Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ardabil and Tehran

For one person, living is cheaper in Ardabil: $508 a month against $629 in Tehran, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

26

Cost of Living Index in Ardabil
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Ardabil Living Index
30

Cost of Living Index in Tehran
Learn more

Tehran Living Index

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Ardabil

🇮🇷 Iran

$508

/mo nomad

Tehran

🇮🇷 Iran

$629

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ardabil 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 Ardabil and in Tehran actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $508 in Ardabil versus $629 in Tehran.

Ardabil $508
Tehran $629

Estimated couple costs with rent: $807 in Ardabil versus $1,066 in Tehran.

Ardabil $807
Tehran $1,066

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,106 in Ardabil versus $1,503 in Tehran.

Ardabil $1,106
Tehran $1,503

Living in Ardabil costs roughly 19% less than in Tehran, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ardabil 63% lower, Tehran 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.89 $2.89

$3.45 $3.45

-16.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.95 $14.95

$16.28 $16.28

-8.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 $3.92

$4.09 $4.09

-4.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.70 $0.70

$0.72 $0.72

-2.78%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.52 $1.52

-34.21%

Cappuccino

$1.20 $1.20

$1.32 $1.32

-9.09%

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

$0.51 $0.51

$0.53 $0.53

-3.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.72 $1.72

-40.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.65 $0.65

$0.71 $0.71

-8.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 $0.49

$0.62 $0.62

-20.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$3.34 $3.34

-39.22%

Eggs

$1.15 $1.15

$1.26 $1.26

-8.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$4.51 $4.51

-0.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$3.36 $3.36

-1.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.23 $10.23

$10.13 $10.13

0.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.38 $1.38

-15.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.87 $1.87

-24.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.14 $1.14

-23.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 $0.53

$0.64 $0.64

-17.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 $0.50

$0.55 $0.55

-9.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 $0.47

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 $0.47

$0.53 $0.53

-11.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.23 $0.23

$0.30 $0.30

-23.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.85 $0.85

$0.79 $0.79

7.59%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 $0.53

$0.55 $0.55

-3.64%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 $1.44

$2.11 $2.11

-31.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.53 $2.53

-11.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 $0.15

$0.10 $0.10

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.58 $8.58

$5.47 $5.47

56.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.43 $0.43

$0.52 $0.52

-17.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 $0.30

$0.29 $0.29

3.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 $2.32

$3.09 $3.09

-24.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.10 $0.10

$0.09 $0.09

11.11%

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

$42.9K $42.9K

$51.0K $51.0K

-15.77%

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

$40.4K $40.4K

$45.1K $45.1K

-10.41%

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

$14.32 $14.32

$12.88 $12.88

11.18%

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

$1.70 $1.70

$1.60 $1.60

6.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$3.40 $3.40

$3.85 $3.85

-11.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.84 $15.84

$24.27 $24.27

-34.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.71 $14.71

$13.15 $13.15

11.86%

Cinema Ticket

$1.98 $1.98

$1.95 $1.95

1.54%

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

$93.6 $93.6

$109 $109

-13.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,121 $2,121

$2,557 $2,557

-17.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.25 $21.25

$26.91 $26.91

-21.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.29 $25.29

$37.60 $37.60

-32.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.5 $96.5

$118 $118

-17.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.6 $65.6

$71.7 $71.7

-8.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$292 $292

$430 $430

-32.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 $196

$269 $269

-27.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$775 $775

$961 $961

-19.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 $339

$628 $628

-46.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,188 $1,188

$1,268 $1,268

-6.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$506 $506

$717 $717

-29.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$211 $211

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.3

24.79

-1.98%

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

Last update for Ardabil: October 27, 2026

Last update for Tehran: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ardabil

$196 38.6%

Tehran

$269 42.8% 37.4% $73

Groceries & Markets

Ardabil

$112 22.1%

Tehran

$126 20.1% 12.5% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Ardabil

$94 18.5%

Tehran

$114 18.2% 21.6% $20

Eating Out

Ardabil

$55 10.9%

Tehran

$65 10.3% 16.7% $9.3

Sport & Entertainment

Ardabil

$20 3.9%

Tehran

$28 4.5% 42.3% $8.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ardabil

$19 3.8%

Tehran

$18 2.9% 5.6% $1.1

Getting Around

Ardabil

$11 2.2%

Tehran

$7.8 1.3% 29.3% $3.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $292 in Ardabil and $430 in Tehran. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $15 in Ardabil vs $16 in Tehran for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $112 vs $126 per month, with Ardabil cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Ardabil

🇮🇷 Tehran

🕒 Local time

14:32 2:32 PM

Same time as Ardabil

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

482,632

8,000,000 Capital

💱 Currency

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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

Ardabil vs Tehran: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ardabil is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, groceries, and eating out. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $762 in Ardabil and $943 in Tehran to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $292 in Ardabil versus $430 in Tehran. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tehran runs roughly 36% less than in Ardabil. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

Childcare runs $94 in Ardabil versus $109 in Tehran. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Ardabil 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.