Cost of Living Comparison Between Ahvaz and Mashhad Cost of Living Comparison Between Ahvaz and Mashhad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $564 per month in Ahvaz vs $464 in Mashhad, rent included.

A couple spends around $857 per month in Ahvaz vs $793 in Mashhad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,149 per month in Ahvaz vs $1,122 in Mashhad, rent included.

Ahvaz costs about 22% more than Mashhad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ahvaz and Mashhad are more affordable than the global median – Ahvaz 58% lower, Mashhad 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.05 $2.05

$3.06 $3.06

-33.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.32 $17.32

$20.05 $20.05

-13.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.71 $3.71

$4.87 $4.87

-23.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.89 $0.89

$0.51 $0.51

74.51%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 $1.00

$0.86 $0.86

16.28%

Cappuccino

$1.20 $1.20

$1.11 $1.11

8.11%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 $0.42

$0.43 $0.43

-2.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 $1.19

$0.44 $0.44

170.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$0.56 $0.56

57.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 $0.59

$0.27 $0.27

118.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.88 $1.88

46.81%

Eggs

$1.29 $1.29

$1.10 $1.10

17.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$2.21 $2.21

81.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$2.39 $2.39

52.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 $9.36

$10.33 $10.33

-9.39%

Apples (1kg)

$0.79 $0.79

$0.92 $0.92

-14.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.27 $1.27

11.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.78 $0.78

$0.87 $0.87

-10.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 $0.56

$0.62 $0.62

-9.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 $0.59

$0.44 $0.44

34.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.49 $0.49

6.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 $0.46

$0.49 $0.49

-6.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 $0.31

$0.32 $0.32

-3.13%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.88 $0.88

11.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 $0.49

$0.74 $0.74

-33.78%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.98 $0.98

16.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.64 $2.64

-17.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 $0.22

$0.19 $0.19

15.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.90 $9.90

$4.37 $4.37

126.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.34 $0.34

52.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 $0.49

$0.48 $0.48

2.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.05 $2.05

44.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$0.84 $0.84

-9.52%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$118.7K $118.7K

$61.0K $61.0K

94.66%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$62.8K $62.8K

$71.7K $71.7K

-12.48%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$14.09 $14.09

$13.65 $13.65

3.22%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.35 $2.35

-9.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.02 $7.02

$5.66 $5.66

24.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.42 $18.42

$18.93 $18.93

-2.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.94 $5.94

$14.79 $14.79

-59.84%

Cinema Ticket

$1.19 $1.19

$2.05 $2.05

-41.95%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$108 $108

$45.93 $45.93

135.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$626 $626

$630 $630

-0.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.05 $20.05

$22.47 $22.47

-10.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.60 $24.60

$36.92 $36.92

-33.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 $98.4

$93.0 $93.0

5.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$85.1 $85.1

22.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$318 $318

$215 $215

48.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$227 $227

$146 $146

55.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 $509

$467 $467

9.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 $355

$325 $325

9.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,256 $1,256

$1,141 $1,141

10.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$742 $742

$692 $692

7.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$531 $531

$251 $251

111.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

23.67

20.5

15.46%

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

Last update for Ahvaz: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $318 in Ahvaz versus $215 in Mashhad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 111% higher in Ahvaz, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Ahvaz versus $20.00 in Mashhad. Groceries tell a different story – $116 in Ahvaz vs $97.0 in Mashhad – so Mashhad wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ahvaz vs Mashhad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ahvaz is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $847 per month in Ahvaz and $697 in Mashhad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mashhad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Ahvaz and $20.00 in Mashhad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $564 in Ahvaz and $464 in Mashhad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $564 in Ahvaz and $464 in Mashhad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Mashhad – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mashhad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ahvaz makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.