Moving to Iran from United Kingdom
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United Kingdom to Iran — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from United Kingdom to Iran, you would find that Iran is 64.6% cheaper than United Kingdom overall. A £55,766 salary in United Kingdom would need to be roughly IRR60,896,000,000 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 60°F in London, making it significantly warmer.
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How your spending power changes when you relocate from United Kingdom to Iran.
What does your salary buy?
£55,766 → IRR60,896,000,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Iran
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 62.8% less
Groceries
pay 61.4% less
Transportation
pay 39.4% less
Housing
pay 80.1% less
Childcare
pay 94.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 80.6% 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
How United Kingdom 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
United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom 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
United Kingdom 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
United Kingdom performs 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
United Kingdom 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
United Kingdom 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 | London | Tehran |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) | 52°/35°F (11°/2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) | 82°/61°F (28°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 94°/72°F (35°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) | 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | London | Tehran |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) | 45°/30°F (7.2°/-1.1°C) |
| Feb | 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) | 50°/33°F (9.9°/0.7°C) |
| Mar | 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) | 60°/41°F (15.4°/5.2°C) |
| Apr | 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) | 71°/52°F (21.9°/10.9°C) |
| May | 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) | 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.1°C) |
| Jun | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) | 93°/70°F (34.1°/20.9°C) |
| Jul | 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) | 98°/75°F (36.8°/24.0°C) |
| Aug | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) | 96°/73°F (35.4°/23.0°C) |
| Sep | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) | 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.2°C) |
| Oct | 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) | 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) |
| Nov | 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) | 62°/44°F (16.5°/6.7°C) |
| Dec | 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.3°C) |
Data:
Met Office
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Kingdom 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.
United Kingdom passport holder visiting Iran
Visa Required
Iran passport holder visiting United Kingdom
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 United Kingdom?
Generally yes: Iran runs about 41% cheaper than United Kingdom on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
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 £55,766 comparable salary, that's around IRR15,224,000,000 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 United Kingdom and Iran.
Is Iran safe for expats?
United Kingdom performs better than Iran across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iran is 2.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.0 in United Kingdom.
How is healthcare in Iran compared to United Kingdom?
Iran generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 15.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Iran, compared to 31.7 in United Kingdom. Iran scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Kingdom: 88).
What's the weather like in Iran compared to United Kingdom?
The average high temperature in Tehran is 72°F, compared to 60°F in London. Tehran receives around 9.1 in of rainfall per year, while London gets 22.0 in.
What language do they speak in Iran?
The official language in Iran is Persian (Farsi). In United Kingdom, the official language is English.
