Yemen
Yemen is a complex and strategically located country situated at the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. Bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north and Oman to the east, Yemen has a significant coastline along the Red Sea and Gulf of Ad...
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With a safety index of 39/100, Yemen offers below average safety conditions for expats and their families.
Yemen requires an advance visa for all international travelers, including citizens of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Tourist visas are currently on hold or severely restricted, with entry visas issued only for specific categories such as foreigners of Yemeni origin, workers with international organizations, journalists, media delegates, and diplomats.[1][6] General tourists cannot obtain visas independently; applications must be sponsored by a local entity (e.g., tour operator or host) who secures prior approval from Yemen's Immigration Directorate in...
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15% above EU avg
40% below EU avg
53% below EU avg
74% below EU avg
Baselines based on EU averages. Source: Numbeo indices.
Capital
Sana'a
Timezone
UTC+03:00
Area
527,968 km²
Population
29,825,968
Yemen shows a purchasing power index of 18/100, indicating below average economic conditions for expats.
GDP
N/A
HDI
0.5
Quality of Life
32/100
-11 vs NYC
Purchasing Power
7/100
-35 vs NYC
Understanding the economic landscape is essential for evaluating living costs and opportunities in Yemen. This comprehensive overview covers key financial indicators including cost of living, housing markets, income levels, and fiscal policies that shape daily life and long-term financial planning.
Cost of Living Index
Moderate costs with CPI of 53.8. Groceries index at 65.1 and restaurant prices at 38.4 show mixed affordability, though inflation reached 20.4% in 2025.
Housing Market
Property prices average 18.3 years of household income, indicating severe affordability crisis. Rent index of 5.8 is extremely low, reflecting economic collapse and conflict impact.
Average Income Levels
Purchasing power index of 18.3 is critically low. GDP contracted 2.0% in 2023 and projected 1.5% decline in 2025, with per capita income severely depressed by ongoing conflict.
Tax System
Limited tax infrastructure due to state fragmentation. General sales tax reduced to 5% (2005), with special rates on telecommunications and cigarettes, but collection severely hampered by conflict.
Business Environment
Extremely challenging environment due to ongoing civil conflict and Houthi blockade. Red Sea maritime traffic down 30% since December 2024, disrupting trade flows and foreign investment.
Social Security
Social safety net severely weakened by conflict. Fiscal deficit widened to 4% of GDP in 2023. Public sector wage funding dependent on external support; healthcare and pensions largely non-functional.
Yemen, spanning 455,000 km² in the southern Arabian Peninsula, features a predominantly hot desert climate (BWh) with stark regional variations due to elevation and topography. Coastal Tihamah plains endure extreme heat up to 40°C and very low rainfall, while western highlands like Sana'a offer milder temperatures of 20-30°C with occasional precipitation.
5 distinct climate regions — see full guide for details
Read full guideLife Expectancy
65.0
Population
29,825,968
Religions
Ethnic Composition
Research in Progress
We're currently analyzing expat perspectives for Yemen. Check back soon for insights from real experiences!
We're gradually rolling out this feature and continuously improving the insights. The data is based on real expat discussions and will become more comprehensive over time.
Yemen's internationally recognized government is led by the Presidential Leadership Council under Rashad al-Alimi since 2022, amid a civil war with Houthi control in the north and factional divisions in the south. Recent 2025 developments include STC offensives challenging government authority and calls for comprehensive reforms in security, economy, and governance. No functioning central legislature or nationwide elections due to conflict.
Your Yemen Roadmap
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Population
29,825,968
Currency
YER
Timezone
UTC+03:00
Calling Code
+967
Week starts on
Sunday
Gini Coefficient
36.7 (2014)
Traffic side
right side
Map coordinates not available for this location
Data Source: Safety, crime, and quality metrics are sourced from Numbeo, a crowd-sourced global database of reported data.
All scores are relative comparisons on a 0-100 scale, where 50 = global average. Higher scores mean better than average, lower scores mean worse than average.