Cost of Living Comparison Between Karaj and Shiraz Cost of Living Comparison Between Karaj and Shiraz

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $541 in Karaj versus $549 in Shiraz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $985 in Karaj versus $866 in Shiraz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,428 in Karaj versus $1,182 in Shiraz.

Living in Karaj costs roughly 1% less than in Shiraz, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karaj 60% lower, Shiraz 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.09 $4.09

$5.85 $5.85

-30.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.69 $17.69

$13.85 $13.85

27.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 $4.90

$3.58 $3.58

36.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.64 $0.64

$0.72 $0.72

-11.11%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.95 $1.95

-48.21%

Cappuccino

$1.31 $1.31

$1.02 $1.02

28.43%

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

$0.45 $0.45

$1.48 $1.48

-69.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.21 $1.21

-11.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.64 $0.64

$0.68 $0.68

-5.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 $0.57

$0.47 $0.47

21.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.59 $1.59

16.35%

Eggs

$1.01 $1.01

$1.18 $1.18

-14.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.01 $3.01

16.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.68 $3.68

-9.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.55 $10.55

$10.03 $10.03

5.18%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 $0.84

$0.93 $0.93

-9.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.69 $1.69

-15.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.94 $0.94

-13.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 $0.47

$0.54 $0.54

-12.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.45 $0.45

$0.49 $0.49

-8.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 $0.47

$0.49 $0.49

-4.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 $0.63

$0.71 $0.71

-11.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 $0.22

$0.26 $0.26

-15.38%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.61 $0.61

$1.02 $1.02

-40.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 $0.49

$0.61 $0.61

-19.67%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.41 $1.41

-2.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.34 $2.34

5.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 $0.18

$0.22 $0.22

-18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.82 $12.82

$2.34 $2.34

447.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 $0.31

$0.29 $0.29

6.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 $0.29

$0.19 $0.19

52.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.67 $1.67

51.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.71 $0.71

$0.70 $0.70

1.43%

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

$80.4K $80.4K

$73.8K $73.8K

8.84%

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

$54.0K $54.0K

$79.2K $79.2K

-31.82%

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

$13.74 $13.74

$36.19 $36.19

-62.03%

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

$2.10 $2.10

$1.98 $1.98

6.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.74 $5.74

$19.18 $19.18

-70.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.57 $22.57

$15.76 $15.76

43.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.19 $10.19

$15.49 $15.49

-34.22%

Cinema Ticket

$1.54 $1.54

$1.99 $1.99

-22.61%

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

$127 $127

$151 $151

-15.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$814 $814

$2,163 $2,163

-62.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.87 $24.87

$23.64 $23.64

5.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.58 $34.58

$20.75 $20.75

66.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 $98.2

$73.5 $73.5

33.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.0 $61.0

$41.20 $41.20

48.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 $364

$286 $286

27.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 $194

$201 $201

-3.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$872 $872

$476 $476

83.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 $623

$409 $409

52.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,264 $1,264

$1,066 $1,066

18.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$544 $544

$528 $528

3.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$243 $243

$203 $203

19.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.67

22.24

1.93%

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

Last update for Karaj: June 7, 2026

Last update for Shiraz: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $364 in Karaj and $286 in Shiraz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karaj pays 20% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Karaj vs $14.00 in Shiraz. Groceries flip the comparison at $108 vs $110, with Karaj cheaper for home cooking.

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

Karaj vs Shiraz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karaj and Shiraz differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($541 vs $549 including rent). Karaj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Karaj pays 20% more on average, 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: $364 in Karaj versus $286 in Shiraz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Shiraz. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Karaj – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $14.00 in Shiraz. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Karaj 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.

Safety-wise, Karaj and Shiraz are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Karaj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Shiraz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.