Cost of Living Comparison Between Tehran and Kish Cost of Living Comparison Between Tehran and Kish

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $692 in Tehran versus $527 in Kish.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,123 in Tehran versus $814 in Kish.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,555 in Tehran versus $1,101 in Kish.

Living in Tehran is roughly 31% more expensive than in Kish, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tehran 48% lower, Kish 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.05 $4.05

$4.42 $4.42

-8.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.29 $18.29

$15.98 $15.98

14.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.10 $5.10

$3.29 $3.29

55.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.63 $0.63

$0.68 $0.68

-7.35%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

Cappuccino

$1.30 $1.30

$1.16 $1.16

12.07%

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

$0.45 $0.45

$0.42 $0.42

7.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 $1.08

$0.94 $0.94

14.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.58 $0.58

$0.57 $0.57

1.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 $0.54

$0.53 $0.53

1.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

Eggs

$1.19 $1.19

$1.18 $1.18

0.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$3.53 $3.53

-4.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$3.25 $3.25

3.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 $10.76

$10.18 $10.18

5.70%

Apples (1kg)

$0.93 $0.93

$0.92 $0.92

1.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.42 $1.42

-0.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 $0.82

$0.88 $0.88

-6.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 $0.63

$0.57 $0.57

10.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 $0.51

$0.52 $0.52

-1.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 $0.50

$0.45 $0.45

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 $0.60

$0.59 $0.59

1.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.25 $0.25

$0.23 $0.23

8.70%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.58 $0.58

$0.60 $0.60

-3.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 $0.59

$0.49 $0.49

20.41%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.43 $1.43

11.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.14 $2.14

14.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 $0.24

$0.19 $0.19

26.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.90 $9.90

$9.83 $9.83

0.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 $0.48

$0.36 $0.36

33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 $0.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.96 $1.96

57.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$0.73 $0.73

6.85%

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

$79.7K $79.7K

$72.5K $72.5K

9.84%

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

$53.9K $53.9K

$54.6K $54.6K

-1.43%

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

$15.97 $15.97

$15.86 $15.86

0.69%

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

$2.17 $2.17

$2.13 $2.13

1.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.60 $5.60

$5.85 $5.85

-4.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.81 $22.81

$16.21 $16.21

40.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.73 $11.73

$12.63 $12.63

-7.13%

Cinema Ticket

$1.53 $1.53

$1.47 $1.47

4.08%

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

$127 $127

$117 $117

9.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,949 $1,949

$1,966 $1,966

-0.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.39 $31.39

$22.46 $22.46

39.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.37 $34.37

$25.49 $25.49

34.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 $124

$110 $110

13.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.9 $69.9

$69.0 $69.0

1.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 $491

$285 $285

72.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 $347

$196 $196

76.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 $1,012

$638 $638

58.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 $719

$316 $316

127.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,244 $1,244

$1,226 $1,226

1.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$734 $734

$661 $661

10.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$217 $217

$412 $412

-47.34%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kish: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $491 in Tehran and $285 in Kish. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kish pays 90% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Tehran vs $16.00 in Kish for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $110 vs $108 per month, with Kish cheaper across the board.

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 Kish: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tehran and Kish differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($692 vs $527 including rent). Kish is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 90% lower in Kish. 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: $491 in Tehran versus $285 in Kish. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Tehran. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Kish – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $18.00 in Tehran. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Kish 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.

Expats usually find Kish gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Tehran. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.