For one person, living is cheaper in Shiraz: $544 a month against $885 in Sari, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 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 Sari actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $544 in Shiraz versus $885 in Sari.
Shiraz $544
Sari $885
Estimated couple costs with rent: $809 in Shiraz versus $1,092 in Sari.
Shiraz $809
Sari $1,092
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,073 in Shiraz versus $1,299 in Sari.
Shiraz $1,073
Sari $1,299
🌍
Living in Shiraz costs roughly 38% less than in Sari, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Shiraz60% lower, Sari34% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Shiraz
Sari
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.44$4.44
$3.83$3.83
15.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.98$12.98
$11.96$11.96
8.53%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.94$3.94
$3.90$3.90
1.03%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.98$0.98
$0.73$0.73
34.25%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72$1.72
$0.85$0.85
102.35%
Cappuccino
$1.22$1.22
$1.29$1.29
-5.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65$0.65
$0.48$0.48
35.42%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.56$0.56
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Shiraz
Sari
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.66$0.66
$0.48$0.48
37.50%
White Bread(500g)
$0.45$0.45
$0.61$0.61
-26.23%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.94$1.94
$3.30$3.30
-41.21%
Eggs
$1.18$1.18
$1.23$1.23
-4.07%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$2.35$2.35
$4.55$4.55
-48.35%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.07$3.07
$3.39$3.39
-9.44%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.79$9.79
$9.16$9.16
6.88%
Apples(1kg)
$1.11$1.11
$1.34$1.34
-17.16%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61$1.61
$1.88$1.88
-14.36%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.96$0.96
$1.19$1.19
-19.33%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.58$0.58
$0.64$0.64
-9.38%
Potato(1kg)
$0.54$0.54
$0.54$0.54
-
Onion(1kg)
$0.52$0.52
$0.51$0.51
1.96%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.51$0.51
$0.54$0.54
-5.56%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.21$0.21
$0.28$0.28
-25.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$0.83$0.83
$0.78$0.78
6.41%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.61$0.61
$0.51$0.51
19.61%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66$1.66
$2.16$2.16
-23.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.97$2.97
$2.44$2.44
21.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Shiraz
Sari
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.09$0.09
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$2.94$2.94
$9.88$9.88
-70.24%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.38$0.38
$0.51$0.51
-25.49%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.22$0.22
$0.31$0.31
-29.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.46$3.46
$3.08$3.08
12.34%
Gasoline(1 liter)
-
$0.08$0.08
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$65.5K$65.5K
$50.9K$50.9K
28.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$52.9K$52.9K
$44.8K$44.8K
18.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Shiraz
Sari
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$23.51$23.51
$12.89$12.89
82.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$2.04$2.04
$1.64$1.64
24.39%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.19$17.19
$3.78$3.78
354.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Shiraz
Sari
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$18.36$18.36
$50.8$50.8
-63.84%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.63$13.63
$12.17$12.17
12.00%
Cinema Ticket
$1.98$1.98
$0.97$0.97
104.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Shiraz
Sari
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$104$104
$50.8$50.8
104.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,420$2,420
$805$805
200.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Shiraz
Sari
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$23.08$23.08
$26.52$26.52
-12.97%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$18.07$18.07
$38.07$38.07
-52.53%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$93.2$93.2
$116$116
-19.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$54.9$54.9
$74.6$74.6
-26.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Shiraz
Sari
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$289$289
$799$799
-63.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$220$220
$504$504
-56.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$537$537
$688$688
-21.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$315$315
$404$404
-22.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,146$1,146
$849$849
34.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$503$503
$516$516
-2.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Shiraz
Sari
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$242$242
$248$248
-2.42%
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 Shiraz: October 12, 2026
Last update for Sari: October 12, 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
$220 40.5%
Sari
$504 57% ↑ 129%$284
🛒Groceries & Markets
Shiraz
$105 19.2%
Sari
$121 13.7% ↑ 15.9%$17
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Shiraz
$85 15.6%
Sari
$115 13% ↑ 34.6%$29
🍽Eating Out
Shiraz
$65 * 11.9%
Sari
$62 7% ↓ 4.2%$2.7
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Shiraz
$43 7.9%
Sari
$18 2.1% ↓ 57.2%$24
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Shiraz
$22 4.1%
Sari
$53 6% ↑ 136%$30
🚌Getting Around
Shiraz
$4.8 0.9%
Sari
$12 * 1.4% ↑ 150%$7.2
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Shiraz
$315 29.4%
Sari
$404 31.1% ↑ 28.3%$89
🛒Groceries & Markets
Shiraz
$258 24.1%
Sari
$293 22.6% ↑ 13.7%$35
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Shiraz
$189 17.6%
Sari
$255 19.6% ↑ 34.6%$65
🍽Eating Out
Shiraz
$198 * 18.4%
Sari
$185 14.3% ↓ 6.3%$12
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Shiraz
$45 4.2%
Sari
$20 1.5% ↓ 55.4%$25
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Shiraz
$58 5.4%
Sari
$118 9.1% ↑ 102%$59
🚌Getting Around
Shiraz
$9.8 0.9%
Sari
$24 * 1.8% ↑ 145%$14
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 $289 in Shiraz and $799 in Sari. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Sari pays 2% 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: $13.00 in Shiraz vs $12.00 in Sari. Groceries flip the comparison at $105 vs $121, with Shiraz 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 Sari: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Shiraz and in Sari?
Shiraz and Sari differ by about 63% in total monthly costs ($544 vs $885 including rent). Shiraz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Sari. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Shiraz and in Sari?
Rent for a central apartment: $289 in Shiraz versus $799 in Sari. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Sari. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Shiraz – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $12.00 in Sari. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $544 in Shiraz versus $885 in Sari, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Shiraz but tight or insufficient in Sari. The gap between the two cities makes Shiraz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Shiraz and Sari?
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.
Is Shiraz or Sari safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Shiraz and Sari are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Shiraz or Sari?
Expats usually find Shiraz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Sari. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.