Realistic Cost of a Jordan Family Road Trip over Easter (With a School-Age Child)

Parents searching “How much does Jordan cost with kids?” are usually looking for real numbers — not vague estimates. This post shares exactly what our 9‑day self‑drive family road trip in Jordan cost for 2 adults and 1 school‑aged child.

All costs are based on our Easter 2024 trip and are intended as a realistic planning guide, not fixed pricing. Flights, accommodation, car hire and exchange rates will vary depending on season, availability and how early you book.

Total Trip Cost: £3,187.91

That equates to approximately:

• £1,055 per person

• £352 per person per day

• Or around £117 per person per day once flights are removed

Below, I break down exactly where the money went so you can judge what feels realistic for your own family.

Some links in this guide are affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only ever link to tools, providers and services we’ve genuinely used or found helpful for family travel planning.

For the full route and day‑by‑day context, start here: 9-Day Jordan Family Road Trip: A Practical Itinerary With Kids

And if you’re still deciding whether Jordan works for families, this is a good place to begin: Is Jordan Good for School-Age Children?

Flights: £1,558.70

• British Airways Heathrow – Amman return

• Easter school holiday pricing

• Approx. £520 per person

Flights were our largest single cost, which is typical for Middle East routes from the UK during peak school holiday periods. Prices jump quickly around Easter, especially on direct routes, so this wasn’t unexpected.

That said, this is also the area where families have the most chance to save money with flexibility — whether that’s flying a day earlier, considering indirect routes, or booking well in advance. If you want to sense‑check whether the flights tipped the overall budget for you, the full breakdown below shows where costs were easier to control once we were in Jordan.

Accommodation: £1,027.21 (10 nights)

Average per night: ~£102. This total covered 10 nights across multiple locations.

If you want to see exactly where we stayed — and which hotels we’d happily recommend — you’ll find our full list here:

• Rival Hotel Amman (arrival + final night)

• Hilton Dead Sea Resort

• Petra Aretas Hotel (triple room with breakfast)

• Wadi Rum desert camp

• Grand Hotel Tala Bay Aqaba beach resort

• Madaba airport hotel

We deliberately mixed accommodation styles to keep the trip balanced:

• One higher‑end Dead Sea resort (around £150/night) for direct access to the mud flats and beach

• Mid‑range family hotels offering triple rooms and breakfast

• A Wadi Rum desert camp for the experience

• A family‑friendly beach resort in Aqaba, complete with waterslides (a strategic move for keeping kids happy at the end of the trip)

For a multi‑stop road trip, with breakfast included most mornings and no compromise on location, this felt very reasonable.

Car Hire: £226

We booked our car hire via Trip.com, and for 9 days of independent travel across Jordan, this was exceptionally good value.

Having our own car gave us complete flexibility — no tour schedules, no transfers to coordinate, and the freedom to adjust days when energy dipped or plans changed. For a route covering Amman, the Dead Sea, Petra, Wadi Rum and Aqaba, self‑drive made the whole itinerary simpler and calmer.

Mobile Data (Airalo eSIM): £20

We bought two 7‑day Airalo eSIMs at £10 each, and it was one of the best small decisions we made.

Having reliable mobile data meant:

• Instant access to Google Maps

• Stress‑free navigation on driving days

• No reliance on airport or hotel Wi‑Fi

• No surprise roaming charges

For a self‑drive itinerary, especially with late arrivals and desert routes, this tiny cost made a huge difference to confidence and ease.

Jordan Pass: £160

Worth building into the cost analysis:

Jordan Pass typically costs 70–80 JOD per adult
(approximately £78–£90 per adult depending on exchange rate)

It covered:

• Visa fee (40 JOD)

• Petra entry

• Jerash

• Wadi Rum

• Shobak Castle

• Multiple other sites

Children under 12 enter most sites free but still require a visa (paid separately if applicable).

For families planning Petra + multiple historic sites, this remains one of the best value cultural passes globally.

For a full overview of what to expect when visiting Petra read Visiting Petra With School-Age Kids: A Practical Family Guide to Planning the Lost City

Airport Parking: £139.70

Heathrow long stay for duration of trip.

Travel Insurance (Not Included in Total)

We have an annual family travel insurance policy, I recommend Just Travel Cover, so this cost is not included above.

If you do not have annual cover, you will need to factor in:

• Medical coverage

• Trip disruption

• Cancellation protection

• Rental car excess cover (if not included)

For a trip involving long walking days (Petra), desert terrain (Wadi Rum), and self-driving, comprehensive insurance should be considered essential rather than optional.

Spending Money (Food, Fuel & Misc): £582

This covered:

• Petrol for full circular road trip

• Restaurant meals

• Resort dining

• Snacks

• Petra by Night tickets

• Pre booked Desert tour costs

• Resort fee in Aqaba

• Joshua’s visa

• Site extras not covered by Jordan Pass

Jordan is not ultra-cheap, but it is very manageable. Food pricing sits below Western Europe but above Southeast Asia.

Is Jordan Expensive for Families?

For 9 days covering:

• A New Wonder of the World

• Roman cities

• Crusader castles

• The Dead Sea

• A desert camp experience

• Red Sea beach time

Under £3,200 for a school-holiday road trip represents strong value.

Jordan works well financially because:

• Distances are short

• Internal flights aren’t required

• The Jordan Pass bundles major costs

• Petrol is inexpensive

• Accommodation pricing is reasonable

The key is planning strategically.

Where Families Spend More

1. Flights during school holidays

2. Dead Sea resort stays

3. Optional extras like Petra by Night

4. Private desert tours

5. Restaurant choices

6. Get a lift to the airport or find a cheaper option to parking your car

Where families can reduce costs:

• Choose mid-range Dead Sea hotel with day-pass beach access

• Limit Petra to one day

• Eat outside resort properties

• Skip Aqaba if time limited

For detailed planning insight, explore the full guide on our dedicated Jordan hub. Jordan is not a passive holiday. It is active, educational and varied. But when structured correctly, it works exceptionally well with school-age children.