Best Affordable Bars in Petra Where You Can Actually Afford a Round
Words by
Nour Al-Ahmad
Finding the Best Affordable Bars in Petra Where You Can Actually Afford a Round
I have spent more evenings than I can count wandering the streets of Wadi Musa after a long day among the tombs and temples of Petra, looking for a place where a cold drink does not cost half a day's wages. The truth is, the best affordable bars in Petra are not the ones with the flashiest signs or the ones that show up first on tourist apps. They are the spots where locals actually sit, where a pint of local beer runs you about 3 to 5 JOD, and where the owner knows your name by your second visit. This guide is the one I wish someone had handed me the first time I arrived here with a backpack and a tight budget.
Petra sits in southern Jordan, about 3.5 hours south of Amman, and the town of Wadi Musa is where almost every visitor ends up sleeping, eating, and drinking. The tourism economy here means that many bars near the archaeological site charge Amman-level prices, sometimes higher. But if you walk just a few blocks back from the main tourist drag, you will find budget bars Petra locals rely on, places where a round for four people does not require a second mortgage. I have been to every spot on this list, some of them dozens of times, and I am writing this the way I would explain it to a friend who just landed at the Wadi Musa bus station with 30 JOD left for the evening.
The Cave Bar Area Along Ain Musa Road
Ain Musa Road runs along the eastern edge of Wadi Musa, and the cluster of small bars and restaurants tucked into the low stone buildings here is where I usually start my evenings. The Cave Bar, which sits just off this road near the entrance to the Petra visitor center, is technically a tourist-facing spot, but the back terrace drinks menu is surprisingly reasonable. A local draft beer here runs about 4 JOD, and they serve a solid arak with water and ice for around 3.50 JOD, which is about half what you would pay at the rooftop lounges closer to the Movenpick.
What makes this area worth your time is the view. You are literally drinking within sight of the hills that hide the Siq, and the sunsets from the Cave Bar terrace are the kind that make you forget you just haggled for an hour over a taxi fare. The best time to show up is between 5 and 7 PM, when the tour groups have filed out and the light turns the sandstone pink. Most tourists do not know that if you order the house wine by the carafe rather than the glass, the per-glass equivalent drops to about 2.50 JOD, and the carafe holds roughly four glasses.
Local Insider Tip: "Ask for the back-left corner table on the terrace, the one near the old water channel. The owner, a guy named Fadi, usually sits there with his friends on weeknights, and if you buy him a coffee first, he will bring out mezze plates that are not on the menu."
The Cave Bar connects to the broader character of Petra because it is built into a repurposed stone structure that locals used as a storage space for decades before tourism transformed the valley. The walls still have the old Bedouin markings scratched into them, and the bar staff will point them out if you ask. I always recommend starting here on your first night because it eases you into the local drinking culture without the sticker shock.
Al-Wadi Restaurant and Bar on Tourism Street
Tourism Street is the main commercial strip in Wadi Musa, running parallel to the road that leads down to the visitor center. Al-Wadi Restaurant and Bar sits about halfway down on the left side, and it is one of the few places on this street where the menu is printed in both Arabic and English with the same prices, which is not always a given in this town. A bottle of Amstel here costs about 3 JOD, and their mixed grill plate, which easily feeds two, runs about 7 JOD. For cheap drinks Petra has to offer at a sit-down restaurant, this is my default recommendation.
The interior is simple, tiled floors and plastic chairs, but the owner, Mohammad, has been running this place for over 15 years and he treats every regular like family. Thursday nights are the busiest because locals come in after the weekly souk, and the energy shifts from tourist-heavy to something more authentic. The detail most visitors miss is that Mohammad keeps a bottle of homemade fig arak in the back that he only brings out for people he likes. You have to ask for it by name, "arak al-tin," and it comes out in a small unlabeled bottle at about 2 JOD a glass.
Local Insider Tip: "Come on a Wednesday evening around 8 PM. That is when Mohammad's brother plays the oud in the corner, and the whole place goes quiet. It feels like sitting in someone's living room, which is basically what it is."
Al-Wadi connects to the history of Wadi Musa because Mohammad's father used to sell tea to the early archaeologists who came to document Petra in the 1960s. The restaurant sits on the same plot where his father set up a small stall, and some of the original stone walls are still visible behind the bar. I send people here when they want a meal and a drink without the performance of a tourist trap.
The Red Cave Bar Near Little Petra
About 15 minutes north of central Wadi Musa, along the road to Little Petra (also known as Al-Beidha), there is a small bar built into a natural rock overhang that locals call the Red Cave Bar. It is not on most maps, and you will probably need to ask a taxi driver to take you, but the ride costs about 3 JOD each way. This is one of the student bars Petra's younger crowd favors because a bottle of local beer here is about 2.50 JOD, and they do not card aggressively, which Jordanian university students from nearby Hashemite University appreciate.
