Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tehran and Urmia

For one person, living is cheaper in Urmia: $419 a month against $633 in Tehran, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

31

Cost of Living Index in Tehran
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Tehran Living Index
20

Cost of Living Index in Urmia
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Urmia Living Index

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Tehran

🇮🇷 Iran

$633

/mo nomad

Urmia

🇮🇷 Iran

$419

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tehran and in Urmia

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

A single person spends $633 per month in Tehran vs $419 in Urmia, rent included.

Tehran $633
Urmia $419

A couple spends around $1,074 per month in Tehran vs $725 in Urmia, rent included.

Tehran $1,074
Urmia $725

A family of three spends $1,515 per month in Tehran vs $1,030 in Urmia, rent included.

Tehran $1,515
Urmia $1,030

Tehran costs about 51% more than Urmia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Tehran and Urmia are more affordable than the global median – Tehran 53% lower, Urmia 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.77 $3.77

$5.06 $5.06

-25.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.66 $17.66

$23.78 $23.78

-25.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.90 $3.90

$2.97 $2.97

31.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 $0.69

$1.26 $1.26

-45.24%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.57 $1.57

-3.18%

Cappuccino

$1.34 $1.34

$1.09 $1.09

22.94%

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

$0.49 $0.49

$0.74 $0.74

-33.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$0.49 $0.49

246.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.66 $0.66

$0.62 $0.62

6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 $0.60

$0.44 $0.44

36.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.41 $3.41

$2.35 $2.35

45.11%

Eggs

$1.24 $1.24

$1.22 $1.22

1.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.29 $4.29

1.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.54 $2.54

31.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.23 $10.23

$6.37 $6.37

60.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.32 $1.32

$0.88 $0.88

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.46 $1.46

28.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.74 $0.74

54.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 $0.68

$0.67 $0.67

1.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 $0.59

$0.52 $0.52

13.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 $0.51

$0.56 $0.56

-8.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 $0.57

$0.53 $0.53

7.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 $0.28

$0.26 $0.26

7.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.76 $0.76

$0.78 $0.78

-2.56%

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)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.37 $1.37

59.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.13 $1.13

115.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.09 $0.09

$0.16 $0.16

-43.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.39 $5.39

$9.65 $9.65

-44.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.39 $0.39

33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 $0.31

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.55 $2.55

16.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.09 $0.09

$0.10 $0.10

-10.00%

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

$50.1K $50.1K

$49.6K $49.6K

0.88%

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

$46.2K $46.2K

$44.0K $44.0K

4.97%

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

$12.77 $12.77

$12.79 $12.79

-0.16%

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

$1.63 $1.63

$1.58 $1.58

3.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$3.74 $3.74

$3.65 $3.65

2.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.64 $24.64

$9.38 $9.38

162.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.67 $13.67

$13.16 $13.16

3.88%

Cinema Ticket

$2.02 $2.02

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

$107 $107

$106 $106

1.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,597 $2,597

$2,393 $2,393

8.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.72 $26.72

$22.69 $22.69

17.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.79 $37.79

$27.94 $27.94

35.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$97.7 $97.7

17.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 $76.6

$32.75 $32.75

133.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$418 $418

$175 $175

138.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 $271

$130 $130

108.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$967 $967

$326 $326

196.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 $627

$271 $271

131.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,279 $1,279

$712 $712

79.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$728 $728

$594 $594

22.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$213 $213

$277 $277

-23.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.79

24.3

2.02%

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

Last update for Tehran: October 19, 2026

Last update for Urmia: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tehran

$271 42.8%

Urmia

$130 31% 52% $141

Groceries & Markets

Tehran

$126 19.9%

Urmia

$97 23.1% 22.9% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Tehran

$115 18.2%

Urmia

$81 19.4% 29.1% $33

Eating Out

Tehran

$67 10.5%

Urmia

$67 16.1% 1.1% $0.7

Sport & Entertainment

Tehran

$29 4.5%

Urmia

$13 3.2% 53.2% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tehran

$18 2.9%

Urmia

$18 4.3% 0.7% $0.1

Getting Around

Tehran

$7.8 1.2%

Urmia

$12 2.9% 55.9% $4.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $418 in Tehran versus $175 in Urmia. 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 Urmia, 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 $24.00 in Urmia. Groceries tell a different story – $126 in Tehran vs $97.0 in Urmia – so Urmia wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Tehran

🇮🇷 Urmia

🕒 Local time

13:52 1:52 PM

Same time as Tehran

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,000,000 Capital

736,224

💱 Currency

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Tehran Urmia 600 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Tehran
Urmia

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 Urmia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tehran is pricier by about 51%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $949 per month in Tehran and $629 in Urmia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $107 per month in Tehran and $106 in Urmia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Tehran, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $633 in Tehran and $419 in Urmia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Urmia – 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 Urmia. 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.