Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zanjan and Tehran

For one person, living is cheaper in Zanjan: $425 a month against $627 in Tehran, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

21

Cost of Living Index in Zanjan
Learn more

Zanjan Living Index
31

Cost of Living Index in Tehran
Learn more

Tehran Living Index

Jump to prices

Zanjan

🇮🇷 Iran

$425

/mo nomad

Tehran

🇮🇷 Iran

$627

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zanjan and in Tehran

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Zanjan and in Tehran actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $425 per month in Zanjan vs $627 in Tehran, rent included.

Zanjan $425
Tehran $627

A couple spends around $764 per month in Zanjan vs $1,074 in Tehran, rent included.

Zanjan $764
Tehran $1,074

A family of three spends $1,103 per month in Zanjan vs $1,521 in Tehran, rent included.

Zanjan $1,103
Tehran $1,521

Zanjan is about 32% cheaper than Tehran, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Zanjan and Tehran are more affordable than the global median – Zanjan 69% lower, Tehran 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.91 $2.91

$3.84 $3.84

-24.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.05 $13.05

$17.95 $17.95

-27.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.02 $3.02

$4.02 $4.02

-24.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 $0.69

$0.73 $0.73

-5.48%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.52 $1.52

-33.55%

Cappuccino

$0.94 $0.94

$1.34 $1.34

-29.85%

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

$0.49 $0.49

$0.53 $0.53

-7.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.74 $1.74

-35.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 $0.71

$0.70 $0.70

1.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 $0.53

$0.58 $0.58

-8.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.45 $3.45

-7.83%

Eggs

$1.24 $1.24

$1.23 $1.23

0.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$4.35 $4.35

2.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.47 $3.47

-4.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.86 $8.86

$10.15 $10.15

-12.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.34 $1.34

-23.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.95 $1.95

-21.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.19 $1.19

-32.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.46 $0.46

$0.68 $0.68

-32.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 $0.53

$0.55 $0.55

-3.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 $0.51

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 $0.44

$0.53 $0.53

-16.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.26 $0.26

$0.28 $0.28

-7.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.72 $0.72

$0.76 $0.76

-5.26%

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)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.10 $2.10

-26.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.54 $2.54

-29.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 $0.19

$0.09 $0.09

111.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.09 $10.09

$5.66 $5.66

78.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.29 $0.29

$0.48 $0.48

-39.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 $0.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 $0.97

$3.04 $3.04

-68.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.03 $0.03

$0.09 $0.09

-66.67%

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

$50.9K $50.9K

$50.5K $50.5K

0.69%

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

$44.9K $44.9K

$44.2K $44.2K

1.59%

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

$13.12 $13.12

$13.03 $13.03

0.69%

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

$1.57 $1.57

$1.58 $1.58

-0.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$3.77 $3.77

$3.62 $3.62

4.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.38 $12.38

$24.77 $24.77

-50.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.44 $12.44

$13.60 $13.60

-8.53%

Cinema Ticket

$1.98 $1.98

$1.95 $1.95

1.54%

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

$107 $107

$108 $108

-0.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,578 $2,578

$2,628 $2,628

-1.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.26 $26.26

$27.05 $27.05

-2.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 $37.86

$37.32 $37.32

1.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 $118

$117 $117

0.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.3 $75.3

$74.8 $74.8

0.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$132 $132

$424 $424

-68.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$98.1 $98.1

$262 $262

-62.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 $389

$945 $945

-58.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 $315

$625 $625

-49.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$803 $803

$1,247 $1,247

-35.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$464 $464

$723 $723

-35.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$292 $292

$210 $210

38.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.79

-7.22%

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

Last update for Zanjan: October 13, 2026

Last update for Tehran: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Clothing & Footwear

Zanjan

$116 27.2%

Tehran

$115 18.4% 0.2% $0.2

Groceries & Markets

Zanjan

$114 26.8%

Tehran

$127 20.3% 11.5% $13

Accommodation & Living

Zanjan

$98 23.1%

Tehran

$262 41.7% 167% $164

Eating Out

Zanjan

$50 11.8%

Tehran

$68 10.8% 35.6% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Zanjan

$18 4.3%

Tehran

$18 2.9% 1.2% $0.2

Sport & Entertainment

Zanjan

$16 3.8%

Tehran

$29 4.6% 75.5% $12

Getting Around

Zanjan

$13 3%

Tehran

$8 1.3% 36.8% $4.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $132 in Zanjan versus $424 in Tehran. 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 39% higher in Zanjan, 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 $13.00 in Zanjan versus $18.00 in Tehran. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $114 vs $127 – making Zanjan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Zanjan

🇮🇷 Tehran

🕒 Local time

02:55 2:55 AM

Same time as Zanjan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

386,851

8,000,000 Capital

💱 Currency

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Zanjan Tehran 280 km

From you

Zanjan
Tehran

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

Zanjan vs Tehran: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tehran is pricier by about 47%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $638 per month in Zanjan and $940 in Tehran. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zanjan, 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 Zanjan and $108 in Tehran. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Tehran, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $425 in Zanjan and $627 in Tehran, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Zanjan – 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 Zanjan. 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.