Aqaba - the resort is not cheaper, and therefore do not try to find the hotel cheaper. You will not succeed, even if you agree to minimal amenities. Perhaps here you can begin to take from $ 50 with a modest breakfast. Also keep in mind that only intercontinental, Kempinski and others like with them own their own beach area, the remaining hotels carry their guests to Berenice Beach Club, which will fall into a decent amount (8-15 dinar a day, depending on the 'Zamaska' hotel). You don't even think to swim on the public beach: not only the fact that only local in clothes are dirty and swimming here, so also the reaction of the aborigine is extremely inadequate at the sight of a undressing white tourist. On the Public Beach there may be only a walk with a complete equipment on the edge of the sea. Also, do not seek to rent a hotel closer to the sea - it will not give you anything, except the view from the window and overpriced prices, and you will still go to the beautiful, licked and expensive Berenice. Either you will not swim at all. Aqaba is a very small town, and therefore from any hotel from any end you will reach the public beach (see and walk) for no more than 10-15 minutes on foot. The exceptions are hotels on South Beach - by the way, it is there that the Berenice called me - which will be with a beach area, but ... South Beach is 10 km from Aqaba itself. So here is a stick about two ends. Regarding the private sector - also not a rainbow picture. It is unlikely that you will find an apartment cheaper than 300 dinar a month in the distant area, without the Internet and with modest amenities, with a submitted payment less than 25 Dinar do not dream - this is exactly the amount of local, coming from Amman to relax. I believe that with tourists you do more. What attractive Aqaba with such a situation? From here it is much easier and cheaper to get to Peters and the desert Wadi-Ram, who seek to see all coming to Jordan. To these attractions from Aqaba hand to file, an hour and a half approximately. Accordingly, the cost is significantly lower than from Amman.
Diving, at my discretion, it will be interesting only for newbies, experienced divers I would recommend dive in the nearby Egypt, where the sites are exormably more and the price of immersion is much more liberal.