Moving to California from Jordan

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Jordan to California? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Jordan to California, you would find that California is 4.0 times more expensive than Jordan overall. A JOD53,175 salary in Jordan would need to be roughly $185,061 in California to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Jordan and California.

What does your salary buy?

JOD53,175 $185,061

To maintain the same standard of living in California

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 4.7 times more

Groceries

pay 3.6 times more

Transportation

pay 53.0% more

Housing

pay 6.0 times more

Childcare

pay 8.6 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 89.4% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 JOD = 1.41 USD (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Jordan to California.

Moved in 2023
7,310 ↑ 43% vs 2022

people moved from Jordan to United States · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to United States?

Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in California compared to Jordan.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

JO
35.5%
CA
28.4%

California performs significantly better than Jordan across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

JO
83.0%
CA
92.6%

California performs significantly better than Jordan across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

JO
17.9%
CA
5.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

JO
$9,400
CA
$84,028

California performs significantly better than Jordan across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

JO
76.0 yrs
CA
79.0 yrs

California performs significantly better than Jordan across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Amman Rain: 10.6 in/yr (269 mm)
74° / 52°F

Avg. annual high / low

Sacramento Rain: 18.5 in/yr (470 mm)
74° / 48°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Amman Sacramento
Jan–Mar 58°/40°F (14°/5°C) 60°/41°F (15°/5°C)
Apr–Jun 81°/56°F (27°/13°C) 79°/51°F (26°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) 90°/57°F (32°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 69°/49°F (21°/9°C) 65°/44°F (18°/7°C)
View all months
Month Amman Sacramento
Jan 54°/38°F (12.3°/3.6°C) 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C)
Feb 57°/40°F (13.7°/4.2°C) 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C)
Mar 63°/43°F (17.2°/6.1°C) 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C)
Apr 73°/49°F (22.6°/9.5°C) 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C)
May 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.5°C) 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C)
Jun 87°/62°F (30.8°/16.6°C) 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C)
Jul 90°/65°F (32.0°/18.5°C) 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C)
Aug 90°/65°F (32.4°/18.6°C) 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C)
Sep 87°/62°F (30.7°/16.6°C) 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C)
Oct 81°/57°F (27.1°/13.8°C) 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C)
Nov 69°/49°F (20.4°/9.3°C) 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C)
Dec 58°/41°F (14.4°/5.2°C) 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C)

Data: Jordan Meteorological Department Jordan Meteorological Department, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Jordan and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.

Jordan passport

Jordan passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Jordan passport holders need a visa to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Jordan

Visa on Arrival
United States passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Jordan.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in California than Jordan?

On average California is around 147% pricier than Jordan, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to California?

Budget about $46,265 for 3 months in California (based on a JOD53,175 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from California?

From major California cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Jordan and California are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in California compared to Jordan?

California performs significantly better than Jordan across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in California compared to Jordan?

The average high temperature in Sacramento is 74°F, compared to 74°F in Amman. Sacramento receives around 18.5 in of rainfall per year, while Amman gets 10.6 in.

What language do they speak in California?

The official language in California is English. In Jordan, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

JO
Population 10,998,531 37,253,956
Currency Jordanian Dinar (JOD) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Arabic English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +962 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 911 911