Cost of Living Comparison Between Tehran and Birjand Cost of Living Comparison Between Tehran and Birjand

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $710 per month in Tehran vs $528 in Birjand, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,139 per month in Tehran vs $836 in Birjand, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,569 per month in Tehran vs $1,143 in Birjand, rent included.

Tehran costs about 34% more than Birjand, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tehran and Birjand are more affordable than the global median – Tehran 47% lower, Birjand 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.89 $3.89

$3.96 $3.96

-1.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.06 $18.06

$16.93 $16.93

6.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 $5.06

$4.60 $4.60

10.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.62 $0.62

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.05 $1.05

-2.86%

Cappuccino

$1.30 $1.30

$1.16 $1.16

12.07%

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

$0.45 $0.45

$0.43 $0.43

4.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.94 $0.94

9.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.59 $0.59

$0.62 $0.62

-4.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 $0.57

$0.52 $0.52

9.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.91 $1.91

-2.09%

Eggs

$1.16 $1.16

$1.15 $1.15

0.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$3.45 $3.45

-0.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$3.30 $3.30

-1.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.93 $10.93

$10.10 $10.10

8.22%

Apples (1kg)

$0.88 $0.88

$0.86 $0.86

2.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.37 $1.37

3.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 $0.81

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 $0.67

$0.58 $0.58

15.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 $0.55

$0.52 $0.52

5.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 $0.50

$0.49 $0.49

2.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 $0.58

$0.60 $0.60

-3.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.23 $0.23

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.62 $0.62

$0.54 $0.54

14.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 $0.59

$0.47 $0.47

25.53%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.42 $1.42

13.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.18 $2.18

17.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 $0.24

$0.19 $0.19

26.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.95 $9.95

$9.81 $9.81

1.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.34 $0.34

52.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 $0.31

$0.27 $0.27

14.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.96 $1.96

56.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$0.72 $0.72

5.56%

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

$81.4K $81.4K

$72.7K $72.7K

12.01%

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

$55.9K $55.9K

$54.6K $54.6K

2.34%

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

$15.74 $15.74

$15.45 $15.45

1.88%

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

$2.18 $2.18

$2.03 $2.03

7.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.66 $5.66

$5.73 $5.73

-1.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.05 $23.05

$15.75 $15.75

46.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.87 $11.87

$12.67 $12.67

-6.31%

Cinema Ticket

$1.54 $1.54

$1.47 $1.47

4.76%

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

$125 $125

$114 $114

9.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,001 $2,001

$2,000 $2,000

0.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.87 $30.87

$22.25 $22.25

38.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.04 $34.04

$25.11 $25.11

35.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 $122

$112 $112

8.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 $70.4

$69.3 $69.3

1.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$489 $489

$282 $282

73.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 $336

$200 $200

68.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 $1,020

$630 $630

62.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 $709

$315 $315

124.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,265 $1,265

$1,044 $1,044

21.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$817 $817

$646 $646

26.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$211 $211

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.07

22.24

12.72%

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

Last update for Tehran: May 31, 2026

Last update for Birjand: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $489 in Tehran versus $282 in Birjand. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Tehran versus $17.00 in Birjand. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $110 vs $107 – making Birjand the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Birjand: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $710 in Tehran, $528 in Birjand – roughly 34% apart. Tehran costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,065 per month in Tehran and $792 in Birjand. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Birjand, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Tehran, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Tehran and $17.00 in Birjand. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $710 in Tehran and $528 in Birjand, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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