Moving to Russia from Iran
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iran to Russia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iran to Russia, you would find that Russia is 2.4 times more expensive than Iran overall. A IRR103,125,000,000 salary in Iran would need to be roughly RUB5,672,462 in Russia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Russian. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Moscow averages 48°F vs 72°F in Tehran, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iran and Russia.
What does your salary buy?
IRR103,125,000,000 → RUB5,672,462
To maintain the same standard of living in Russia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 48.2% more
Groceries
pay 89.9% more
Transportation
pay 36.6% more
Housing
pay 2.6 times more
Childcare
pay 5.9 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.1 times more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Iran to Russia.
Who's moving to Russia?
Top countries of origin for Russia's foreign-born residents.
- 3,268,263
- 2,558,907
- 1,146,175
- 766,918
- 763,879
- 591,025
- · · ·
-
36.2,010
Iran
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Russia compared to Iran.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Iran generally does better on safety, though Russia leads in road traffic deaths.
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
Russia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iran leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Iran generally does better on environment, though Russia 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
Russia performs significantly better than Iran across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Russia performs significantly 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
Russia generally does better on family life, though Iran leads in life expectancy.
Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Tehran | Moscow |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 52°/35°F (11°/2°C) | 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 82°/61°F (28°/16°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 94°/72°F (35°/22°C) | 68°/52°F (20°/11°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) | 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tehran | Moscow |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45°/30°F (7.2°/-1.1°C) | 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C) |
| Feb | 50°/33°F (9.9°/0.7°C) | 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C) |
| Mar | 60°/41°F (15.4°/5.2°C) | 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C) |
| Apr | 71°/52°F (21.9°/10.9°C) | 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C) |
| May | 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.1°C) | 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) |
| Jun | 93°/70°F (34.1°/20.9°C) | 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C) |
| Jul | 98°/75°F (36.8°/24.0°C) | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C) |
| Aug | 96°/73°F (35.4°/23.0°C) | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C) |
| Sep | 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.2°C) | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C) |
| Oct | 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) | 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C) |
| Nov | 62°/44°F (16.5°/6.7°C) | 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C) |
| Dec | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.3°C) | 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C) |
Data:
Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iran and Russia. To live, work, or study long-term in Russia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Russia's immigration authority.
Iran passport holder visiting Russia
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Russia passport holder visiting Iran
Visa on ArrivalData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Russia than Iran?
On average Russia is about 3% less expensive than Iran, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Russia?
Budget about RUB1,418,116 for 3 months in Russia (based on a IRR103,125,000,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Russia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Russia: 24.8 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Russia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Russia safe for expats?
Iran generally does better on safety, though Russia leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Russia is 6.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.4 in Iran.
How is healthcare in Russia compared to Iran?
Russia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iran leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 38.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Russia, compared to 15.1 in Iran. Russia scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iran: 74).
What's the weather like in Russia compared to Iran?
The average high temperature in Moscow is 48°F, compared to 72°F in Tehran. Moscow receives around 27.2 in of rainfall per year, while Tehran gets 9.1 in.
What language do they speak in Russia?
The official language in Russia is Russian. In Iran, the official language is Persian (Farsi).
