Moving to Iran from Indonesia
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Indonesia to Iran — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Indonesia to Iran, you would find that Iran is 20.2% cheaper than Indonesia overall. A IDR1,400,000,000 salary in Indonesia would need to be roughly IRR85,100,000,000 in Iran to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Persian (Farsi). You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Tehran averages 72°F vs 89°F in Jakarta, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Iran cheaper than Indonesia?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 77.1% more
Groceries
pay 50.1% less
Transportation
pay 10.9% less
Housing
pay 9.4% less
Childcare
pay 61.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 41.4% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Iran?
What does your salary buy?
IDR1,400,000,000 → IRR85,100,000,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Iran
Calculate with your salary →Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Iran cost about 35% more than cities in Indonesia.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
How Indonesia and Iran stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Indonesia performs better than Iran across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Indonesia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iran leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Indonesia generally does better on environment, though Iran leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Iran generally does better on infrastructure, though Indonesia leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Indonesia performs better than Iran across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Iran generally does better on family life, though Indonesia leads in literacy rate.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2014–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2007). How we calculate this
Weather in Iran vs Indonesia
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Jakarta | Tehran |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 87°/76°F (31°/25°C) | 52°/35°F (11°/2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) | 82°/61°F (28°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) | 94°/72°F (35°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) | 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Jakarta | Tehran |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 86°/76°F (29.9°/24.2°C) | 45°/30°F (7.2°/-1.1°C) |
| Feb | 87°/76°F (30.3°/24.3°C) | 50°/33°F (9.9°/0.7°C) |
| Mar | 89°/77°F (31.5°/25.2°C) | 60°/41°F (15.4°/5.2°C) |
| Apr | 90°/77°F (32.5°/25.1°C) | 71°/52°F (21.9°/10.9°C) |
| May | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.4°C) | 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.1°C) |
| Jun | 89°/77°F (31.4°/24.8°C) | 93°/70°F (34.1°/20.9°C) |
| Jul | 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.1°C) | 98°/75°F (36.8°/24.0°C) |
| Aug | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) | 96°/73°F (35.4°/23.0°C) |
| Sep | 91°/78°F (33.0°/25.5°C) | 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.2°C) |
| Oct | 91°/78°F (32.7°/25.5°C) | 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) |
| Nov | 88°/77°F (31.3°/24.9°C) | 62°/44°F (16.5°/6.7°C) |
| Dec | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.3°C) |
Data:
Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG)
Can you move from Indonesia to Iran?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Indonesia and Iran. To live, work, or study long-term in Iran, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Iran's immigration authority.
Indonesia passport holder visiting Iran
Visa Free
Iran passport holder visiting Indonesia
Visa Online (e-Visa)Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Iran than Indonesia?
Generally yes: Iran runs about 20% cheaper than Indonesia on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Iran?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a IDR1,400,000,000 comparable salary, that's around IRR21,275,000,000 in Iran for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Iran?
With 12.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Iran can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Indonesia and Iran.
Is Iran safe for expats?
Indonesia performs better than Iran across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iran is 2.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.3 in Indonesia.
How is healthcare in Iran compared to Indonesia?
Indonesia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iran leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 18.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Iran, compared to 5.2 in Indonesia. Iran scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Indonesia: 55).
What's the weather like in Iran compared to Indonesia?
The average high temperature in Tehran is 72°F, compared to 89°F in Jakarta. Tehran receives around 9.1 in of rainfall per year, while Jakarta gets 65.2 in.
What language do they speak in Iran?
The official language in Iran is Persian (Farsi). In Indonesia, the official language is Indonesian.
