Cost of Living Comparison Between Birjand and Mashhad Cost of Living Comparison Between Birjand and Mashhad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $539 per month in Birjand vs $454 in Mashhad, rent included.

A couple spends around $823 per month in Birjand vs $784 in Mashhad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,107 per month in Birjand vs $1,115 in Mashhad, rent included.

Birjand costs about 19% more than Mashhad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Birjand and Mashhad are more affordable than the global median – Birjand 60% lower, Mashhad 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.90 $3.90

$2.98 $2.98

30.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.67 $16.67

$20.35 $20.35

-18.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.52 $4.52

$5.04 $5.04

-10.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.62 $0.62

$0.49 $0.49

26.53%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 $1.04

$0.92 $0.92

13.04%

Cappuccino

$1.12 $1.12

$1.10 $1.10

1.82%

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

$0.42 $0.42

$0.40 $0.40

5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 $0.92

$0.44 $0.44

109.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.62 $0.62

$0.53 $0.53

16.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 $0.57

$0.27 $0.27

111.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.89 $1.89

-2.65%

Eggs

$1.13 $1.13

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$2.13 $2.13

58.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$2.49 $2.49

31.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.04 $10.04

$10.21 $10.21

-1.67%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 $0.90

$0.85 $0.85

5.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.22 $1.22

16.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 $0.83

$0.85 $0.85

-2.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 $0.59

$0.60 $0.60

-1.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 $0.48

$0.47 $0.47

2.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 $0.46

$0.49 $0.49

-6.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 $0.54

$0.52 $0.52

3.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.23 $0.23

$0.32 $0.32

-28.13%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.55 $0.55

$0.88 $0.88

-37.50%

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)

$1.37 $1.37

$0.90 $0.90

52.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.71 $2.71

-16.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 $0.19

$0.22 $0.22

-13.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.14 $10.14

$4.33 $4.33

134.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 $0.36

$0.33 $0.33

9.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 $0.27

$0.52 $0.52

-48.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.02 $2.02

-3.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$0.83 $0.83

-12.05%

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

$71.4K $71.4K

$59.9K $59.9K

19.29%

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

$54.1K $54.1K

$70.3K $70.3K

-23.10%

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

$15.82 $15.82

$13.51 $13.51

17.10%

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

$2.03 $2.03

$2.35 $2.35

-13.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.71 $5.71

$5.68 $5.68

0.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.20 $16.20

$18.79 $18.79

-13.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.28 $12.28

$15.12 $15.12

-18.78%

Cinema Ticket

$1.53 $1.53

$2.04 $2.04

-25.00%

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

$116 $116

$46.74 $46.74

147.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,936 $1,936

$626 $626

209.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.22 $22.22

$22.36 $22.36

-0.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.04 $25.04

$37.55 $37.55

-33.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 $109

$94.4 $94.4

15.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.0 $70.0

$86.9 $86.9

-19.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 $283

$212 $212

33.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$199 $199

$147 $147

35.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$633 $633

$452 $452

39.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 $324

$322 $322

0.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,241 $1,241

$1,158 $1,158

7.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$570 $570

$677 $677

-15.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$257 $257

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.24

20.5

8.49%

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

Last update for Birjand: July 25, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $283 in Birjand 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Birjand versus $20.00 in Mashhad. Groceries tell a different story – $107 in Birjand vs $96.0 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

Birjand vs Mashhad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $539 in Birjand, $454 in Mashhad – roughly 19% apart. Birjand costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $808 per month in Birjand and $681 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.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Birjand, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

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

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $539 in Birjand and $454 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, Birjand makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.