The space is raw, literally a cave with string lights and cushions on the floor, and the sound of the wind moving through the rock ceiling is the best ambient noise I have experienced anywhere. The best time to visit is on a Friday afternoon, after the Little Petra site closes, when the owner, a woman named Sawsan, sets up a small charcoal grill outside and makes lamb kofta sandwiches for about 1.50 JOD each. Most tourists never make it this far from the main site, which is exactly why the prices stay low and the atmosphere stays real.
Local Insider Tip: "Bring a light jacket even in summer. The cave stays cool, and Sawsan keeps the fire going for the grill, but the temperature drops fast after sunset. Also, she makes a mint lemonade with actual crushed mint from her garden, not syrup, and it is the best thing on the menu."
The Red Cave Bar ties into the broader Petra story because the rock formation it sits under was used by Nabataean traders as a resting point over 2,000 years ago. Sawsan's family has lived in the cave for generations, and she will tell you about the old Nabataean water channels that still run beneath the floor if you show genuine interest. I bring people here when they want to understand that Petra is not just a ruin you walk through but a place people still live inside.
Cliff Bistro on the Road to Um Biyara
The road that climbs toward Um Biyara, the high point overlooking the entire Petra basin, has a few small rest stops, and the Cliff Bistro is the one I return to most often. It sits at a bend in the road where the view opens up to the whole valley, and a Turkish coffee costs about 1 JOD, which might be the cheapest hot drink in the entire Petra area. A local beer is about 3.50 JOD, and they serve a decent plate of hummus and bread for 2 JOD. For budget bars Petra has scattered along its scenic routes, this one delivers the best value per view.
The owner, a retired guide named Khalil, has photos on the walls from his 30 years of leading tours through the site, and he will narrate the history of every major tomb visible from his terrace if you let him. The best time to arrive is late afternoon, around 4 PM, when the light hits the Treasury-facing cliffs and the day-trippers have already left. Most visitors do not know that Khalil keeps a small collection of Nabataean-era pottery shards on a shelf behind the counter, found during his years of walking the back trails, and he lets you hold them if you ask respectfully.
Local Insider Tip: "Sit at the far-right table on the edge. It looks shaky, but it has the best angle for watching the sunset hit the Royal Tombs. Khalil will bring you a complimentary plate of dates if you mention you walked up from the site rather than driving."
The Cliff Bistro connects to Petra's history through Khalil himself, who worked as a guide during the years when Jordan was developing the site's infrastructure in the 1990s. His stories about the early days of mass tourism here are more interesting than most guidebooks. I recommend this spot for people who want a drink with a view and a story.
The Old Town Bar in Central Wadi Musa
In the older residential section of Wadi Musa, away from Tourism Street, there is a small bar that locals refer to as the Old Town Bar. It sits on a narrow lane behind the main mosque, and finding it is part of the adventure. Ask anyone on the street for "the bar near the mosque" and they will point you there. A glass of arak here is about 2 JOD, and a local beer is about 3 JOD, making it one of the cheapest drinking spots in the entire Petra area. This is where I go when I want to feel like a local rather than a visitor.
The space is small, maybe eight tables, and the walls are covered with old black-and-white photos of Wadi Musa from the 1970s and 1980s, before the tourism boom. The owner, a man named Raed, inherited the place from his uncle and has kept almost everything the same. The best time to visit is on a weeknight, Sunday through Wednesday, when the place is quiet and Raed has time to talk. Most tourists never find this bar because it has no English signage and no online presence, which is precisely its charm.
Local Insider Tip: "Order the house arak with a side of warm bread and olive oil. Raed presses the oil himself from trees his family owns near Tafilah, and it is unlike anything you will taste at the tourist restaurants. Also, do not try to pay with a 50 JOD bill. He will not have change, and the awkwardness is real."
The Old Town Bar reflects the character of Wadi Musa before tourism reshaped it. Raed's photos show a town of maybe 2,000 people, mostly from the Bdoul tribe, living among the ruins. He will tell you about the forced relocation of the Bdoul from inside the archaeological site in the 1980s, a story that adds depth to every visit to Petra. I bring people here when they are ready to see the town behind the postcard.
Petra Moon Hotel Rooftop Bar
The Petra Moon Hotel sits on the upper road in Wadi Musa, about a 10-minute walk from the visitor center. Its rooftop bar is not the cheapest in town, but it is the best value for the experience you get. A local beer is about 4.50 JOD, and a glass of wine is about 5 JOD, which is still well below what the five-star hotels charge. The view from the rooftop encompasses the entire Petra basin, and on a clear night, you can see the dark outlines of the mountains that frame the site. For student bars Petra offers with a view, this is the one I recommend to people who want something slightly elevated without the five-star price tag.
The rooftop is open to non-guests, which many visitors do not realize. The best time to arrive is just before sunset, around 5:30 PM in summer or 4 PM in winter, and to claim one of the corner seats. The bar staff are friendly and used to budget travelers, and they do not pressure you to order food. Most tourists do not know that if you come after 9 PM, the bar runs a quiet happy hour where mixed drinks drop to about 3.50 JOD, a holdover from the owner's attempt to attract locals during the slow season.
