Moving to Iran from Saudi Arabia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Saudi Arabia to Iran? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Saudi Arabia to Iran, you would find that Iran is 34.8% cheaper than Saudi Arabia overall. A SAR281,786 salary in Saudi Arabia would need to be roughly IRR93,854,750,000 in Iran to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Persian (Farsi). Expect a noticeable climate shift — Tehran averages 72°F vs 92°F in Riyadh, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
What does your salary buy?
SAR281,786 → IRR93,854,750,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Iran
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 41.8% more
Groceries
pay 51.7% less
Transportation
pay 3.5% more
Housing
pay 58.1% less
Childcare
pay 81.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 74.5% 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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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Iran compared to Saudi Arabia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Saudi Arabia 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
Iran generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia 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
Iran performs significantly better than Saudi Arabia across all environment metrics.
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
Saudi Arabia generally does better on infrastructure, though Iran 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
Saudi Arabia 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
Saudi Arabia performs better than Iran 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 | Riyadh | Tehran |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) | 52°/35°F (11°/2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) | 82°/61°F (28°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) | 94°/72°F (35°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) | 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Riyadh | Tehran |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) | 45°/30°F (7.2°/-1.1°C) |
| Feb | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) | 50°/33°F (9.9°/0.7°C) |
| Mar | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) | 60°/41°F (15.4°/5.2°C) |
| Apr | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) | 71°/52°F (21.9°/10.9°C) |
| May | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) | 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.1°C) |
| Jun | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) | 93°/70°F (34.1°/20.9°C) |
| Jul | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) | 98°/75°F (36.8°/24.0°C) |
| Aug | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) | 96°/73°F (35.4°/23.0°C) |
| Sep | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) | 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.2°C) |
| Oct | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) | 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) |
| Nov | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) | 62°/44°F (16.5°/6.7°C) |
| Dec | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.3°C) |
National Center for MeteorologyVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Saudi Arabia 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.
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Iran
Visa Free
Iran passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
Visa RequiredData: 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 Saudi Arabia?
On average Iran is about 9% less expensive than Saudi Arabia, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Iran?
Budget about IRR23,463,687,500 for 3 months in Iran (based on a SAR281,786 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Iran?
Connectivity is usually fine (Iran: 12.3 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Iran offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Iran safe for expats?
Saudi Arabia performs better than Iran across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iran is 2.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Saudi Arabia.
How is healthcare in Iran compared to Saudi Arabia?
Iran generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 15.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Iran, compared to 30.8 in Saudi Arabia. Iran scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Saudi Arabia: 74).
What's the weather like in Iran compared to Saudi Arabia?
The average high temperature in Tehran is 72°F, compared to 92°F in Riyadh. Tehran receives around 9.1 in of rainfall per year, while Riyadh gets 4.4 in.
What language do they speak in Iran?
The official language in Iran is Persian (Farsi). In Saudi Arabia, the official language is Arabic.
