Cost of Living Comparison Between Babol and Mashhad Cost of Living Comparison Between Babol and Mashhad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $418 per month in Babol vs $451 in Mashhad, rent included.

A couple spends around $743 per month in Babol vs $774 in Mashhad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,067 per month in Babol vs $1,098 in Mashhad, rent included.

Babol is about 7% cheaper than Mashhad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Babol and Mashhad are more affordable than the global median – Babol 69% lower, Mashhad 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 $3.51

$2.94 $2.94

19.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.01 $18.01

$19.68 $19.68

-8.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.14 $5.14

$5.01 $5.01

2.59%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.62 $0.62

$0.52 $0.52

19.23%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 $1.05

$0.93 $0.93

12.90%

Cappuccino

$0.92 $0.92

$1.16 $1.16

-20.69%

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

$0.42 $0.42

$0.43 $0.43

-2.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 $0.92

$0.48 $0.48

91.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.59 $0.59

$0.53 $0.53

11.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.19 $0.19

$0.25 $0.25

-24.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.85 $1.85

1.08%

Eggs

$1.08 $1.08

$1.09 $1.09

-0.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.16 $2.16

-10.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.40 $2.40

36.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.39 $8.39

$10.34 $10.34

-18.86%

Apples (1kg)

$0.93 $0.93

$0.89 $0.89

4.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.21 $1.21

4.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.92 $0.92

-5.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 $0.53

$0.65 $0.65

-18.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 $0.55

$0.48 $0.48

14.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 $0.43

$0.49 $0.49

-12.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 $0.34

$0.48 $0.48

-29.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.14 $0.14

$0.30 $0.30

-53.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.59 $0.59

$0.92 $0.92

-35.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 $0.59

$0.74 $0.74

-20.27%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 $1.57

$0.97 $0.97

61.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.62 $2.62

-33.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 $0.17

$0.19 $0.19

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.14 $10.14

$4.37 $4.37

132.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.33 $0.33

57.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 $0.27

$0.52 $0.52

-48.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.97 $1.97

55.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$0.82 $0.82

-12.20%

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

$81.1K $81.1K

$59.4K $59.4K

36.65%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$71.7K $71.7K

-58.27%

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

$14.94 $14.94

$13.84 $13.84

7.95%

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

$1.98 $1.98

$2.29 $2.29

-13.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$3.93 $3.93

$5.89 $5.89

-33.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.89 $15.89

$18.79 $18.79

-15.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.32 $12.32

$14.90 $14.90

-17.32%

Cinema Ticket

$1.46 $1.46

$2.05 $2.05

-28.78%

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

$49.72 $49.72

$46.01 $46.01

8.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,949 $1,949

$623 $623

212.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.94 $21.94

$22.20 $22.20

-1.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.70 $33.70

$36.65 $36.65

-8.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 $120

$95.2 $95.2

25.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 $70.6

$86.8 $86.8

-18.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$189 $189

$212 $212

-11.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$95.9 $95.9

$146 $146

-34.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 $483

$455 $455

6.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 $288

$324 $324

-10.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$923 $923

$1,127 $1,127

-18.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$599 $599

$678 $678

-11.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$130 $130

$253 $253

-48.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

23.75

20.5

15.85%

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

Last update for Babol: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $189 in Babol versus $212 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 94% higher in Mashhad, 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 $18.00 in Babol versus $20.00 in Mashhad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $91.0 vs $96.0 – making Babol the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Babol vs Mashhad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $418 in Babol, $451 in Mashhad – roughly 8% apart. Mashhad costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $628 per month in Babol and $676 in Mashhad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 132% less in Babol. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $49.72 per month in Babol and $46.01 in Mashhad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $418 in Babol and $451 in Mashhad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Babol – 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 Babol. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mashhad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.