private transfer to Airport, Dead Sea and Petra.: $26

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dharamsala

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Dharamsala:

  • Dharamshala Airport Transfers : Budget Sedan and SUV Cabs: $33

Is it cheaper to fly into Amman or Dharamsala?

Prices for flights to both Dharamsala and Amman change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Amman $58
    Dharamsala $13
Typical Food Prices in Amman

For Amman, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Pastries
    $4.23
  • Tea
    $5.64

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Amman

For Amman, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Amman by Night Tour with Local Dinner: $35
  • private cooking with local chef: $40
  • Private 2 Hour Cooking Class with the Locals in Amman: $50
  • Guided Food Tour in Downtown: $70
  • Private Jordan Heritage Restaurant Lunch or Dinner Experience: $80
  • Private Lunch or Dinner at a Local Traditional Restaurant in Amman: $80
  • Women-Led Food Tour Through Amman’s Culinary Scene: $80
  • The Best Culture&Food Tour With Majd The Local Guide: $81
  • Private Madaba Haret Jdoudna Restaurant Lunch or Dinner from Amman: $100
  • Amman Food Tours: 3-Hours Guided Walking Food Tour in Amman: $119
  • Half Day Cooking Class Experience with Amman Panoramic Tour: $127
  • Private Jordan Heritage Restaurant Lunch or Dinner with Arak Experience: $140

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Amman $32
    Dharamsala $4.92

Tours and Activities in Amman

For Amman, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Amman by Night Private Tour: $20
  • Amman Private City Tour: $20
  • Seven Sleepers Cave and King Abdullah Mosque Private Tour: $20
  • Amman Old and New Private City Tour: $20
  • Amman City Tour Included Shopping Time: $20
  • Amman Private City Tour with Local Mansaf Lunch: $20
  • Amman Private City Tour with Local Lunch: $20
  • Day or Night Walking Tour in Downtown With Local: $25
  • Madaba Mount Nebo and Ma'in Private Tour: $30
  • Madaba Mount Nebo Baptism and Dead Sea Private Guided Tour: $30
  • Petra Madaba and Mount Nebo Private Guided Tour: $30
  • Madaba Mount Nebo Baptism and Ma'in Private Guided Tour: $30

Tours and Activities in Dharamsala

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Dharamsala are as follows:

  • Best of Dharamshala with a local Half Day Tour by a AC Car: $88
  • Dharamshala Street Food Crawl ( Guided Food Tasting Tour): $27
  • Guided Cycling tour in Dharamshala: $28
  • Guided Kora Circuit & Walking Tour Around McLeod Ganj: $39
  • Hiking Day Tour to Triund from Dharamshala: $39
  • Historical Tour, Kangra fort &Rock cut temple from Dharmasla: $107
  • McLeod Ganj: Triund Trek with Manu Adventures India: $19
  • Mcleodganj Nature Trek (3 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $28
  • Private 2-Days McLeodGanj & Dharamshala Guided Tour: $97
  • Private 6 hrs Mcleodganj & Dharamshala City Tour: $63
  • The Spiritual Trails of Dharamshala(Guided Walking Tour): $14

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Amman $14
    Dharamsala $4.92


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Amman and Dharamsala, we can see that Amman is more expensive. And not only is Dharamsala much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Amman is in Middle East and Dharamsala is in Asia, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Dharamsala would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Dharamsala and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Amman would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Amman than you might in Dharamsala.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Amman Expensive? and Is Dharamsala Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Amman or Dharamsala?

Amman has a larger population, and is about 70 times larger than the population of Dharamsala. When comparing the sizes of Amman and Dharamsala, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.

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