Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahabad and Mashhad, Iran

Name: Mashhad
Address: Mashhad, IR

For one person, living is cheaper in Mashhad: $464 a month against $528 in Mahabad, rent and utilities included – about $770 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Mahabad outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

25

Cost of Living Index in Mahabad
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Mahabad Living Index
22

Cost of Living Index in Mashhad
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Mashhad Living Index

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Mahabad

🇮🇷 Iran

$528

/mo nomad

Mashhad

🇮🇷 Iran

$464

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $528 per month in Mahabad vs $464 in Mashhad, rent included.

Mahabad $528
Mashhad $464

A couple spends around $831 per month in Mahabad vs $759 in Mashhad, rent included.

Mahabad $831
Mashhad $759

A family of three spends $1,135 per month in Mahabad vs $1,054 in Mashhad, rent included.

Mahabad $1,135
Mashhad $1,054

Mahabad costs about 14% more than Mashhad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Mahabad and Mashhad are more affordable than the global median – Mahabad 61% lower, Mashhad 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.92 $2.92

$3.07 $3.07

-4.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.31 $16.31

$18.75 $18.75

-13.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.99 $3.99

$5.06 $5.06

-21.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.73 $0.73

$0.56 $0.56

30.36%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 $1.08

$0.92 $0.92

17.39%

Cappuccino

$1.13 $1.13

$1.09 $1.09

3.67%

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

$0.51 $0.51

$0.43 $0.43

18.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.26 $0.26

280.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.68 $0.68

$0.61 $0.61

11.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 $0.51

$0.21 $0.21

142.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.95 $1.95

7.18%

Eggs

$1.24 $1.24

$1.15 $1.15

7.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.17 $2.17

105.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.71 $2.71

23.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 $7.85

$10.43 $10.43

-24.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.87 $0.87

18.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.56 $1.56

1.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 $0.86

$0.80 $0.80

7.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 $0.57

$0.63 $0.63

-9.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 $0.57

$0.49 $0.49

16.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 $0.47

$0.48 $0.48

-2.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 $0.54

$0.52 $0.52

3.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 $0.24

$0.27 $0.27

-11.11%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.77 $0.77

$0.86 $0.86

-10.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 $0.50

$0.79 $0.79

-36.71%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 $1.34

$0.97 $0.97

38.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.08 $3.08

-20.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 $0.14

$0.02 $0.02

600.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.67 $9.67

$3.66 $3.66

164.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 $0.44

$0.18 $0.18

144.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 $0.31

$0.49 $0.49

-36.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.02 $2.02

30.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.10 $0.10

$0.78 $0.78

-87.18%

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

$50.0K $50.0K

$59.8K $59.8K

-16.41%

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

$45.4K $45.4K

$67.7K $67.7K

-32.88%

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

$12.98 $12.98

$14.81 $14.81

-12.36%

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

$1.57 $1.57

$2.14 $2.14

-26.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$3.81 $3.81

$20.20 $20.20

-81.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.40 $18.40

$19.54 $19.54

-5.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.52 $13.52

$14.96 $14.96

-9.63%

Cinema Ticket

$2.04 $2.04

$1.97 $1.97

3.55%

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

$107 $107

$41.44 $41.44

159.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,442 $2,442

$625 $625

290.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.95 $22.95

$20.06 $20.06

14.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.82 $27.82

$39.31 $39.31

-29.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 $98.5

$95.3 $95.3

3.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 $73.7

$70.1 $70.1

5.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$290 $290

$199 $199

45.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 $212

$141 $141

50.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 $806

$402 $402

100.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 $356

$263 $263

35.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,134 $1,134

$1,124 $1,124

0.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$541 $541

$687 $687

-21.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$254 $254

$249 $249

1.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.3

1.25%

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

Last update for Mahabad: October 31, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mahabad

$212 40.2%

Mashhad

$141 30.3% 33.7% $71

Groceries & Markets

Mahabad

$108 20.4%

Mashhad

$100 21.5% 7.2% $7.8

Clothing & Footwear

Mahabad

$100 19%

Mashhad

$101 21.8% 0.8% $0.8

Eating Out

Mahabad

$55 10.4%

Mashhad

$56 12% 1.2% $0.7

Sport & Entertainment

Mahabad

$22 4.3%

Mashhad

$23 5.1% 4.4% $1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mahabad

$18 3.5%

Mashhad

$37 8% 102% $19

Getting Around

Mahabad

$12 2.3%

Mashhad

$6.4 1.4% 47.9% $5.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $290 in Mahabad versus $199 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 $16 in Mahabad versus $19 in Mashhad. Groceries tell a different story – $108 in Mahabad vs $100 in Mashhad – so Mashhad wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Mahabad

🇮🇷 Mashhad

🕒 Local time

03:57 3:57 AM

Same time as Mahabad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

208,541

3,001,184

💱 Currency

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mahabad Mashhad 1,240 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Mahabad
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

Mahabad vs Mashhad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mahabad is pricier by about 14%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $792 per month in Mahabad and $696 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $199 there versus $290 in Mahabad.

Kindergarten costs $107 per month in Mahabad and $41 in Mashhad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Mahabad, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $528 in Mahabad 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 cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.