Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Arak and London

For one person, living is cheaper in Arak: $482 a month against $3,986 in London, rent and utilities included – about $42,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Arak
🇮🇷 Iran
$482
/mo nomad
London
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$3,986
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Arak and in London

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Arak and in London actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $482 in Arak versus $3,986 in London.

  • Arak $482
  • London $3,986

Estimated couple costs with rent: $758 in Arak versus $5,791 in London.

  • Arak $758
  • London $5,791

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,034 in Arak versus $7,595 in London.

  • Arak $1,034
  • London $7,595

Living in Arak costs roughly 88% less than in London, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Arak is 64% below, London is 195% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Arak
London
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.71 $3.71
$25.93 £19.44
-85.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.65 $12.65
$107 £79.9
-88.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.09 $4.09
$10.71 £8.03
-61.81%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.68 $0.68
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 $0.56
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.36 $1.36
$5.47 £4.11
-75.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48 $0.48
$2.97 £2.23
-83.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 $1.73
$2.20 £1.65
-21.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$9.13 £6.85
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$7.94 £5.96
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Arak
London
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.55 $0.55
$1.86 £1.40
-70.43%
White Bread (500g)
$0.57 $0.57
$2.07 £1.55
-72.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.90 $1.90
$2.42 £1.81
-21.49%
Eggs
$1.22 $1.22
$5.09 £3.81
-76.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$2.16 $2.16
$12.87 £9.65
-83.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.56 $2.56
$10.43 £7.82
-75.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.32 $10.32
$16.87 £12.65
-38.83%
Apples (1kg)
$0.79 $0.79
$3.11 £2.33
-74.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.02 $1.02
$1.40 £1.05
-27.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.63 $0.63
$3.08 £2.31
-79.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.51 $0.51
$3.27 £2.45
-84.40%
Potato (1kg)
$0.44 $0.44
$1.58 £1.19
-72.15%
Onion (1kg)
$0.41 $0.41
$1.74 £1.31
-76.44%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.48 $0.48
$1.40 £1.05
-65.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.30 $0.30
$1.80 £1.35
-83.33%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$0.83 $0.83
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 $0.52
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 $2.19
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.54 $2.54
$23.28 £17.45
-89.09%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$13.03 £9.77
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$3.17 £2.38
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.42 £3.32
-
🚌 Getting Around
Arak
London
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.10 $0.10
$4.07 £3.05
-97.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.52 $9.52
$247 £185
-96.14%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.25 $0.25
$5.58 £4.18
-95.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.12 $0.12
$3.36 £2.52
-96.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.03 $1.03
$56.8 £42.55
-98.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.09 $0.09
$2.13 £1.60
-95.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$49.8K $49.8K
$38.2K £28.6K
30.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.4K $34.4K
$40.9K £30.7K
-16.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Arak
London
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$9.84 $9.84
$372 £279
-97.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$1.49 $1.49
$17.82 £13.36
-91.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$3.75 $3.75
$40.37 £30.27
-90.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Arak
London
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$9.87 $9.87
$60.0 £44.97
-83.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.01 $24.01
$21.29 £15.96
12.78%
Cinema Ticket
$1.12 $1.12
$17.74 £13.30
-93.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Arak
London
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$83.5 $83.5
$2,864 £2,148
-97.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,319 $2,319
$35.3K £26.5K
-93.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Arak
London
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$13.43 $13.43
$114 £85.5
-88.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$8.95 $8.95
$54.3 £40.69
-83.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.9 $80.9
$124 £93.2
-34.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$51.4 $51.4
$163 £122
-68.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Arak
London
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$295 $295
$2,869 £2,151
-89.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$211 $211
$2,233 £1,674
-90.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$806 $806
$5,266 £3,948
-84.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$359 $359
$3,778 £2,833
-90.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,354 $1,354
$18.3K £13.7K
-92.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$656 $656
$8,024 £6,016
-91.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Arak
London
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$368 $368
$5,037 £3,776
-92.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
18.5
4.74
290.30%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Arak: October 11, 2026

Last update for London: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Arak
$211
London
$2.2K 959% $2K
Groceries & Markets
Arak
$97
London
$349 261% $253
Clothing & Footwear
Arak
$70
London
$205 195% $135
Eating Out
Arak
$67
London
$388 478% $320
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Arak
$15
London
$430 2754% $415
Sport & Entertainment
Arak
$12
London
$95 688% $83
Getting Around
Arak
$11
London
$285 2545% $275

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $295 in Arak and $2,869 in London. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 1269% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $13.00 in Arak vs $107 in London for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $97.0 vs $349 per month, with Arak cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇷 Arak
🇬🇧 London
🕒 Local time
07:25 7:25 AM
04:55 4:55 AM
2 h 30 min behind Arak
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
526,200
8,908,083 Capital
💱 Currency
USD USD
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, EUR to USD – USD Converter

USD exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.13 USD (1 USD = 0.888 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.844 GBP (1 GBP = 1.18 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Arak London 4,400 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Arak
  • London

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Arak vs London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is London cheaper than Arak?
Arak is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 727% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Arak or London?
On paper, salaries run 1269% lower in London. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Arak and London?
Rent for a central apartment: $295 in Arak versus $2,869 in London. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Arak and in London?
All in, you'll spend $482 per month in Arak versus $3,986 in London – a 727% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Arak runs roughly 2492% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Arak or in London?
At $482 in Arak versus $3,986 in London, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Arak but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Arak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Arak or London more family-friendly?
For families, Arak is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in London, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Arak or London?
Safety-wise, Arak and London are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Arak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 727% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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