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 Shiraz and in Qom actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $544 in Shiraz versus $436 in Qom.
Shiraz $544
Qom $436
Estimated couple costs with rent: $813 in Shiraz versus $847 in Qom.
Shiraz $813
Qom $847
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,082 in Shiraz versus $1,257 in Qom.
Shiraz $1,082
Qom $1,257
🌍
Living in Shiraz is roughly 25% more expensive than in Qom, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Shiraz60% lower, Qom68% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Shiraz
Qom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.46$4.46
$3.05$3.05
46.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.88$12.88
$15.89$15.89
-18.94%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.12$4.12
$3.91$3.91
5.37%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.97$0.97
$0.52$0.52
86.54%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70$1.70
$1.48$1.48
14.86%
Cappuccino
$1.21$1.21
$1.01$1.01
19.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.60$0.60
$0.41$0.41
46.34%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.73$1.73
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Shiraz
Qom
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.67$0.67
$0.53$0.53
26.42%
White Bread(500g)
$0.45$0.45
$0.62$0.62
-27.42%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.88$1.88
$1.70$1.70
10.59%
Eggs
$1.19$1.19
$1.02$1.02
16.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$2.25$2.25
$2.81$2.81
-19.93%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.94$2.94
$3.13$3.13
-6.07%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.02$10.02
$7.45$7.45
34.50%
Apples(1kg)
$1.12$1.12
$0.79$0.79
41.77%
Banana(1kg)
$1.56$1.56
$1.46$1.46
6.85%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.90$0.90
$0.99$0.99
-9.09%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.59$0.59
$0.47$0.47
25.53%
Potato(1kg)
$0.53$0.53
$0.47$0.47
12.77%
Onion(1kg)
$0.53$0.53
$0.43$0.43
23.26%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.47$0.47
$0.26$0.26
80.77%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.21$0.21
$0.26$0.26
-19.23%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$0.87$0.87
$0.77$0.77
12.99%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.55$0.55
$0.47$0.47
17.02%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74$1.74
$1.48$1.48
17.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.97$2.97
$1.22$1.22
143.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Shiraz
Qom
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.11$0.11
$0.17$0.17
-35.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$2.98$2.98
$14.48$14.48
-79.42%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.38$0.38
$0.26$0.26
46.15%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.20$0.20
$0.25$0.25
-20.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.53$3.53
$1.02$1.02
246.08%
Gasoline(1 liter)
-
$0.08$0.08
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$66.2K$66.2K
$50.7K$50.7K
30.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$53.1K$53.1K
$46.1K$46.1K
15.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Shiraz
Qom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$23.42$23.42
$12.79$12.79
83.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$2.07$2.07
$1.27$1.27
62.99%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.82$16.82
$3.97$3.97
323.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Shiraz
Qom
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$18.40$18.40
$8.60$8.60
113.95%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.74$13.74
$9.86$9.86
39.35%
Cinema Ticket
$2.04$2.04
$0.98$0.98
108.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Shiraz
Qom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$103$103
$108$108
-5.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,386$2,386
$2,623$2,623
-9.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Shiraz
Qom
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.62$22.62
$15.29$15.29
47.94%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$18.48$18.48
$12.99$12.99
42.26%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.3$96.3
$100$100
-4.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$54.6$54.6
$49.43$49.43
10.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Shiraz
Qom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$293$293
$237$237
23.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$219$219
$160$160
37.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$545$545
$578$578
-5.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$323$323
$573$573
-43.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,154$1,154
$885$885
30.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$503$503
$611$611
-17.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Shiraz
Qom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$237$237
$216$216
9.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
24.3
20.33
19.53%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Shiraz: November 1, 2026
Last update for Qom: October 31, 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
Shiraz
$219 40.3%
Qom
$160 36.6% ↓ 27%$59
🛒Groceries & Markets
Shiraz
$103 19%
Qom
$94 21.6% ↓ 8.9%$9.2
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Shiraz
$86 15.9%
Qom
$80 18.4% ↓ 7.2%$6.3
🍽Eating Out
Shiraz
$65 * 12%
Qom
$57 13% ↓ 12.5%$8.1
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Shiraz
$42 7.8%
Qom
$18 4.1% ↓ 57.4%$24
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Shiraz
$22 4.1%
Qom
$11 2.4% ↓ 53%$12
🚌Getting Around
Shiraz
$4.8 0.9%
Qom
$17 3.8% ↑ 248%$12
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Shiraz
$323 29.9%
Qom
$573 45.6% ↑ 77.4%$250
🛒Groceries & Markets
Shiraz
$256 23.7%
Qom
$231 18.4% ↓ 9.8%$25
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Shiraz
$192 17.8%
Qom
$178 14.2% ↓ 7.2%$14
🍽Eating Out
Shiraz
$198 * 18.3%
Qom
$191 15.2% ↓ 3.5%$6.8
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Shiraz
$44 4.1%
Qom
$19 1.5% ↓ 56.5%$25
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Shiraz
$59 5.4%
Qom
$31 2.5% ↓ 47.3%$28
🚌Getting Around
Shiraz
$9.8 0.9%
Qom
$34 2.7% ↑ 244%$24
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 $293 in Shiraz and $237 in Qom. 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: $13 in Shiraz vs $16 in Qom. Groceries flip the comparison at $103 vs $94, 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
Shiraz vs Qom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Shiraz or Qom?
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 Shiraz or in Qom?
Average pay runs 10% higher in Shiraz, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Shiraz compared to Qom?
Rent for a central apartment: $293 in Shiraz versus $237 in Qom. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Shiraz and in Qom?
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 Shiraz compared to Qom?
All in, you’ll spend $544 per month in Shiraz versus $436 in Qom – Qom is about 20% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $800/month in Shiraz or in Qom?
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: Shiraz or Qom?
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 Shiraz compared to Qom?
Safety-wise, Shiraz and Qom are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Should I move to Shiraz or to Qom?
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.