Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamadan and Mashhad, Iran

For one person, living is cheaper in Hamadan: $380 a month against $478 in Mashhad, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Hamadan, Iran
Mashhad, Iran
Hamadan
🇮🇷 Iran
$380
/mo nomad
Mashhad
🇮🇷 Iran
$478
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $380 per month in Hamadan vs $478 in Mashhad, rent included.

  • Hamadan $380
  • Mashhad $478

A couple spends around $635 per month in Hamadan vs $766 in Mashhad, rent included.

  • Hamadan $635
  • Mashhad $766

A family of three spends $890 per month in Hamadan vs $1,055 in Mashhad, rent included.

  • Hamadan $890
  • Mashhad $1,055

Hamadan is about 20% cheaper than Mashhad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Hamadan and Mashhad are more affordable than the global median – Hamadan 72% lower, Mashhad 65% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hamadan
Mashhad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.77 $3.77
$2.94 $2.94
28.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.86 $17.86
$18.29 $18.29
-2.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.07 $4.07
$4.97 $4.97
-18.11%
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)
$1.39 $1.39
$0.95 $0.95
46.32%
Cappuccino
$1.38 $1.38
$1.10 $1.10
25.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 $0.49
$0.43 $0.43
13.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99 $0.99
$0.26 $0.26
280.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hamadan
Mashhad
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.57 $0.57
$0.61 $0.61
-6.56%
White Bread (500g)
$0.24 $0.24
$0.21 $0.21
14.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.82 $2.82
$1.94 $1.94
45.36%
Eggs
$0.88 $0.88
$1.12 $1.12
-21.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$2.95 $2.95
$2.08 $2.08
41.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$1.99 $1.99
$2.73 $2.73
-27.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.06 $10.06
$10.34 $10.34
-2.71%
Apples (1kg)
$0.54 $0.54
$0.94 $0.94
-42.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.31 $1.31
$1.55 $1.55
-15.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.76 $0.76
$0.83 $0.83
-8.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.54 $0.54
$0.61 $0.61
-11.48%
Potato (1kg)
$0.55 $0.55
$0.52 $0.52
5.77%
Onion (1kg)
$0.50 $0.50
$0.44 $0.44
13.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.53 $0.53
$0.52 $0.52
1.92%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.22 $0.22
$0.29 $0.29
-24.14%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$0.78 $0.78
$0.91 $0.91
-14.29%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.42 $0.42
$0.77 $0.77
-45.45%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 $1.46
$0.90 $0.90
62.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.52 $1.52
$3.03 $3.03
-49.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Hamadan
Mashhad
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.22 $0.22
$0.02 $0.02
1000.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.45 $9.45
$3.58 $3.58
163.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.49 $0.49
$0.20 $0.20
145.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 $0.31
$0.52 $0.52
-40.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.49 $1.49
$1.99 $1.99
-25.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.09 $0.09
$0.81 $0.81
-88.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$49.3K $49.3K
$59.3K $59.3K
-16.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$45.5K $45.5K
$68.1K $68.1K
-33.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hamadan
Mashhad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$12.79 $12.79
$13.66 $13.66
-6.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$1.64 $1.64
$2.63 $2.63
-37.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$3.60 $3.60
$26.95 $26.95
-86.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hamadan
Mashhad
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$17.58 $17.58
$19.25 $19.25
-8.68%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.68 $13.68
$15.14 $15.14
-9.64%
Cinema Ticket
$2.02 $2.02
$2.05 $2.05
-1.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hamadan
Mashhad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$61.1 $61.1
$41.46 $41.46
47.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$250 $250
$613 $613
-59.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hamadan
Mashhad
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$12.27 $12.27
$20.34 $20.34
-39.68%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.60 $27.60
$38.31 $38.31
-27.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 $115
$93.2 $93.2
23.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$42.11 $42.11
$69.8 $69.8
-39.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hamadan
Mashhad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$125 $125
$209 $209
-39.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$79.0 $79.0
$151 $151
-47.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$234 $234
$392 $392
-40.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$139 $139
$266 $266
-47.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$999 $999
$1,153 $1,153
-13.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$647 $647
$683 $683
-5.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hamadan
Mashhad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$205 $205
$250 $250
-18.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
24.79
21.5
15.30%

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

Last update for Hamadan: October 27, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Hamadan
$96
Mashhad
$100 4.5% $4.3
Clothing & Footwear
Hamadan
$89
Mashhad
$100 12.4% $11
Accommodation & Living
Hamadan
$79
Mashhad
$151 90.8% $72
Eating Out
Hamadan
$65
Mashhad
$54 16.2% $10
Sport & Entertainment
Hamadan
$22
Mashhad
$23 8% $1.7
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hamadan
$18
Mashhad
$43 140% $25
Getting Around
Hamadan
$12
Mashhad
$6.5 47.7% $5.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $125 in Hamadan versus $209 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 22% 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 in Hamadan versus $18 in Mashhad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $96 vs $100 – making Hamadan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇷 Hamadan
🇮🇷 Mashhad
🕒 Local time
12:24 12:24 PM
12:24 12:24 PM
Same time as Hamadan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
526,000
3,001,184
💱 Currency
USD USD
USD USD
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – USD Converter

USD exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Hamadan Mashhad 1,020 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Hamadan
  • Mashhad

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

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
Hamadan vs Mashhad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Hamadan and in Mashhad compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $380 in Hamadan, $478 in Mashhad – Hamadan comes out roughly 20% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.
What salary covers living expenses in Hamadan compared to Mashhad?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $570 per month in Hamadan and $717 in Mashhad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Hamadan and Mashhad?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Hamadan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $125 there versus $209 in Mashhad.
Which city is more expensive overall: Hamadan or Mashhad?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $380 in Hamadan and $478 in Mashhad. That makes Hamadan about 20% cheaper.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Hamadan and Mashhad?
Kindergarten costs $61 per month in Hamadan and $41 in Mashhad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How far does $1,200 go in Hamadan compared to Mashhad?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $380 in Hamadan and $478 in Mashhad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Hamadan or Mashhad safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
How do I decide between Hamadan and Mashhad?
If budget matters most, go with Hamadan. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mashhad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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