Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Arak and Tehran

For one person, living is cheaper in Arak: $480 a month against $629 in Tehran, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

23

Cost of Living Index in Arak
Learn more

Arak Living Index
30

Cost of Living Index in Tehran
Learn more

Tehran Living Index

Jump to prices

Arak

🇮🇷 Iran

$480

/mo nomad

Tehran

🇮🇷 Iran

$629

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Arak and in Tehran

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 Tehran actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $480 in Arak versus $629 in Tehran.

Arak $480
Tehran $629

Estimated couple costs with rent: $755 in Arak versus $1,066 in Tehran.

Arak $755
Tehran $1,066

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,030 in Arak versus $1,503 in Tehran.

Arak $1,030
Tehran $1,503

Living in Arak costs roughly 24% less than in Tehran, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Arak 65% lower, Tehran 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.55 $3.55

$3.45 $3.45

2.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.88 $12.88

$16.28 $16.28

-20.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 $4.09

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.73 $0.73

$0.72 $0.72

1.39%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 $0.57

$1.52 $1.52

-62.50%

Cappuccino

$1.33 $1.33

$1.32 $1.32

0.76%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 $0.51

$0.53 $0.53

-3.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.72 $1.72

-3.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.54 $0.54

$0.71 $0.71

-23.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 $0.58

$0.62 $0.62

-6.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.34 $3.34

-41.32%

Eggs

$1.28 $1.28

$1.26 $1.26

1.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$4.51 $4.51

-52.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$3.36 $3.36

-24.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.31 $10.31

$10.13 $10.13

1.78%

Apples (1kg)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.38 $1.38

-44.20%

Banana (1kg)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.87 $1.87

-49.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.63 $0.63

$1.14 $1.14

-44.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 $0.48

$0.64 $0.64

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.42 $0.42

$0.55 $0.55

-23.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 $0.44

$0.47 $0.47

-6.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 $0.48

$0.53 $0.53

-9.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 $0.28

$0.30 $0.30

-6.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.76 $0.76

$0.79 $0.79

-3.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 $0.55

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.11 $2.11

2.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.53 $2.53

-0.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.10 $0.10

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.70 $9.70

$5.47 $5.47

77.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.25 $0.25

$0.52 $0.52

-51.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 $0.12

$0.29 $0.29

-58.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 $1.02

$3.09 $3.09

-66.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.10 $0.10

$0.09 $0.09

11.11%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$50.3K $50.3K

$51.0K $51.0K

-1.19%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$35.0K $35.0K

$45.1K $45.1K

-22.47%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$10.03 $10.03

$12.88 $12.88

-22.13%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.60 $1.60

-10.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$4.01 $4.01

$3.85 $3.85

4.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.93 $9.93

$24.27 $24.27

-59.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.64 $24.64

$13.15 $13.15

87.38%

Cinema Ticket

$1.11 $1.11

$1.95 $1.95

-43.08%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$83.3 $83.3

$109 $109

-23.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,372 $2,372

$2,557 $2,557

-7.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.59 $13.59

$26.91 $26.91

-49.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.51 $8.51

$37.60 $37.60

-77.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.9 $81.9

$118 $118

-30.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.1 $52.1

$71.7 $71.7

-27.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 $294

$430 $430

-31.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 $210

$269 $269

-22.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$781 $781

$961 $961

-18.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 $357

$628 $628

-43.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,369 $1,369

$1,268 $1,268

7.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 $647

$717 $717

-9.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$375 $375

$211 $211

78.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

24.79

-25.37%

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

Last update for Arak: October 26, 2026

Last update for Tehran: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Arak

$210 43.7%

Tehran

$269 42.8% 28.4% $59

Groceries & Markets

Arak

$96 20%

Tehran

$126 20.1% 31.7% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Arak

$70 14.6%

Tehran

$114 18.2% 62.7% $44

Eating Out

Arak

$65 13.6%

Tehran

$65 10.3% 0.8% $0.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Arak

$15 3.2%

Tehran

$18 2.9% 18.4% $2.8

Sport & Entertainment

Arak

$12 2.5%

Tehran

$28 4.5% 132% $16

Getting Around

Arak

$11 2.3%

Tehran

$7.8 1.3% 28.5% $3.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $294 in Arak and $430 in Tehran. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arak pays 78% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $13 in Arak vs $16 in Tehran for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $96 vs $126 per month, with Arak cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Arak

🇮🇷 Tehran

🕒 Local time

01:19 1:19 AM

Same time as Arak

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

526,200

8,000,000 Capital

💱 Currency

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Arak Tehran 240 km

From you

Arak
Tehran

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 Tehran: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arak is about 24% cheaper overall, especially in clothing, groceries, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 78% higher in Arak, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $294 in Arak versus $430 in Tehran. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $480 per month in Arak versus $629 in Tehran – Arak is about 24% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Tehran runs roughly 44% less than in Arak. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Arak gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.