Local Insider Tip: "Bring a headlamp or use your phone light for the walk back down the stairs. The rooftop lighting is dim after 10 PM, and the steps are uneven. Also, ask the bartender, a guy named Samer, for the 'Petra special,' which is arak with pomegranate juice. It is not on the menu, but he makes it for regulars."
The Petra Moon rooftop connects to the broader story of Wadi Musa's development because the hotel was one of the first mid-range properties built after the Jordanian government invested in tourism infrastructure in the early 2000s. The owner, a Bdoul family, used the income to send several children to university in Amman. I send people here when they want a comfortable evening with a view and do not mind paying a little extra.
The Bedouin Tea House Near the Siq Exit
Just outside the exit of the Siq, the narrow gorge that leads into Petra, there is a small Bedouin tea house that also serves cold beer and arak. It is run by a family from the Bdoul tribe, the same community that lived inside the archaeological site for generations. A cold bottle of Amstel here is about 3.50 JOD, and a glass of sweet Bedouin tea is about 0.50 JOD. This is not a bar in the traditional sense, but it functions as one for the guides and workers who finish their days at the site, and it is one of the most authentic budget bars Petra has to offer.
The tea house is a simple structure, canvas roof and stone walls, with cushions on the ground. The family has been running it for over 20 years, and the matriarch, a woman named Um Khalil, is known for her strong opinions and generous spirit. The best time to visit is between 2 and 4 PM, when the guides take their lunch break and the place fills with stories from the day's tours. Most tourists walk right past this spot on their way to the bus park, which is a mistake.
Local Insider Tip: "Sit on the left side, near the back wall. That is where the guides sit, and if you buy a round, someone will almost certainly start singing. Also, Um Khalil makes a sage tea in the late afternoon that she does not advertise. Just ask for 'chai maramiya' and she will bring it out with a look that says she approves of you."
This tea house is a living piece of Petra's history. The Bdoul family that runs it was relocated from caves inside the site in the 1980s, and their tea house represents both the loss and the adaptation that followed. Um Khalil will tell you about growing up inside the Khazneh, the Treasury, if you sit long enough. I bring people here when they want to understand the human cost and resilience behind the archaeological wonder.
When to Go and What to Know
The best time to explore the budget bars Petra has to offer is during the shoulder seasons, March to May and September to November, when the weather is mild and the tourist crowds are thinner. Summer, from June to August, brings temperatures above 35°C during the day, and many of the outdoor bars are more comfortable in the evening. Winter, December to February, can be surprisingly cold, especially at the higher-elevation spots like the Cliff Bistro, so bring layers.
Cash is king at most of the places on this list. While some of the larger spots accept cards, the smaller bars, especially the Old Town Bar and the Bedouin Tea House, operate on cash only. ATMs are available in central Wadi Musa, near the Tourism Street area, but they occasionally run out of cash during peak tourist weekends. Carry small bills, 5s and 10s, because breaking a 50 JOD note at a small bar is a universal struggle.
Jordan's drinking culture is more relaxed than some visitors expect, but public intoxication is frowned upon, and drinking outside of licensed establishments is not advisable. The legal drinking age is 18, and most places will not card you, but carry identification just in case. Tipping is appreciated but not mandatory; rounding up the bill or leaving 0.50 to 1 JOD per drink is standard at the smaller bars.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average cost of a specialty coffee or local tea in Petra?
A Turkish coffee at most local spots in Wadi Musa costs between 0.50 and 1.50 JOD. Bedouin tea, served sweet and often with mint or sage, ranges from 0.50 to 1 JOD. Specialty espresso-based drinks, where available at the more tourist-oriented cafes, run 2 to 3.50 JOD.
Is Petra expensive to visit? Give a realistic daily budget breakdown for mid-tier travelers.
A one-day entry ticket to Petra costs 50 JOD for visitors staying at least one night in Jordan. A mid-tier daily budget, including a basic hotel room (25 to 40 JOD), two meals at local restaurants (10 to 15 JOD), transport within Wadi Musa (3 to 5 JOD), and a few drinks at budget bars (8 to 12 JOD), comes to roughly 50 to 75 JOD per day excluding the entry ticket.
Are credit cards widely accepted across Petra, or is it necessary to carry cash for daily expenses?
Credit cards are accepted at larger hotels, restaurants, and some shops on Tourism Street. However, smaller bars, local eateries, and taxi drivers operate almost exclusively on cash. Carrying 20 to 30 JOD in small bills for daily expenses is a practical minimum.
What is the standard tipping etiquette or service charge policy at restaurants in Petra?
Many mid-range and upscale restaurants in Wadi Musa add a 10 percent service charge to the bill. At smaller bars and local spots, tipping is not expected but rounding up the bill or leaving 0.50 to 1 JOD per round is appreciated and common among regulars.
How easy is it to find pure vegetarian, vegan, or plant-based dining options in Petra?
Vegetarian options are widely available across Wadi Musa, with staples like hummus, falafel, tabbouleh, and foul medames standard at most restaurants and costing 1 to 3 JOD. Fully vegan options are less clearly labeled but can be found at local eateries if you specify no dairy or egg; the Old Town Bar and Al-Wadi both serve plant-based mezze plates on request.
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