Moving to Washington from Iran

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Iran to Washington? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Iran to Washington, you would find that Washington is 7.3 times more expensive than Iran overall. A IRR103,106,250,000 salary in Iran would need to be roughly $127,327 in Washington to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Olympia averages 60°F vs 72°F in Tehran, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iran and Washington.

What does your salary buy?

IRR103,106,250,000 $127,327

To maintain the same standard of living in Washington

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 3.5 times more

Groceries

pay 4.6 times more

Transportation

pay 3.8 times more

Housing

pay 7.7 times more

Childcare

pay 23.6 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 6.2 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 IRR = 0.0 USD (July 2026)

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 Washington.

Moved in 2023
8,790 ↑ 4% vs 2022

people moved from Iran to United States · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to United States?

Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Washington compared to Iran.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

IR
25.8%
WA
31.1%

Iran performs better than Washington across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

IR
79.0%
WA
93.1%

Washington performs significantly better than Iran across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

IR
9.1%
WA
5.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

IR
$16,200
WA
$87,768

Washington performs significantly better than Iran across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

IR
75.2 yrs
WA
79.2 yrs

Washington performs significantly better than Iran across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Tehran Rain: 9.1 in/yr (230 mm)
72° / 53°F

Avg. annual high / low

Olympia Rain: 50.0 in/yr (1270 mm)
60° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Tehran Olympia
Jan–Mar 52°/35°F (11°/2°C) 50°/34°F (10°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 82°/61°F (28°/16°C) 65°/43°F (18°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 94°/72°F (35°/22°C) 76°/49°F (24°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) 51°/36°F (11°/2°C)
View all months
Month Tehran Olympia
Jan 45°/30°F (7.2°/-1.1°C) 46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C)
Feb 50°/33°F (9.9°/0.7°C) 49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C)
Mar 60°/41°F (15.4°/5.2°C) 54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C)
Apr 71°/52°F (21.9°/10.9°C) 59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C)
May 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.1°C) 65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C)
Jun 93°/70°F (34.1°/20.9°C) 71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C)
Jul 98°/75°F (36.8°/24.0°C) 77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C)
Aug 96°/73°F (35.4°/23.0°C) 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C)
Sep 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.2°C) 72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C)
Oct 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) 60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C)
Nov 62°/44°F (16.5°/6.7°C) 50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C)
Dec 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.3°C) 44°/33°F (6.8°/0.3°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iran and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.

Iran passport

Iran passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Iran passport holders need a visa to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Iran

Visa Required
United States passport holders need a visa to enter Iran.

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 Washington than Iran?

On average Washington is around 70% pricier than Iran, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Washington?

Budget about $31,832 for 3 months in Washington (based on a IRR103,106,250,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Washington?

From major Washington cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Iran and Washington are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Washington compared to Iran?

Iran performs better than Washington across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Washington compared to Iran?

The average high temperature in Olympia is 60°F, compared to 72°F in Tehran. Olympia receives around 50.0 in of rainfall per year, while Tehran gets 9.1 in.

What language do they speak in Washington?

The official language in Washington is English. In Iran, the official language is Persian (Farsi).

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At a Glance

IR
Population 86,758,304 6,724,540
Currency Iranian Rial (IRR) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Persian (Farsi) English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +98 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 115 911