Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Town and Mashhad

For one person, living is cheaper in Mashhad: $485 a month against $1,568 in Cape Town, rent and utilities included – about $13,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

76

Cost of Living Index in Cape Town
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Cape Town Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Mashhad
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Mashhad Living Index

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Cape Town

🇿🇦 South Africa

$1,568

/mo nomad

Mashhad

🇮🇷 Iran

$485

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cape Town 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 Cape Town and in Mashhad actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,568 per month in Cape Town vs $485 in Mashhad, rent included.

Cape Town $1,568
Mashhad $485

A couple spends around $2,438 per month in Cape Town vs $770 in Mashhad, rent included.

Cape Town $2,438
Mashhad $770

A family of three spends $3,307 per month in Cape Town vs $1,055 in Mashhad, rent included.

Cape Town $3,307
Mashhad $1,055

Cape Town costs about 223% more than Mashhad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Cape Town sits 17% above the global median, while Mashhad is 64% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.78 R 194

$3.03 $3.03

288.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 R 768

$18.20 $18.20

155.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.96 R 98.4

$4.89 $4.89

21.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.59 $0.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

Cappuccino

$2.47 R 40.80

$1.09 $1.09

126.61%

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

$1.33 R 21.91

$0.43 $0.43

209.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 R 16.99

$0.26 $0.26

296.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 R 49.72

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 R 60.4

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 R 22.96

$0.62 $0.62

124.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 R 19.60

$0.19 $0.19

526.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 R 34.84

$2.03 $2.03

3.94%

Eggs

$3.01 R 49.58

$1.10 $1.10

173.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 R 148

$2.16 $2.16

314.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.65 R 110

$2.77 $2.77

140.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.29 R 153

$10.45 $10.45

-11.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 R 30.13

$0.96 $0.96

90.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 R 31.31

$1.51 $1.51

25.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 R 28.83

$0.78 $0.78

124.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 R 34.41

$0.57 $0.57

266.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 R 25.64

$0.53 $0.53

192.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.53

$0.47 $0.47

217.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 R 21.41

$0.48 $0.48

170.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 R 19.19

$0.29 $0.29

300.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.88 $0.88

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 $0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.71 R 61.2

$3.03 $3.03

22.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.06 R 100

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R 22.85

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 R 36.32

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 R 24.98

$0.02 $0.02

7450.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.0 R 1,006

$3.72 $3.72

1538.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 R 10.33

$0.19 $0.19

231.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 R 25.29

$0.49 $0.49

212.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.81 R 79.4

$1.96 $1.96

145.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 R 26.08

$0.82 $0.82

92.68%

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

$35.5K R 585.7K

$60.2K $60.2K

-41.05%

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

$31.7K R 523.8K

$66.2K $66.2K

-52.02%

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

$116 R 1,920

$13.58 $13.58

757.00%

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

$28.37 R 468

$2.67 $2.67

962.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.69 R 671

$27.42 $27.42

48.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.85 R 806

$19.38 $19.38

152.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.13 R 184

$14.98 $14.98

-25.70%

Cinema Ticket

$8.83 R 146

$2.03 $2.03

334.98%

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

$261 R 4,314

$40.02 $40.02

553.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,702 R 110.6K

$622 $622

976.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 R 914

$19.92 $19.92

178.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.27 R 532

$38.69 $38.69

-16.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 R 1,939

$93.5 $93.5

25.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 R 1,766

$68.6 $68.6

56.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,015 R 16.7K

$213 $213

376.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 R 11.8K

$148 $148

383.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,801 R 29.7K

$400 $400

350.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,330 R 22.0K

$272 $272

389.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,331 R 38.5K

$1,125 $1,125

107.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,513 R 25.0K

$689 $689

119.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,636 R 27.0K

$252 $252

548.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.97

21.5

-48.98%

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

Last update for Cape Town: October 4, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Cape Town

$715 45.3%

Mashhad

$148 31.1% 79.3% $567

Groceries & Markets

Cape Town

$222 14.1%

Mashhad

$100 21% 55% $122

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cape Town

$185 11.7%

Mashhad

$44 9.2% 76.5% $142

Eating Out

Cape Town

$174 11%

Mashhad

$55 11.5% 68.5% $119

Clothing & Footwear

Cape Town

$141 8.9%

Mashhad

$99 20.9% 29.3% $41

Getting Around

Cape Town

$75 4.8%

Mashhad

$6.4 1.4% 91.4% $69

Sport & Entertainment

Cape Town

$67 4.2%

Mashhad

$23 4.9% 64.8% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,015 in Cape Town versus $213 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 548% higher in Cape Town, 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 $47.00 in Cape Town versus $18.00 in Mashhad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $100 – making Mashhad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇿🇦 Cape Town

🇮🇷 Mashhad

🕒 Local time

10:35 10:35 AM

12:05 12:05 PM

1 h 30 min ahead of Cape Town

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,740,026 Capital

3,001,184

💱 Currency

South African Rand ZAR R

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZAR = 6.06 USD

100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to ZAR – South African Rand Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇿🇦 South African Rand (R)

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 16.5 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.06 USD). 1 EUR = 18.5 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to ZAR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cape Town Mashhad 8,900 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Cape Town
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

Cape Town vs Mashhad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cape Town costs about 223% more than Mashhad, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,352 per month in Cape Town and $727 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,568 in Cape Town and $485 in Mashhad. That's a gap of about 223%.

Public transport costs about 1539% less in Mashhad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mashhad, where all-in costs run around $485, than in Cape Town at $1,568. In Mashhad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cape Town it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mashhad costs $485 versus $1,568 in Cape Town. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Cape Town makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.