Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shiraz and Isfahan

For one person, living is cheaper in Isfahan: $468 a month against $542 in Shiraz, rent and utilities included – about $890 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

26

Cost of Living Index in Shiraz
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Shiraz Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Isfahan
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Isfahan Living Index

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Shiraz

🇮🇷 Iran

$542

/mo nomad

Isfahan

🇮🇷 Iran

$468

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shiraz and in Isfahan

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

A single person spends $542 per month in Shiraz vs $468 in Isfahan, rent included.

Shiraz $542
Isfahan $468

A couple spends around $813 per month in Shiraz vs $797 in Isfahan, rent included.

Shiraz $813
Isfahan $797

A family of three spends $1,084 per month in Shiraz vs $1,126 in Isfahan, rent included.

Shiraz $1,084
Isfahan $1,126

Shiraz costs about 16% more than Isfahan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Shiraz and Isfahan are more affordable than the global median – Shiraz 60% lower, Isfahan 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 $4.63

$3.07 $3.07

50.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.20 $13.20

$12.64 $12.64

4.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.07 $4.07

$3.08 $3.08

32.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.78 $0.78

25.64%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.03 $2.03

-11.33%

Cappuccino

$1.21 $1.21

$1.01 $1.01

19.80%

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

$0.62 $0.62

$0.51 $0.51

21.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 $0.49

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$0.48 $0.48

45.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 $0.41

$0.46 $0.46

-10.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.90 $1.90

-1.05%

Eggs

$1.18 $1.18

$1.52 $1.52

-22.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.86 $2.86

-20.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.33 $2.33

27.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.58 $9.58

$10.48 $10.48

-8.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.77 $0.77

44.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.31 $1.31

18.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.02 $1.02

-12.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 $0.60

$0.56 $0.56

7.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 $0.57

$0.55 $0.55

3.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.48 $0.48

8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 $0.47

$0.54 $0.54

-12.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.21 $0.21

$0.17 $0.17

23.53%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.89 $0.89

$0.49 $0.49

81.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 $0.60

$0.54 $0.54

11.11%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$0.83 $0.83

108.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.12 $2.12

43.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.11 $0.11

$0.29 $0.29

-62.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$2.95 $2.95

$12.50 $12.50

-76.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 $0.41

$0.52 $0.52

-21.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 $0.20

$0.31 $0.31

-35.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.02 $2.02

69.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

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

$64.9K $64.9K

$66.1K $66.1K

-1.80%

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

$53.3K $53.3K

$47.3K $47.3K

12.77%

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

$23.44 $23.44

$10.17 $10.17

130.48%

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

$1.98 $1.98

$2.09 $2.09

-5.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.86 $16.86

$7.41 $7.41

127.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.75 $18.75

$13.79 $13.79

35.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.68 $13.68

$13.24 $13.24

3.32%

Cinema Ticket

$2.02 $2.02

$1.02 $1.02

98.04%

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

$102 $102

$72.8 $72.8

40.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,401 $2,401

$533 $533

350.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.72 $22.72

$18.16 $18.16

25.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.07 $18.07

$23.84 $23.84

-24.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 $93.8

$87.3 $87.3

7.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 $55.6

$36.59 $36.59

51.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$293 $293

$285 $285

2.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 $218

$192 $192

13.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 $526

$1,338 $1,338

-60.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 $325

$449 $449

-27.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,127 $1,127

$1,189 $1,189

-5.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$517 $517

$741 $741

-30.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$243 $243

$203 $203

19.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.3

26.8

-9.33%

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

Last update for Shiraz: October 27, 2026

Last update for Isfahan: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Shiraz

$218 40.2%

Isfahan

$192 41% 11.7% $26

Groceries & Markets

Shiraz

$102 18.9%

Isfahan

$100 21.4% 2.2% $2.3

Clothing & Footwear

Shiraz

$86 15.8%

Isfahan

$75 16% 12.7% $11

Eating Out

Shiraz

$66 * 12.2%

Isfahan

$50 10.7% 24.7% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shiraz

$42 7.8%

Isfahan

$20 4.2% 53.5% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Shiraz

$23 4.2%

Isfahan

$16 3.4% 30.5% $7

Getting Around

Shiraz

$4.8 0.9%

Isfahan

$16 3.4% 229% $11

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $293 in Shiraz versus $285 in Isfahan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 19% higher in Shiraz. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $13 in Shiraz versus $13 in Isfahan. Groceries tell a different story – $102 in Shiraz vs $100 in Isfahan – so Isfahan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Shiraz

🇮🇷 Isfahan

🕒 Local time

04:42 4:42 AM

Same time as Shiraz

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,565,572

1,961,260

💱 Currency

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Shiraz Isfahan 350 km

From you

Shiraz
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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

Shiraz vs Isfahan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shiraz costs about 16% more than Isfahan, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $813 per month in Shiraz and $702 in Isfahan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $293 in Shiraz and $285 in Isfahan. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $542 in Shiraz and $468 in Isfahan. That makes Isfahan about 14% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 76% less in Shiraz. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $542 in Shiraz and $468 in Isfahan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Isfahan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Isfahan. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shiraz makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.