Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Iran

Name: Iran
Address: IR

For one person, living is cheaper in Iran: $495 a month against $789 in China, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in China
Learn more

China Living Index
24

Cost of Living Index in Iran
Learn more

Iran Living Index

Jump to prices

🇨🇳 China

$789

/mo nomad

🇮🇷 Iran

$495

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in China and in Iran

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $789 in China versus $495 in Iran.

China $789
Iran $495

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,254 in China versus $804 in Iran.

China $1,254
Iran $804

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,720 in China versus $1,114 in Iran.

China $1,720
Iran $1,114

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $468 to $1,246, compared to $355–$872 in Iran. City choice carries more weight in China.

Living in China is roughly 60% more expensive than in Iran on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 42% lower, Iran 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 ¥20.25

$3.30 $3.30

-7.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.12 ¥147

$16.06 $16.06

37.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.37 ¥35.75

$4.12 $4.12

30.34%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.84 $0.84

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 $1.14

Cappuccino

$2.93 ¥19.54

$1.17 $1.17

150.43%

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

$0.48 ¥3.21

$0.54 $0.54

-11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.01

$0.92 $0.92

-67.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 ¥7.15

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 ¥14.69

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ¥12.01

$0.62 $0.62

190.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ¥10.76

$0.50 $0.50

224.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.58

$2.36 $2.36

-58.05%

Eggs

$1.62 ¥10.80

$1.12 $1.12

44.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.44 ¥89.5

$3.64 $3.64

269.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 ¥23.05

$3.01 $3.01

14.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.15 ¥74.2

$9.80 $9.80

13.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.60

$0.97 $0.97

94.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ¥8.72

$1.49 $1.49

-12.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥9.97

$0.88 $0.88

70.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥8.90

$0.58 $0.58

131.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.77

$0.48 $0.48

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.21

$0.49 $0.49

89.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.49 $0.49

32.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥3.98

$0.25 $0.25

140.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.02 $1.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 $0.53

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 $1.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 ¥25.43

$2.14 $2.14

78.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.18 ¥81.1

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥6.04

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ¥10.96

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.92

$0.16 $0.16

81.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.07 ¥120

$10.09 $10.09

79.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ¥10.22

$0.48 $0.48

218.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.46

$0.29 $0.29

27.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 ¥44.58

$2.44 $2.44

174.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ¥8.50

$0.30 $0.30

326.67%

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

$19.7K ¥131.5K

$58.9K $58.9K

-66.50%

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

$17.5K ¥116.3K

$52.9K $52.9K

-67.01%

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

$55.3 ¥368

$13.82 $13.82

300.29%

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

$8.32 ¥55.4

$2.24 $2.24

271.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 ¥74.1

$6.49 $6.49

71.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.65 ¥264

$16.50 $16.50

140.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.17 ¥101

$12.32 $12.32

23.13%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 ¥44.27

$1.46 $1.46

355.48%

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

$514 ¥3,426

$80.2 $80.2

541.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.9K ¥232.5K

$1,168 $1,168

2888.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.85 ¥305

$22.51 $22.51

103.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.41 ¥236

$26.70 $26.70

32.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 ¥506

$103 $103

-26.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 ¥533

$60.8 $60.8

31.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 ¥2,528

$251 $251

51.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 ¥1,543

$177 $177

30.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 ¥5,565

$560 $560

49.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ¥3,075

$337 $337

36.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,743 ¥31.6K

$993 $993

377.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,383 ¥15.9K

$604 $604

294.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,117 ¥7,438

$244 $244

357.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.45

23.49

-85.31%

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

Last update for China: November 1, 2026

Last update for Iran: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

China

$232 29.4%

Iran

$177 35.9% 23.5% $54

Groceries & Markets

China

$212 26.8%

Iran

$108 21.8% 49% $104

Clothing & Footwear

China

$107 13.5%

Iran

$96 19.4% 10.1% $11

Eating Out

China

$89 11.2%

Iran

$59 11.9% 33.7% $30

Monthly Utilities & Internet

China

$75 9.5%

Iran

$23 4.6% 69.8% $52

Sport & Entertainment

China

$53 6.7%

Iran

$19 3.9% 63.3% $34

Getting Around

China

$23 2.9%

Iran

$13 2.6% 44.1% $10

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $298 in China, $294 in Iran. Capital cities: $942 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $419 in Tehran.

National salary averages: $881 in China, $268 in Iran. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 38% more in China.

Public transport is 80% more expensive in China.

Salaries are about 3.3 times higher in China, and purchasing power comes out stronger in China.

Good to know

🇨🇳 China

🇮🇷 Iran

🕒 Local time

19:29 7:29 PM

14:59 2:59 PM

4 h 30 min behind China

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,442,965,000

86,758,304

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.134 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇳 Chinese Yuan (¥)

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 6.66 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.47 CNY (1 CNY = 0.134 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CNY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

China Iran 5,600 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

China
Iran

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

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

China vs Iran: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $789 per month in China and $495 in Iran, Iran comes out about 37% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is cheaper in Iran: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

In Iran, $800 covers most cities easily; in China it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you’ll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you’re after: Iran wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.