Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karaj and Tehran

For one person, living is cheaper in Tehran: $627 a month against $816 in Karaj, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Karaj outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

40

Cost of Living Index in Karaj
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Karaj Living Index
31

Cost of Living Index in Tehran
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Tehran Living Index

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Karaj

🇮🇷 Iran

$816

/mo nomad

Tehran

🇮🇷 Iran

$627

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $816 in Karaj versus $627 in Tehran.

Karaj $816
Tehran $627

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,054 in Karaj versus $1,074 in Tehran.

Karaj $1,054
Tehran $1,074

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,292 in Karaj versus $1,521 in Tehran.

Karaj $1,292
Tehran $1,521

Living in Karaj is roughly 30% more expensive than in Tehran, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karaj 40% lower, Tehran 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 $3.79

$3.84 $3.84

-1.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.25 $17.25

$17.95 $17.95

-3.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 $3.92

$4.02 $4.02

-2.49%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.48 $0.48

$0.73 $0.73

-34.25%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.52 $1.52

-26.32%

Cappuccino

$1.11 $1.11

$1.34 $1.34

-17.16%

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

$0.46 $0.46

$0.53 $0.53

-13.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.74 $1.74

-4.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 $0.51

$0.58 $0.58

-12.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 $2.07

$3.45 $3.45

-40.00%

Eggs

$1.08 $1.08

$1.23 $1.23

-12.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$4.35 $4.35

-0.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.47 $3.47

-4.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.38 $10.38

$10.15 $10.15

2.27%

Apples (1kg)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.34 $1.34

-35.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.95 $1.95

-13.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.19 $1.19

-36.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 $0.49

$0.68 $0.68

-27.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 $0.46

$0.55 $0.55

-16.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 $0.47

$0.51 $0.51

-7.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 $0.57

$0.53 $0.53

7.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.19 $0.19

$0.28 $0.28

-32.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.76 $0.76

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.55 $0.55

-5.45%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 $1.34

$2.10 $2.10

-36.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.54 $2.54

-0.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 $0.19

$0.09 $0.09

111.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.23 $13.23

$5.66 $5.66

133.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 $0.31

$0.48 $0.48

-35.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 $0.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.04 $3.04

-12.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.08 $0.08

$0.09 $0.09

-11.11%

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

$49.4K $49.4K

$50.5K $50.5K

-2.22%

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

$44.9K $44.9K

$44.2K $44.2K

1.57%

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

$12.86 $12.86

$13.03 $13.03

-1.30%

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

$1.58 $1.58

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.62 $3.62

1.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.06 $23.06

$24.77 $24.77

-6.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.06 $10.06

$13.60 $13.60

-26.03%

Cinema Ticket

$1.12 $1.12

$1.95 $1.95

-42.56%

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

$108 $108

0.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$817 $817

$2,628 $2,628

-68.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.45 $25.45

$27.05 $27.05

-5.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.36 $28.36

$37.32 $37.32

-24.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 $95.8

$117 $117

-18.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 $74.5

$74.8 $74.8

-0.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 $291

$424 $424

-31.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 $480

$262 $262

83.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 $829

$945 $945

-12.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 $467

$625 $625

-25.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,249 $1,249

$1,247 $1,247

0.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$528 $528

$723 $723

-27.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$245 $245

$210 $210

16.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.79

-7.22%

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

Last update for Karaj: October 11, 2026

Last update for Tehran: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Karaj

$480 58.8%

Tehran

$262 41.7% 45.5% $218

Groceries & Markets

Karaj

$112 13.7%

Tehran

$127 20.3% 13.4% $15

Clothing & Footwear

Karaj

$101 12.4%

Tehran

$115 18.4% 14.5% $15

Eating Out

Karaj

$64 7.8%

Tehran

$68 10.8% 6.2% $4

Sport & Entertainment

Karaj

$25 3.1%

Tehran

$29 4.6% 13.3% $3.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Karaj

$18 2.2%

Tehran

$18 2.9% 0.6% $0.1

Getting Around

Karaj

$16 1.9%

Tehran

$8 1.3% 49.4% $7.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $291 in Karaj and $424 in Tehran. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karaj pays 16% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $17.00 in Karaj vs $18.00 in Tehran for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $112 vs $127 per month, with Karaj cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Karaj

🇮🇷 Tehran

🕒 Local time

03:16 3:16 AM

Same time as Karaj

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,712,000

8,000,000 Capital

💱 Currency

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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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

Karaj vs Tehran: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karaj and Tehran differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($816 vs $627 including rent). Tehran is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 16% higher in Karaj, 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: $291 in Karaj versus $424 in Tehran. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Karaj pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Tehran – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $17.00 in Karaj. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Tehran 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 Tehran 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 Tehran gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Karaj. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.