Moving to Iran from Turkey
What to Expect
Considering a move from Turkey to Iran? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Turkey to Iran, you would find that Iran is 50.2% cheaper than Turkey overall. A TRY3,700,000 salary in Turkey would need to be roughly IRR51,200,000,000 in Iran to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Persian (Farsi).
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Iran cheaper than Turkey?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 44.9% less
Groceries
pay 35.8% less
Transportation
pay 57.1% less
Housing
pay 44.9% less
Childcare
pay 88.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 67.0% 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?
TRY3,700,000 → IRR51,200,000,000
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 19% less than cities in Turkey.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Iran
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Turkey to Iran.
Who's moving to Iran?
Top countries of origin for Iran's foreign-born residents.
- 2,710,601
- 54,445
- 12,575
- 4,788
- 1,954
- 989
- · · ·
-
7.384
Turkey
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Iran compared to Turkey.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Turkey 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
Turkey 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
Turkey performs better than Iran 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
Turkey generally does better on infrastructure, though Iran leads in electricity per capita.
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
Turkey generally does better on employment & economy, though Iran 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
Turkey generally does better on family life, though Iran leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2014–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2007). How we calculate this
Weather in Iran vs Turkey
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Istanbul | Tehran |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/38°F (10°/3°C) | 52°/35°F (11°/2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 82°/61°F (28°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/64°F (27°/18°C) | 94°/72°F (35°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 60°/48°F (16°/9°C) | 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Istanbul | Tehran |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48°/37°F (8.7°/2.9°C) | 45°/30°F (7.2°/-1.1°C) |
| Feb | 48°/37°F (9.1°/2.8°C) | 50°/33°F (9.9°/0.7°C) |
| Mar | 52°/39°F (11.2°/3.9°C) | 60°/41°F (15.4°/5.2°C) |
| Apr | 62°/46°F (16.5°/7.7°C) | 71°/52°F (21.9°/10.9°C) |
| May | 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.0°C) | 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.1°C) |
| Jun | 79°/61°F (26.0°/16.0°C) | 93°/70°F (34.1°/20.9°C) |
| Jul | 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.5°C) | 98°/75°F (36.8°/24.0°C) |
| Aug | 83°/66°F (28.5°/18.7°C) | 96°/73°F (35.4°/23.0°C) |
| Sep | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.5°C) | 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.2°C) |
| Oct | 68°/54°F (20.1°/12.0°C) | 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) |
| Nov | 60°/47°F (15.3°/8.5°C) | 62°/44°F (16.5°/6.7°C) |
| Dec | 52°/42°F (11.1°/5.3°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.3°C) |
Turkish State Meteorological ServiceCan you move from Turkey to Iran?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Turkey 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.
Turkey passport holder visiting Iran
Visa Free
Iran passport holder visiting Turkey
Visa FreeData: 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 Turkey?
On average Iran is about 50% less expensive than Turkey, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Iran?
Budget about IRR12,800,000,000 for 3 months in Iran (based on a TRY3,700,000 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: 12.1 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?
Turkey 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 3.2 in Turkey.
How is healthcare in Iran compared to Turkey?
Turkey generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iran leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 18.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Iran, compared to 22.4 in Turkey. Iran scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Turkey: 76).
What's the weather like in Iran compared to Turkey?
The average high temperature in Tehran is 72°F, compared to 65°F in Istanbul. Tehran receives around 9.1 in of rainfall per year, while Istanbul gets 26.7 in.
What language do they speak in Iran?
The official language in Iran is Persian (Farsi). In Turkey, the official language is Turkish.
