Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tehran and Ahvaz

For one person, living is cheaper in Ahvaz: $576 a month against $629 in Tehran, rent and utilities included – about $640 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tehran, Iran
Ahvaz, Iran
Tehran
🇮🇷 Iran
$629
/mo nomad
Ahvaz
🇮🇷 Iran
$576
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tehran and in Ahvaz

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

A single person spends $629 per month in Tehran vs $576 in Ahvaz, rent included.

  • Tehran $629
  • Ahvaz $576

A couple spends around $1,066 per month in Tehran vs $876 in Ahvaz, rent included.

  • Tehran $1,066
  • Ahvaz $876

A family of three spends $1,503 per month in Tehran vs $1,176 in Ahvaz, rent included.

  • Tehran $1,503
  • Ahvaz $1,176

Tehran costs about 9% more than Ahvaz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Tehran and Ahvaz are more affordable than the global median – Tehran 54% lower, Ahvaz 58% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tehran
Ahvaz
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.45 $3.45
$1.97 $1.97
75.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$16.28 $16.28
$12.14 $12.14
34.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.09 $4.09
$3.83 $3.83
6.79%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.72 $0.72
$0.86 $0.86
-16.28%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 $1.52
$1.13 $1.13
34.51%
Cappuccino
$1.32 $1.32
$1.19 $1.19
10.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 $0.53
$0.48 $0.48
10.42%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 $1.72
$0.95 $0.95
81.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tehran
Ahvaz
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.71 $0.71
$0.88 $0.88
-19.32%
White Bread (500g)
$0.62 $0.62
$0.57 $0.57
8.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.34 $3.34
$1.81 $1.81
84.53%
Eggs
$1.26 $1.26
$1.25 $1.25
0.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$4.15 $4.15
8.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.36 $3.36
$3.79 $3.79
-11.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.13 $10.13
$9.30 $9.30
8.92%
Apples (1kg)
$1.38 $1.38
$0.86 $0.86
60.47%
Banana (1kg)
$1.87 $1.87
$1.40 $1.40
33.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.14 $1.14
$0.78 $0.78
46.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.64 $0.64
$0.54 $0.54
18.52%
Potato (1kg)
$0.55 $0.55
$0.60 $0.60
-8.33%
Onion (1kg)
$0.47 $0.47
$0.54 $0.54
-12.96%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.53 $0.53
$0.44 $0.44
20.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.30 $0.30
$0.31 $0.31
-3.23%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$0.79 $0.79
$1.03 $1.03
-23.30%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 $0.55
$0.52 $0.52
5.77%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 $2.11
$1.15 $1.15
83.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.53 $2.53
$2.21 $2.21
14.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Tehran
Ahvaz
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.10 $0.10
$0.15 $0.15
-33.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$5.47 $5.47
$9.71 $9.71
-43.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.52 $0.52
$0.48 $0.48
8.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.29 $0.29
$0.52 $0.52
-44.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 $3.09
$2.93 $2.93
5.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.09 $0.09
$0.10 $0.10
-10.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$51.0K $51.0K
$117.4K $117.4K
-56.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$45.1K $45.1K
$62.6K $62.6K
-27.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tehran
Ahvaz
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$12.88 $12.88
$14.03 $14.03
-8.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$1.60 $1.60
$1.55 $1.55
3.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$3.85 $3.85
$7.04 $7.04
-45.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tehran
Ahvaz
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$24.27 $24.27
$18.14 $18.14
33.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.15 $13.15
$5.93 $5.93
121.75%
Cinema Ticket
$1.95 $1.95
$1.19 $1.19
63.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tehran
Ahvaz
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$109 $109
$104 $104
3.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,557 $2,557
$636 $636
301.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tehran
Ahvaz
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.91 $26.91
$53.4 $53.4
-49.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.60 $37.60
$47.31 $47.31
-20.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$118 $118
$94.9 $94.9
23.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.7 $71.7
$103 $103
-30.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tehran
Ahvaz
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$430 $430
$312 $312
37.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$269 $269
$225 $225
19.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$961 $961
$512 $512
87.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$628 $628
$349 $349
79.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,268 $1,268
$1,274 $1,274
-0.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$717 $717
$742 $742
-3.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tehran
Ahvaz
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$211 $211
$541 $541
-61.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
24.79
23.67
4.73%

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

Last update for Tehran: October 24, 2026

Last update for Ahvaz: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tehran
$269
Ahvaz
$225 16.4% $44
Groceries & Markets
Tehran
$126
Ahvaz
$113 10.6% $13
Clothing & Footwear
Tehran
$114
Ahvaz
$135 17.8% $20
Eating Out
Tehran
$65
Ahvaz
$47 26.9% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Tehran
$28
Ahvaz
$21 27.2% $7.7
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tehran
$18
Ahvaz
$23 23.4% $4.3
Getting Around
Tehran
$7.8
Ahvaz
$13 70.4% $5.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Tehran versus $312 in Ahvaz. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Ahvaz are about 2.6 times higher, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16 in Tehran versus $12 in Ahvaz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $126 vs $113 – making Ahvaz the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇷 Tehran
🇮🇷 Ahvaz
🕒 Local time
07:59 7:59 AM
07:59 7:59 AM
Same time as Tehran
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,000,000 Capital
1,184,788
💱 Currency
USD USD
USD USD
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – USD Converter

USD exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tehran Ahvaz 550 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Tehran
  • Ahvaz

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
Tehran vs Ahvaz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ahvaz cheaper than Tehran?
Yes – Tehran is pricier by about 9%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $943 per month in Tehran and $865 in Ahvaz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ahvaz, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $312 there versus $430 in Tehran.
Is eating out cheaper in Tehran or in Ahvaz?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $16 in Tehran and $12 in Ahvaz. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Tehran and in Ahvaz?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $629 in Tehran and $576 in Ahvaz. That makes Ahvaz about 8% cheaper.
Is $1,000 enough for either Tehran or Ahvaz?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $629 in Tehran and $576 in Ahvaz, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Tehran or Ahvaz more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Ahvaz – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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