Iran

Western Asia

Middle East

Iran has a large domestic market and strong technical education, but sanctions, banking restrictions, political risk, internet controls, and nationality-based legal constraints materially limit relocation and investment.

Overall score

Low · Penalty applied · 96% data coverage

Language

Persian

Currency

IRR

Citizenship

5 years

Personal tax

Progressive, up to 25%

Cost of living

$700 / mo (single; exchange rates vary)

Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.

Score breakdown

Access

17%

41Residence12%

25Citizenship and passport5%

Earning power

25%

48Salary and work12%

67Buying power13%

Business and wealth

20%

58Taxes7%

30Business8%

43Investment5%

Daily life

25%

59Quality of life18%

67Education7%

Rights and institutions

13%

12Freedom6%

18Rule of law7%

Severe environmental risk (23) cut the overall score from 46 to 37.

Weak rights and institutions (15) cut the overall score from 37 to 26.

Pros

Country-wide comparison coverage
Local residence and work pathways available

Cons

Legal and tax outcomes are case-specific
Costs vary materially by city and lifestyle

Best for

Users comparing regional optionsPeople prepared to verify a specific pathway

Score profile

Access

Residence

Citizenship

Passport

Earning power

Salary & work

Buying power

Cost of living

100

Economy

Business and wealth

Taxes

Personal tax

Corporate tax

Business

Investment

Wealth building

Daily life

Safety

Healthcare

Environment

Infrastructure

Education

HDI

Rights and institutions

Freedom

Rule of law

How the scores are calculated

Access

Residence

Openness to residents

Limited

Migrant stock4.2% of population (2024)

Regulatory quality-1.51 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways

EmploymentStudyFamily reunificationBusiness or investment where eligible

Student	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Work	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Self-employed	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Permanent	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

Citizenship

Citizenship accessibility

Low

Years required	5 years
Dual allowed	No
Language	Check the current naturalisation rules for the selected route
Residence	Typical headline route: 5 years; qualifying residence and absence rules apply
Notes	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

Passport

Passport power

Low

51 / 198

Mobility

#90

Global rank

Yes

Biometric

Visa-free13
On arrival34
eTA4
Visa required147

Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work

Labour-market strength

Moderate

Output per worker$59,472 PPP (2024)

Unemployment8.3% (2025)

Participation41.0% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tech salary (estimate)	Varies substantially by city, seniority, and employer
Freelance	Market access depends on language, sector, and work authorisation
Job market	Use current local vacancy and salary data for role-specific decisions.

Buying power

Purchasing power score

Good

GNI / person$19,660 PPP (2025)

Consumption / person$9,290 PPP (2024)

Price level21 (US = 100) (2025)

Income inequality35.9 Gini (2023)

Inflation42.2% / yr (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living

Affordability

Excellent

100

Price level21 (US = 100) (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Rent	Varies substantially by city and neighbourhood
Monthly	$700 / mo (single; exchange rates vary)
Cities	Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan, Shiraz

Economy

Economic strength

Moderate

Output & income

GDP$362.7B (2025)

GDP / person$3,924 (2025)

GNI / person$19,660 PPP (2025)

GDP growth3.7% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour

Inflation42.2% / yr (2025)

Unemployment8.3% (2025)

Output per worker$59,472 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition

Agriculture10.6% of GDP (2025)

Industry39.6% of GDP (2025)

Services47.1% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries

Oil & gasPetrochemicalsAutomotiveMining & metalsAgriculture

Top exports

Crude oil & gasPetrochemicalsMetalsPistachios & carpets

Type	Lower-middle-income, hydrocarbon- and industry-led
Key sectors	Oil & gas, Petrochemicals, Domestic automotive & metals
Summary	A large, diversified but heavily sanctioned economy built on oil, gas, petrochemicals and a sizeable domestic industry.
Currency	Iranian rial (subject to sanctions and high inflation)

Business and wealth

Taxes

Tax friendliness

Moderate

Personal	Progressive, up to 25%
Corporate	Generally 25%
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit tax	Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence
Foreign companies	Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply

Personal tax

Moderate

Personal	Progressive, up to 25%
Freelance	Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit tax	Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence

Corporate tax

Low

Corporate	Generally 25%
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Foreign companies	Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply

Business

Business friendliness

Limited

Regulation & bureaucracy

Regulatory quality-1.51 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Government effectiveness-0.71 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules

Foreign company	Generally possible, subject to sector, registration, tax, and substance rules
Local company	Available company forms and capital requirements vary
Freelance	Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply

Investment

Investing environment

Limited

Market cap51% of GDP (2025)

Private credit58% of GDP (2016)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, residence, holding period, and treaty position
Dividends	Data not available yet
ETFs & funds	Data not available yet
Wealth tax	Check current national and subnational rules
Brokers	Local and international availability varies by residency and compliance checks
Foreign access	Data not available yet
Tax-advantaged	Data not available yet

Wealth building

Wealth accumulation

Moderate

Salary & work

Moderate

Business

Limited

Investment

Limited

Tax friendliness

Moderate

Cost of living

Excellent

100

Daily life

Safety

Safety & stability

Moderate

Personal safety

Homicide rate2.4 per 100,000 (2014)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability

Control of corruption-1.15 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Political stability-1.58 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Healthcare

Healthcare score

Moderate

Outcomes

Life expectancy77.9 years (2024)

Under-5 mortality11.3 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing

Physicians1.81 per 1,000 (2023)

Hospital beds1.85 per 1,000 (2019)

Health spending$1,064 PPP / person (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs

System	Public/private mix varies by eligibility and residence status
Insurance	Check residence-permit and local coverage requirements
Average cost	Depends on eligibility, income, insurer, and chosen coverage

Environment

Environment score

Low

Environmental pressure

PM2.5 exposure40.2 μg/m³ annually (2023)

Water stress81.3% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure

Infrastructure score

Moderate

Digital infrastructure

Internet use85.3% (2024)

Internet resilience45 / 100 (2026)

Fixed speed52 / 100 download index (2026)

Mobile speed61 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities

Electricity access100.0% (2023)

Grid losses10.0% of output (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport

Transport quality2.40 / 5 (2022)

Rail density5.8 km / 1,000 km² (2021)

Air connectivity1,569 departures / million people (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education

Education score

Good

Attainment

Expected schooling14.0 years (2023)

Mean schooling10.8 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment

Tertiary enrolment59% gross (2022)

Education spending2.8% of GDP (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tuition	$2,000-8,000 / yr
Public university	Varies by institution, programme, and student nationality
Languages	Persian
Student work	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

HDI

Human development score

Excellent

HDI0.799 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life

Life expectancy77.7 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge

Expected schooling14.0 years (2023)

Mean schooling10.8 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025