For one person, living is cheaper in Kish: $556 a month against $629 in Tehran, rent and utilities included – about $880 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kish and in Tehran actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $556 in Kish versus $629 in Tehran.
Kish $556
Tehran $629
Estimated couple costs with rent: $874 in Kish versus $1,066 in Tehran.
Kish $874
Tehran $1,066
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,193 in Kish versus $1,503 in Tehran.
Kish $1,193
Tehran $1,503
🌍
Living in Kish costs roughly 12% less than in Tehran, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Kish59% lower, Tehran54% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Kish
Tehran
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.57$5.57
$3.45$3.45
61.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$15.80$15.80
$16.28$16.28
-2.95%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.61$4.61
$4.09$4.09
12.71%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.69$0.69
$0.72$0.72
-4.17%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.21$1.21
$1.52$1.52
-20.39%
Cappuccino
$1.03$1.03
$1.32$1.32
-21.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50$0.50
$0.53$0.53
-5.66%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.98$0.98
$1.72$1.72
-43.02%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kish
Tehran
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.64$0.64
$0.71$0.71
-9.86%
White Bread(500g)
$0.47$0.47
$0.62$0.62
-24.19%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.09$2.09
$3.34$3.34
-37.43%
Eggs
$1.22$1.22
$1.26$1.26
-3.17%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.18$4.18
$4.51$4.51
-7.32%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.41$3.41
$3.36$3.36
1.49%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.56$11.56
$10.13$10.13
14.12%
Apples(1kg)
$0.94$0.94
$1.38$1.38
-31.88%
Banana(1kg)
$1.49$1.49
$1.87$1.87
-20.32%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.75$0.75
$1.14$1.14
-34.21%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.64$0.64
$0.64$0.64
-
Potato(1kg)
$0.59$0.59
$0.55$0.55
7.27%
Onion(1kg)
$0.49$0.49
$0.47$0.47
4.26%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.59$0.59
$0.53$0.53
11.32%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.21$0.21
$0.30$0.30
-30.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$0.72$0.72
$0.79$0.79
-8.86%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.48$0.48
$0.55$0.55
-12.73%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37$1.37
$2.11$2.11
-35.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.68$2.68
$2.53$2.53
5.93%
🚌 Getting Around
Kish
Tehran
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.16$0.16
$0.10$0.10
60.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$9.47$9.47
$5.47$5.47
73.13%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.40$0.40
$0.52$0.52
-23.08%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.32$0.32
$0.29$0.29
10.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.68$2.68
$3.09$3.09
-13.27%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.09$0.09
$0.09$0.09
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$51.9K$51.9K
$51.0K$51.0K
1.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.6K$39.6K
$45.1K$45.1K
-12.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kish
Tehran
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$11.21$11.21
$12.88$12.88
-12.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$1.79$1.79
$1.60$1.60
11.87%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$3.63$3.63
$3.85$3.85
-5.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kish
Tehran
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$19.75$19.75
$24.27$24.27
-18.62%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.18$13.18
$13.15$13.15
0.23%
Cinema Ticket
$2.01$2.01
$1.95$1.95
3.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kish
Tehran
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$121$121
$109$109
11.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,576$2,576
$2,557$2,557
0.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kish
Tehran
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.56$22.56
$26.91$26.91
-16.16%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.77$28.77
$37.60$37.60
-23.48%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$92.4$92.4
$118$118
-21.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.9$74.9
$71.7$71.7
4.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kish
Tehran
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$289$289
$430$430
-32.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$212$212
$269$269
-21.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$808$808
$961$961
-15.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$349$349
$628$628
-44.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,302$1,302
$1,268$1,268
2.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$548$548
$717$717
-23.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kish
Tehran
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$411$411
$211$211
95.24%
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 Kish: October 25, 2026
Last update for Tehran: October 24, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Kish
$212 38.2%
Tehran
$269 42.8% ↑ 26.9%$57
🛒Groceries & Markets
Kish
$116 20.9%
Tehran
$126 20.1% ↑ 9%$10
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Kish
$98 17.7%
Tehran
$114 18.2% ↑ 16.1%$16
🍽Eating Out
Kish
$77 13.8%
Tehran
$65 10.3% ↓ 15.4%$12
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Kish
$24 4.3%
Tehran
$28 4.5% ↑ 18.6%$4.4
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kish
$17 3%
Tehran
$18 2.9% ↑ 10.3%$1.7
🚌Getting Around
Kish
$12 2.2%
Tehran
$7.8 1.3% ↓ 35.4%$4.3
🏠Accommodation & Living
Kish
$349 29.3%
Tehran
$628 41.8% ↑ 79.8%$279
🛒Groceries & Markets
Kish
$286 24%
Tehran
$307 20.4% ↑ 7.4%$21
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Kish
$219 18.3%
Tehran
$254 16.9% ↑ 16.1%$35
🍽Eating Out
Kish
$236 19.8%
Tehran
$209 13.9% ↓ 11.3%$27
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Kish
$61 5.1%
Tehran
$70 4.6% ↑ 14.5%$8.8
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kish
$18 1.5%
Tehran
$20 1.3% ↑ 8.3%$1.5
🚌Getting Around
Kish
$25 2.1%
Tehran
$16 1.1% ↓ 35.5%$8.7
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $289 in Kish and $430 in Tehran. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Kish pays 95% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $16 in Kish vs $16 in Tehran for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $116 vs $126 per month, with Kish cheaper across the board.
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
Kish vs Tehran: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Kish and in Tehran?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $556 in Kish and $629 in Tehran, so Kish is about 12% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Kish or Tehran?
Average pay runs 95% higher in Kish, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Kish and in Tehran?
Rent for a central apartment: $289 in Kish versus $430 in Tehran. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Kish and Tehran?
Childcare runs $121 in Kish versus $109 in Tehran. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do commuting costs compare in Kish and in Tehran?
A monthly transit pass in Tehran runs roughly 42% less than in Kish. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
How far does $1,200 go in Kish compared to Tehran?
Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Kish gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Kish and Tehran?
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.