Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Iran and the United States

Name: United States
Address: US

For one person, living is cheaper in Iran: $497 a month against $2,734 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $26,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

24

Cost of Living Index in Iran
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Iran Living Index
131

Cost of Living Index in the United States
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United States Living Index

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🇮🇷 Iran

$497

/mo nomad

🇺🇸 United States

$2,734

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Iran and in the United States

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

A single person spends $497 per month in Iran vs $2,734 in the United States, rent included.

Iran $497
United States $2,734

A couple spends around $809 per month in Iran vs $3,985 in the United States, rent included.

Iran $809
United States $3,985

A family of three spends $1,121 per month in Iran vs $5,235 in the United States, rent included.

Iran $1,121
United States $5,235

The regional cost range is wider in the United States ($979–$5,160) than in Iran ($361–$874), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in Iran is roughly 82% lower than in the United States on average.

Iran sits 63% below the global median, while the United States is 101% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.41 $3.41

$20.03 $20.03

-82.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.99 $15.99

$80.0 $80.0

-80.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.95 $3.95

$11.80 $11.80

-66.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.85 $0.85

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 $1.11

Cappuccino

$1.18 $1.18

$5.55 $5.55

-78.74%

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

$0.53 $0.53

$2.66 $2.66

-80.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 $0.85

$2.17 $2.17

-60.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 $6.12

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 $7.94

Milk (1 liter)

$0.62 $0.62

$1.04 $1.04

-40.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 $0.48

$3.59 $3.59

-86.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$4.52 $4.52

-48.01%

Eggs

$1.11 $1.11

$4.28 $4.28

-74.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$13.22 $13.22

-71.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.00 $3.00

$12.60 $12.60

-76.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.85 $9.85

$17.60 $17.60

-44.03%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 $0.97

$5.30 $5.30

-81.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.69 $1.69

-13.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.89 $0.89

$4.44 $4.44

-79.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 $0.58

$4.77 $4.77

-87.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 $0.51

$2.97 $2.97

-82.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 $0.46

$3.15 $3.15

-85.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 $0.51

$2.20 $2.20

-76.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.23 $0.23

$2.35 $2.35

-90.21%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.01 $1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 $0.53

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 $1.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.21 $2.21

$10.98 $10.98

-79.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 $3.79

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 $0.15

$1.94 $1.94

-92.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.20 $10.20

$59.4 $59.4

-82.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 $0.52

$3.58 $3.58

-85.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 $0.31

$1.88 $1.88

-83.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 $2.43

$29.84 $29.84

-91.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.28 $0.28

$1.02 $1.02

-72.55%

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

$59.2K $59.2K

$28.8K $28.8K

105.80%

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

$52.7K $52.7K

$26.2K $26.2K

101.13%

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

$13.72 $13.72

$218 $218

-93.71%

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

$2.30 $2.30

$62.5 $62.5

-96.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.70 $6.70

$74.5 $74.5

-91.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.70 $16.70

$41.86 $41.86

-60.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.24 $12.24

$22.81 $22.81

-46.34%

Cinema Ticket

$1.54 $1.54

$14.70 $14.70

-89.52%

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

$81.3 $81.3

$1,489 $1,489

-94.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,146 $1,146

$25.3K $25.3K

-95.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.85 $22.85

$54.3 $54.3

-57.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.56 $26.56

$42.71 $42.71

-37.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$94.1 $94.1

6.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.5 $62.5

$114 $114

-44.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$252 $252

$1,659 $1,659

-84.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 $180

$1,348 $1,348

-86.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 $556

$2,682 $2,682

-79.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 $345

$2,169 $2,169

-84.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$994 $994

$3,283 $3,283

-69.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$585 $585

$2,482 $2,482

-76.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$243 $243

$4,296 $4,296

-94.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

23.39

6.55

257.10%

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

Last update for Iran: October 25, 2026

Last update for the United States: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Iran

$180 36.1%

United States

$1.3K 49.3% 650% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Iran

$108 21.7%

United States

$415 15.2% 285% $308

Clothing & Footwear

Iran

$96 19.2%

United States

$137 5% 43.5% $42

Eating Out

Iran

$59 11.8%

United States

$328 12% 458% $269

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Iran

$23 4.6%

United States

$355 13% 1462% $332

Sport & Entertainment

Iran

$20 4%

United States

$71 2.6% 260% $51

Getting Around

Iran

$13 2.6%

United States

$80 2.9% 523% $67

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $295 in Iran vs $1,620 in the United States. For reference, capital cities sit at $430 in Tehran and $2,768 in Washington, DC.

Average salary: $268 in Iran vs $4,549 in the United States. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 449% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 369% more in the United States.

Public transport is 530% more expensive in the United States.

Salaries are about 17 times higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Iran

🇺🇸 United States

🕒 Local time

16:43 4:43 PM

09:13 9:13 AM

7 h 30 min behind Iran

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

86,758,304

340,110,988

💱 Currency

USD USD

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Iran United States 10,990 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Iran
United States

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

Iran vs United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iran is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 82% lower on average.

Housing costs more in the United States: a central one-bedroom averages $1,620 versus $295 in Iran.

Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in Iran – part of why living there is about 82% cheaper overall.

Iran is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.