(1 Sep 2016) LEAD IN:
Amman lacks the glamour of Dubai, the history of Cairo, and the nightlife of Beirut - but it does have the curious accolade of most expensive city in the Middle East.
STORY-LINE:
In a survey conducted this year by the Economist Intelligence Unit, Amman was ranked as the most expensive city in the region, and the 29th most expensive in the world.
In the capital of what some visitors have termed 'The Hashemite Kingdom of Boredom', buildings stack up against each other like white Lego pieces as taxis race through the streets at alarmingly high speeds, leaving the stone city a blur from the backseat window.
It has a reputation as the ugly duckling of the region - a boring metropolis devoid of the flair and culture of its counterparts. And now this new accolade provides another problem for some, as locals and expats alike say the cost of living is no longer affordable.
Yacoub Shomali, an economist in Amman, points out that prices have increased by four percent on average since 2010, and yet wages have largely remained the same in the city. Therefore the purchasing power of a household in Amman has fallen.
Flora Politico first came to Jordan thirty six years ago as a domestic worker from the Philippines. She says everything was cheaper when she first arrived, but now "If you don't have money here, you can't live. It's impossible," she says.
The population of Amman has doubled in the last ten years to reach more than four million people, according to 2015 census data. The surge in population led to an increase in demand, which means higher prices for everyone.
Urban planner Mohammad Al-Asad believes the main problem in Amman is the inefficiency in the municipality to implement strategic city planning and invest in basic services to maintain the population growth.
He said there have been few attempts to address the lack of adequate public transportation and pedestrian walkways in the city.
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