For one person, living is cheaper in Qom: $436 a month against $544 in Shiraz, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 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 Qom and in Shiraz actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $436 in Qom versus $544 in Shiraz.
Qom $436
Shiraz $544
Estimated couple costs with rent: $847 in Qom versus $813 in Shiraz.
Qom $847
Shiraz $813
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,257 in Qom versus $1,082 in Shiraz.
Qom $1,257
Shiraz $1,082
🌍
Living in Qom costs roughly 20% less than in Shiraz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Qom68% lower, Shiraz60% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Qom
Shiraz
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.05$3.05
$4.46$4.46
-31.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$15.89$15.89
$12.88$12.88
23.37%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.91$3.91
$4.12$4.12
-5.10%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.52$0.52
$0.97$0.97
-46.39%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48$1.48
$1.70$1.70
-12.94%
Cappuccino
$1.01$1.01
$1.21$1.21
-16.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.41$0.41
$0.60$0.60
-31.67%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73$1.73
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Qom
Shiraz
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.53$0.53
$0.67$0.67
-20.90%
White Bread(500g)
$0.62$0.62
$0.45$0.45
37.78%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.70$1.70
$1.88$1.88
-9.57%
Eggs
$1.02$1.02
$1.19$1.19
-14.29%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$2.81$2.81
$2.25$2.25
24.89%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.13$3.13
$2.94$2.94
6.46%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.45$7.45
$10.02$10.02
-25.65%
Apples(1kg)
$0.79$0.79
$1.12$1.12
-29.46%
Banana(1kg)
$1.46$1.46
$1.56$1.56
-6.41%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.99$0.99
$0.90$0.90
10.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.47$0.47
$0.59$0.59
-20.34%
Potato(1kg)
$0.47$0.47
$0.53$0.53
-11.32%
Onion(1kg)
$0.43$0.43
$0.53$0.53
-18.87%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.26$0.26
$0.47$0.47
-44.68%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.26$0.26
$0.21$0.21
23.81%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$0.77$0.77
$0.87$0.87
-11.49%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.47$0.47
$0.55$0.55
-14.55%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48$1.48
$1.74$1.74
-14.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.22$1.22
$2.97$2.97
-58.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Qom
Shiraz
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.17$0.17
$0.11$0.11
54.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$14.48$14.48
$2.98$2.98
385.91%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.26$0.26
$0.38$0.38
-31.58%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.25$0.25
$0.20$0.20
25.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.02$1.02
$3.53$3.53
-71.10%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.08$0.08
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.7K$50.7K
$66.2K$66.2K
-23.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$46.1K$46.1K
$53.1K$53.1K
-13.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Qom
Shiraz
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$12.79$12.79
$23.42$23.42
-45.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$1.27$1.27
$2.07$2.07
-38.65%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$3.97$3.97
$16.82$16.82
-76.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Qom
Shiraz
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$8.60$8.60
$18.40$18.40
-53.26%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.86$9.86
$13.74$13.74
-28.24%
Cinema Ticket
$0.98$0.98
$2.04$2.04
-51.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Qom
Shiraz
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$108$108
$103$103
5.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,623$2,623
$2,386$2,386
9.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Qom
Shiraz
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$15.29$15.29
$22.62$22.62
-32.40%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$12.99$12.99
$18.48$18.48
-29.71%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$100$100
$96.3$96.3
4.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$49.43$49.43
$54.6$54.6
-9.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Qom
Shiraz
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$237$237
$293$293
-19.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$160$160
$219$219
-27.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$578$578
$545$545
6.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$573$573
$323$323
77.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$885$885
$1,154$1,154
-23.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$611$611
$503$503
21.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Qom
Shiraz
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$216$216
$237$237
-8.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
20.33
24.3
-16.34%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Qom: October 31, 2026
Last update for Shiraz: November 1, 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
Qom
$160 36.6%
Shiraz
$219 40.3% ↑ 37%$59
🛒Groceries & Markets
Qom
$94 21.6%
Shiraz
$103 19% ↑ 9.8%$9.2
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Qom
$80 18.4%
Shiraz
$86 15.9% ↑ 7.8%$6.3
🍽Eating Out
Qom
$57 13%
Shiraz
$65 * 12% ↑ 14.2%$8.1
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Qom
$18 4.1%
Shiraz
$42 7.8% ↑ 135%$24
🚌Getting Around
Qom
$17 3.8%
Shiraz
$4.8 0.9% ↓ 71.3%$12
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Qom
$11 2.4%
Shiraz
$22 4.1% ↑ 113%$12
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Qom
$573 45.6%
Shiraz
$323 29.9% ↓ 43.6%$250
🛒Groceries & Markets
Qom
$231 18.4%
Shiraz
$256 23.7% ↑ 10.9%$25
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Qom
$178 14.2%
Shiraz
$192 17.8% ↑ 7.8%$14
🍽Eating Out
Qom
$191 15.2%
Shiraz
$198 * 18.3% ↑ 3.6%$6.8
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Qom
$19 1.5%
Shiraz
$44 4.1% ↑ 130%$25
🚌Getting Around
Qom
$34 2.7%
Shiraz
$9.8 0.9% ↓ 70.9%$24
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Qom
$31 2.5%
Shiraz
$59 5.4% ↑ 89.6%$28
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $237 in Qom and $293 in Shiraz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Shiraz pays 10% 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: $16 in Qom vs $13 in Shiraz. Groceries flip the comparison at $94 vs $103, with Qom cheaper for home cooking.
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
Qom vs Shiraz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Qom or Shiraz?
Qom wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Shiraz. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Qom the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Qom or in Shiraz?
On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Qom. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Qom compared to Shiraz?
Rent for a central apartment: $237 in Qom versus $293 in Shiraz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Qom and in Shiraz?
Dining out is cheaper in Shiraz – a meal for two runs $13 versus $16 in Qom. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Qom compared to Shiraz?
All in, you’ll spend $436 per month in Qom versus $544 in Shiraz – Qom is about 20% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $800/month in Qom or in Shiraz?
Either city works on $800 a month, though Qom gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Qom or Shiraz?
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.
How safe is Qom compared to Shiraz?
Safety-wise, Qom and Shiraz are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Should I move to Qom or to Shiraz?
It comes down to priorities – Qom wins on affordability, Shiraz on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.