Cost of Living Comparison Between Tehran and Caloocan Cost of Living Comparison Between Tehran and Caloocan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $710 per month in Tehran vs $671 in Caloocan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,139 per month in Tehran vs $1,049 in Caloocan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,569 per month in Tehran vs $1,427 in Caloocan, rent included.

Tehran costs about 6% more than Caloocan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tehran and Caloocan are more affordable than the global median – Tehran 47% lower, Caloocan 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.89 $3.89

$3.51 ₱216

10.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.06 $18.06

$13.41 ₱827

34.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 $5.06

$2.62 ₱162

93.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.62 $0.62

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

Cappuccino

$1.30 $1.30

$1.14 ₱70.1

14.04%

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

$0.45 $0.45

$0.47 ₱28.69

-4.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.38 ₱23.36

171.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ₱83.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 ₱123

Milk (1 liter)

$0.59 $0.59

$1.85 ₱114

-68.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 $0.57

$1.19 ₱73.2

-52.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.00 ₱61.4

87.00%

Eggs

$1.16 $1.16

$1.95 ₱120

-40.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.16 ₱133

58.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.80 ₱173

15.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.93 $10.93

$5.80 ₱358

88.45%

Apples (1kg)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.98 ₱122

-55.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.15 ₱70.9

23.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 $0.81

$2.36 ₱145

-65.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 $0.67

$1.22 ₱75.3

-45.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 $0.55

$1.26 ₱77.6

-56.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 $0.50

$2.29 ₱141

-78.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 $0.58

$0.68 ₱42.04

-14.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.23 $0.23

$0.54 ₱33.18

-57.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.62 $0.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 $0.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 $1.61

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.33 ₱206

-22.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.93 ₱304

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₱63.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₱141

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 $0.24

$0.20 ₱12.32

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.95 $9.95

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.83 ₱50.9

-37.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 $0.31

$0.22 ₱13.56

40.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.44 ₱151

25.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.14 ₱70.5

-33.33%

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

$81.4K $81.4K

$31.6K ₱1.9M

157.92%

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

$55.9K $55.9K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

170.07%

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

$15.74 $15.74

$59.5 ₱3,666

-73.53%

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

$2.18 $2.18

$10.46 ₱645

-79.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.66 $5.66

$26.65 ₱1,643

-78.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.05 $23.05

$5.23 ₱323

340.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.87 $11.87

$4.56 ₱281

160.31%

Cinema Ticket

$1.54 $1.54

$5.72 ₱353

-73.08%

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

$125 $125

$154 ₱9,480

-18.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,001 $2,001

$4,733 ₱291.9K

-57.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.87 $30.87

$49.40 ₱3,046

-37.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.04 $34.04

$27.65 ₱1,705

23.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 $122

$54.3 ₱3,346

124.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 $70.4

$46.58 ₱2,872

51.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$489 $489

$290 ₱17.9K

68.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 $336

$265 ₱16.3K

26.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 $1,020

$595 ₱36.7K

71.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 $709

$526 ₱32.4K

34.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,265 $1,265

$2,301 ₱141.9K

-45.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$817 $817

$1,088 ₱67.1K

-24.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$211 $211

$276 ₱17.0K

-23.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.07

4.5

457.11%

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

Last update for Tehran: May 31, 2026

Last update for Caloocan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $489 in Tehran versus $290 in Caloocan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 30% higher in Caloocan, 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 $18.00 in Tehran versus $13.00 in Caloocan. Groceries tell a different story – $110 in Tehran vs $150 in Caloocan – so Tehran wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Caloocan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tehran costs about 6% more than Caloocan, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,065 per month in Tehran and $1,007 in Caloocan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Tehran and $13.00 in Caloocan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 36% cheaper in Tehran – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $710 in Tehran and $671 in Caloocan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Caloocan – 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 Caloocan. 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.