Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tehran and Sanandaj

For one person, living is cheaper in Sanandaj: $403 a month against $617 in Tehran, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in Tehran
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Tehran Living Index
19

Cost of Living Index in Sanandaj
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Sanandaj Living Index

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Tehran

🇮🇷 Iran

$617

/mo nomad

Sanandaj

🇮🇷 Iran

$403

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tehran and in Sanandaj

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

A single person spends $617 per month in Tehran vs $403 in Sanandaj, rent included.

Tehran $617
Sanandaj $403

A couple spends around $1,064 per month in Tehran vs $666 in Sanandaj, rent included.

Tehran $1,064
Sanandaj $666

A family of three spends $1,511 per month in Tehran vs $929 in Sanandaj, rent included.

Tehran $1,511
Sanandaj $929

Tehran costs about 53% more than Sanandaj, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Tehran and Sanandaj are more affordable than the global median – Tehran 54% lower, Sanandaj 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 $3.45

$3.20 $3.20

7.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.20 $16.20

$16.15 $16.15

0.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.91 $3.91

$4.01 $4.01

-2.49%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.68 $0.68

$0.51 $0.51

33.33%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$0.98 $0.98

48.98%

Cappuccino

$1.40 $1.40

$1.02 $1.02

37.25%

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

$0.50 $0.50

$0.63 $0.63

-20.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.02 $1.02

67.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.67 $0.67

$0.75 $0.75

-10.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 $0.59

$0.68 $0.68

-13.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.97 $1.97

75.63%

Eggs

$1.26 $1.26

$0.99 $0.99

27.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$4.49 $4.49

-3.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.82 $2.82

17.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.44 $10.44

$10.10 $10.10

3.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.09 $1.09

35.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.47 $1.47

35.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.89 $0.89

42.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 $0.63

$0.72 $0.72

-12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 $0.55

$0.73 $0.73

-24.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 $0.47

$0.77 $0.77

-38.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.62 $0.62

-16.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 $0.27

$0.33 $0.33

-18.18%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.77 $0.77

$0.79 $0.79

-2.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 $0.51

$0.55 $0.55

-7.27%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.33 $1.33

61.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.55 $2.55

-3.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.11 $0.11

$0.13 $0.13

-15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.61 $5.61

$9.70 $9.70

-42.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 $0.51

$0.39 $0.39

30.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 $0.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.58 $2.58

16.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.10 $0.10

$0.09 $0.09

11.11%

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

$49.6K $49.6K

$50.0K $50.0K

-0.90%

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

$45.6K $45.6K

$46.4K $46.4K

-1.89%

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

$13.23 $13.23

$10.14 $10.14

30.47%

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

$1.60 $1.60

$2.94 $2.94

-45.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$3.85 $3.85

$3.95 $3.95

-2.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.30 $24.30

$5.97 $5.97

307.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.26 $13.26

$13.64 $13.64

-2.79%

Cinema Ticket

$2.02 $2.02

$1.02 $1.02

98.04%

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

$108 $108

$107 $107

0.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,533 $2,533

$2,390 $2,390

5.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.03 $26.03

$15.96 $15.96

63.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.33 $38.33

$28.18 $28.18

36.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$63.5 $63.5

81.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 $72.9

$72.7 $72.7

0.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$419 $419

$156 $156

168.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 $256

$113 $113

126.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$940 $940

$333 $333

182.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 $632

$199 $199

217.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,293 $1,293

$800 $800

61.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$727 $727

$287 $287

153.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$210 $210

$252 $252

-16.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.79

12.68%

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

Last update for Tehran: November 1, 2026

Last update for Sanandaj: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tehran

$256 41.4%

Sanandaj

$113 28% 55.9% $143

Groceries & Markets

Tehran

$128 20.7%

Sanandaj

$116 28.7% 9.6% $12

Clothing & Footwear

Tehran

$114 18.4%

Sanandaj

$81 20.1% 28.7% $33

Eating Out

Tehran

$65 10.5%

Sanandaj

$56 14% 13% $8.5

Sport & Entertainment

Tehran

$28 4.6%

Sanandaj

$8 2% 71.7% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tehran

$19 3%

Sanandaj

$17 4.2% 8.9% $1.7

Getting Around

Tehran

$8 1.3%

Sanandaj

$12 3% 50.1% $4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $419 in Tehran versus $156 in Sanandaj. 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 20% higher in Sanandaj, 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 $16 in Sanandaj. Groceries tell a different story – $128 in Tehran vs $116 in Sanandaj – so Sanandaj wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Tehran

🇮🇷 Sanandaj

🕒 Local time

00:45 12:45 AM

Same time as Tehran

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,000,000 Capital

412,767

💱 Currency

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Tehran Sanandaj 400 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 Sanandaj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tehran costs about 53% more than Sanandaj, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $926 per month in Tehran and $604 in Sanandaj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sanandaj, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $156 there versus $419 in Tehran.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $617 in Tehran and $403 in Sanandaj. That makes Sanandaj about 35% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $108 per month in Tehran and $107 in Sanandaj. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $617 in Tehran and $403 in Sanandaj, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Tehran has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $403 in Sanandaj to $617 in Tehran. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.