Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tehran and Arak

For one person, living is cheaper in Arak: $480 a month against $629 in Tehran, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

30

Cost of Living Index in Tehran
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Tehran Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Arak
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Arak Living Index

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Tehran

🇮🇷 Iran

$629

/mo nomad

Arak

🇮🇷 Iran

$480

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tehran and in Arak

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 Arak actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $629 in Tehran versus $480 in Arak.

Tehran $629
Arak $480

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,066 in Tehran versus $755 in Arak.

Tehran $1,066
Arak $755

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,503 in Tehran versus $1,030 in Arak.

Tehran $1,503
Arak $1,030

Living in Tehran is roughly 31% more expensive than in Arak, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tehran 54% lower, Arak 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 $3.45

$3.55 $3.55

-2.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.28 $16.28

$12.88 $12.88

26.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 $4.09

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.72 $0.72

$0.73 $0.73

-1.37%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$0.57 $0.57

166.67%

Cappuccino

$1.32 $1.32

$1.33 $1.33

-0.75%

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

$0.53 $0.53

$0.51 $0.51

3.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.66 $1.66

3.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 $0.71

$0.54 $0.54

31.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 $0.62

$0.58 $0.58

6.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$1.96 $1.96

70.41%

Eggs

$1.26 $1.26

$1.28 $1.28

-1.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.14 $2.14

110.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$2.53 $2.53

32.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.13 $10.13

$10.31 $10.31

-1.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.77 $0.77

79.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$0.94 $0.94

98.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.63 $0.63

80.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 $0.64

$0.48 $0.48

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 $0.55

$0.42 $0.42

30.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 $0.47

$0.44 $0.44

6.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 $0.53

$0.48 $0.48

10.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 $0.30

$0.28 $0.28

7.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.79 $0.79

$0.76 $0.76

3.95%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 $0.55

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.17 $2.17

-2.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.52 $2.52

0.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.10 $0.10

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.47 $5.47

$9.70 $9.70

-43.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.25 $0.25

108.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 $0.29

$0.12 $0.12

141.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.02 $1.02

202.94%

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

$50.3K $50.3K

1.21%

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

$45.1K $45.1K

$35.0K $35.0K

28.98%

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

$12.88 $12.88

$10.03 $10.03

28.41%

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

$1.60 $1.60

$1.43 $1.43

11.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$3.85 $3.85

$4.01 $4.01

-3.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.27 $24.27

$9.93 $9.93

144.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.15 $13.15

$24.64 $24.64

-46.63%

Cinema Ticket

$1.95 $1.95

$1.11 $1.11

75.68%

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

$109 $109

$83.3 $83.3

30.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,557 $2,557

$2,372 $2,372

7.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.91 $26.91

$13.59 $13.59

98.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.60 $37.60

$8.51 $8.51

341.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 $118

$81.9 $81.9

43.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 $71.7

$52.1 $52.1

37.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 $430

$294 $294

46.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 $269

$210 $210

28.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$961 $961

$781 $781

23.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 $628

$357 $357

75.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,268 $1,268

$1,369 $1,369

-7.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$717 $717

$647 $647

10.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$211 $211

$375 $375

-43.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.79

18.5

34.00%

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

Last update for Tehran: October 24, 2026

Last update for Arak: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tehran

$269 42.8%

Arak

$210 43.7% 22.1% $59

Groceries & Markets

Tehran

$126 20.1%

Arak

$96 20% 24.1% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Tehran

$114 18.2%

Arak

$70 14.6% 38.5% $44

Eating Out

Tehran

$65 10.3%

Arak

$65 13.6% 0.8% $0.5

Sport & Entertainment

Tehran

$28 4.5%

Arak

$12 2.5% 56.9% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tehran

$18 2.9%

Arak

$15 3.2% 15.5% $2.8

Getting Around

Tehran

$7.8 1.3%

Arak

$11 2.3% 39.8% $3.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Tehran and $294 in Arak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arak pays 78% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $16 in Tehran vs $13 in Arak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $126 vs $96 per month, with Arak cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Tehran

🇮🇷 Arak

🕒 Local time

03:42 3:42 AM

Same time as Tehran

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,000,000 Capital

526,200

💱 Currency

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Tehran Arak 240 km

From you

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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

Tehran vs Arak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arak is about 24% cheaper overall, especially in clothing, groceries, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 44% lower in Tehran. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $430 in Tehran versus $294 in Arak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $629 per month in Tehran versus $480 in Arak – Arak is about 24% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Tehran runs roughly 44% less than in Arak. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Arak gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.