Moving to Iran from Pakistan
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Pakistan to Iran — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Pakistan to Iran, you would find that Iran is 64.7% more expensive than Pakistan overall. A PKR20,869,801 salary in Pakistan would need to be roughly IRR225,398,511,000 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 84°F in Islamabad, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Pakistan to Iran.
What does your salary buy?
PKR20,869,801 → IRR225,398,511,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Iran
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 2.3 times more
Groceries
pay 20.5% more
Transportation
pay 53.2% more
Housing
pay 2.3 times more
Childcare
pay 62.0% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 17.9% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Pakistan to Iran, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to Iran?
Top countries of origin for Iran's foreign-born residents.
- 2,710,601
- 54,445
-
3.12,575
Pakistan
- 4,788
- 1,954
- 989
Key Indicator Comparison
How Pakistan 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
Pakistan generally does better on safety, though Iran leads in homicide rate.
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
Iran generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pakistan 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
Pakistan 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 performs significantly better than Pakistan 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
Iran generally does better on employment & economy, though Pakistan leads in unemployment rate.
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 performs significantly better than Pakistan across all family life metrics.
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 | Islamabad | Tehran |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/44°F (21°/7°C) | 52°/35°F (11°/2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 95°/68°F (35°/20°C) | 82°/61°F (28°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 94°/74°F (34°/23°C) | 94°/72°F (35°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 78°/48°F (26°/9°C) | 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Islamabad | Tehran |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64°/38°F (17.9°/3.2°C) | 45°/30°F (7.2°/-1.1°C) |
| Feb | 68°/43°F (19.8°/6.0°C) | 50°/33°F (9.9°/0.7°C) |
| Mar | 76°/51°F (24.5°/10.7°C) | 60°/41°F (15.4°/5.2°C) |
| Apr | 87°/60°F (30.5°/15.8°C) | 71°/52°F (21.9°/10.9°C) |
| May | 97°/69°F (36.0°/20.7°C) | 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.1°C) |
| Jun | 101°/75°F (38.4°/23.8°C) | 93°/70°F (34.1°/20.9°C) |
| Jul | 96°/76°F (35.3°/24.4°C) | 98°/75°F (36.8°/24.0°C) |
| Aug | 93°/75°F (33.7°/23.8°C) | 96°/73°F (35.4°/23.0°C) |
| Sep | 93°/70°F (33.7°/21.1°C) | 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.2°C) |
| Oct | 88°/58°F (30.9°/14.5°C) | 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) |
| Nov | 79°/47°F (25.9°/8.3°C) | 62°/44°F (16.5°/6.7°C) |
| Dec | 68°/40°F (20.2°/4.3°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.3°C) |
Data:
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Pakistan 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.
Pakistan passport holder visiting Iran
Visa Required
Iran passport holder visiting Pakistan
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 Pakistan?
Day-to-day costs in Iran run about 119% higher than Pakistan on average; specific cities can swing further.
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 PKR20,869,801 comparable salary, that's around IRR56,349,627,750 in Iran for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Iran?
With 12.3 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 Pakistan and Iran.
Is Iran safe for expats?
Pakistan generally does better on safety, though Iran leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Iran is 2.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.2 in Pakistan.
How is healthcare in Iran compared to Pakistan?
Iran generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pakistan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 15.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Iran, compared to 10.8 in Pakistan. Iran scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Pakistan: 45).
What's the weather like in Iran compared to Pakistan?
The average high temperature in Tehran is 72°F, compared to 84°F in Islamabad. Tehran receives around 9.1 in of rainfall per year, while Islamabad gets 49.1 in.
What language do they speak in Iran?
The official language in Iran is Persian (Farsi). In Pakistan, the official languages are English and Urdu.
