Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Abadan, Iran and Mashhad, Iran

For one person, living is cheaper in Mashhad: $464 a month against $534 in Abadan, rent and utilities included – about $840 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Abadan, Iran
Mashhad, Iran
Abadan
🇮🇷 Iran
$534
/mo nomad
Mashhad
🇮🇷 Iran
$464
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Abadan and in Mashhad

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Abadan and in Mashhad actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $534 in Abadan versus $464 in Mashhad.

  • Abadan $534
  • Mashhad $464

Estimated couple costs with rent: $851 in Abadan versus $759 in Mashhad.

  • Abadan $851
  • Mashhad $759

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,167 in Abadan versus $1,054 in Mashhad.

  • Abadan $1,167
  • Mashhad $1,054

Living in Abadan is roughly 15% more expensive than in Mashhad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Abadan 60% lower, Mashhad 66% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Abadan
Mashhad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.96 $2.96
$3.07 $3.07
-3.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$16.06 $16.06
$18.75 $18.75
-14.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.94 $3.94
$5.06 $5.06
-22.13%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.68 $0.68
$0.56 $0.56
21.43%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12 $1.12
$0.92 $0.92
21.74%
Cappuccino
$1.10 $1.10
$1.09 $1.09
0.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 $0.49
$0.43 $0.43
13.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.98 $0.98
$0.26 $0.26
276.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Abadan
Mashhad
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.04 $1.04
$0.61 $0.61
70.49%
White Bread (500g)
$0.48 $0.48
$0.21 $0.21
128.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.07 $2.07
$1.95 $1.95
6.15%
Eggs
$1.18 $1.18
$1.15 $1.15
2.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.50 $4.50
$2.17 $2.17
107.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.41 $3.41
$2.71 $2.71
25.83%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.39 $10.39
$10.43 $10.43
-0.38%
Apples (1kg)
$1.03 $1.03
$0.87 $0.87
18.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 $1.61
$1.56 $1.56
3.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.86 $0.86
$0.80 $0.80
7.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.56 $0.56
$0.63 $0.63
-11.11%
Potato (1kg)
$0.54 $0.54
$0.49 $0.49
10.20%
Onion (1kg)
$0.47 $0.47
$0.48 $0.48
-2.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.57 $0.57
$0.52 $0.52
9.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.24 $0.24
$0.27 $0.27
-11.11%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$0.77 $0.77
$0.86 $0.86
-10.47%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 $0.55
$0.79 $0.79
-30.38%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 $1.38
$0.97 $0.97
42.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.53 $2.53
$3.08 $3.08
-17.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Abadan
Mashhad
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.14 $0.14
$0.02 $0.02
600.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.46 $9.46
$3.66 $3.66
158.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.38 $0.38
$0.18 $0.18
111.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.29 $0.29
$0.49 $0.49
-40.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.64 $2.64
$2.02 $2.02
30.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.09 $0.09
$0.78 $0.78
-88.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.0K $50.0K
$59.8K $59.8K
-16.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$45.1K $45.1K
$67.7K $67.7K
-33.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Abadan
Mashhad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$13.23 $13.23
$14.81 $14.81
-10.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$1.58 $1.58
$2.14 $2.14
-26.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$4.02 $4.02
$20.20 $20.20
-80.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Abadan
Mashhad
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$18.95 $18.95
$19.54 $19.54
-3.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.28 $13.28
$14.96 $14.96
-11.23%
Cinema Ticket
$1.95 $1.95
$1.97 $1.97
-1.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Abadan
Mashhad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$108 $108
$41.44 $41.44
161.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,416 $2,416
$625 $625
286.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Abadan
Mashhad
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.77 $22.77
$20.06 $20.06
13.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.89 $28.89
$39.31 $39.31
-26.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.2 $96.2
$95.3 $95.3
0.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.1 $73.1
$70.1 $70.1
4.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Abadan
Mashhad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$290 $290
$199 $199
45.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$208 $208
$141 $141
47.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$799 $799
$402 $402
98.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$363 $363
$263 $263
37.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$712 $712
$1,124 $1,124
-36.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,037 $1,037
$687 $687
51.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Abadan
Mashhad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$447 $447
$249 $249
79.53%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
24.3
24
1.25%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Abadan: November 1, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Abadan
$208
Mashhad
$141 32.4% $67
Groceries & Markets
Abadan
$119
Mashhad
$100 15.9% $19
Clothing & Footwear
Abadan
$99
Mashhad
$101 1.7% $1.7
Eating Out
Abadan
$55
Mashhad
$56 2% $1.1
Sport & Entertainment
Abadan
$23
Mashhad
$23 2.7% $0.6
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Abadan
$19
Mashhad
$37 97.2% $18
Getting Around
Abadan
$12
Mashhad
$6.4 46.2% $5.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $290 in Abadan and $199 in Mashhad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abadan pays 80% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $16 in Abadan vs $19 in Mashhad. Groceries flip the comparison at $119 vs $100, with Mashhad cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇮🇷 Abadan
🇮🇷 Mashhad
🕒 Local time
03:30 3:30 AM
03:30 3:30 AM
Same time as Abadan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
231,476
3,001,184
💱 Currency
USD USD
USD USD
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – USD Converter

USD exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.891 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Abadan Mashhad 1,240 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Abadan
  • Mashhad

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Abadan vs Mashhad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mashhad cheaper than Abadan?
Mashhad is about 13% cheaper overall, especially in groceries and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Abadan or Mashhad?
Average pay runs 80% higher in Abadan, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Abadan and Mashhad?
Rent for a central apartment: $290 in Abadan versus $199 in Mashhad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Abadan or in Mashhad?
Dining out is cheaper in Abadan – a meal for two runs $16 versus $19 in Mashhad. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Abadan and in Mashhad?
All in, you’ll spend $534 per month in Abadan versus $464 in Mashhad – Mashhad is about 13% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is $800 enough for either Abadan or Mashhad?
Either city works on $800 a month, though Mashhad gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is it better to live in Abadan or in Mashhad?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Mashhad wins on affordability, Abadan on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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