Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahabad and Shiraz

For one person, living is cheaper in Mahabad: $528 a month against $544 in Shiraz, rent and utilities included – about $190 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Shiraz outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

25

Cost of Living Index in Mahabad
Learn more

Mahabad Living Index
26

Cost of Living Index in Shiraz
Learn more

Shiraz Living Index

Jump to prices

Mahabad

🇮🇷 Iran

$528

/mo nomad

Shiraz

🇮🇷 Iran

$544

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mahabad and in Shiraz

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 Shiraz actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $528 per month in Mahabad vs $544 in Shiraz, rent included.

Mahabad $528
Shiraz $544

A couple spends around $831 per month in Mahabad vs $813 in Shiraz, rent included.

Mahabad $831
Shiraz $813

A family of three spends $1,135 per month in Mahabad vs $1,082 in Shiraz, rent included.

Mahabad $1,135
Shiraz $1,082

Mahabad is about 3% cheaper than Shiraz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Mahabad and Shiraz are more affordable than the global median – Mahabad 61% lower, Shiraz 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.92 $2.92

$4.46 $4.46

-34.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.31 $16.31

$12.88 $12.88

26.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.99 $3.99

$4.12 $4.12

-3.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.73 $0.73

$0.97 $0.97

-24.74%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.70 $1.70

-36.47%

Cappuccino

$1.13 $1.13

$1.21 $1.21

-6.61%

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

$0.51 $0.51

$0.60 $0.60

-15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

Milk (1 liter)

$0.68 $0.68

$0.67 $0.67

1.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 $0.51

$0.45 $0.45

13.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.88 $1.88

11.17%

Eggs

$1.24 $1.24

$1.19 $1.19

4.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.25 $2.25

98.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.94 $2.94

13.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 $7.85

$10.02 $10.02

-21.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.12 $1.12

-8.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.56 $1.56

1.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 $0.86

$0.90 $0.90

-4.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 $0.57

$0.59 $0.59

-3.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 $0.57

$0.53 $0.53

7.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 $0.47

$0.53 $0.53

-11.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 $0.54

$0.47 $0.47

14.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 $0.24

$0.21 $0.21

14.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.77 $0.77

$0.87 $0.87

-11.49%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 $0.50

$0.55 $0.55

-9.09%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.74 $1.74

-22.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.97 $2.97

-17.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 $0.14

$0.11 $0.11

27.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.67 $9.67

$2.98 $2.98

224.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 $0.44

$0.38 $0.38

15.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 $0.31

$0.20 $0.20

55.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 $2.63

$3.53 $3.53

-25.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.10 $0.10

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

$50.0K $50.0K

$66.2K $66.2K

-24.49%

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

$45.4K $45.4K

$53.1K $53.1K

-14.44%

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

$12.98 $12.98

$23.42 $23.42

-44.58%

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

$1.57 $1.57

$2.07 $2.07

-24.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$3.81 $3.81

$16.82 $16.82

-77.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.40 $18.40

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.52 $13.52

$13.74 $13.74

-1.60%

Cinema Ticket

$2.04 $2.04

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

$107 $107

$103 $103

4.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,442 $2,442

$2,386 $2,386

2.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.95 $22.95

$22.62 $22.62

1.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.82 $27.82

$18.48 $18.48

50.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 $98.5

$96.3 $96.3

2.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 $73.7

$54.6 $54.6

34.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$290 $290

$293 $293

-0.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 $212

$219 $219

-3.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 $806

$545 $545

47.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 $356

$323 $323

10.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,134 $1,134

$1,154 $1,154

-1.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$541 $541

$503 $503

7.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$254 $254

$237 $237

7.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.3

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

Last update for Mahabad: October 31, 2026

Last update for Shiraz: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mahabad

$212 40.2%

Shiraz

$219 40.3% 3.4% $7.2

Groceries & Markets

Mahabad

$108 20.4%

Shiraz

$103 19% 3.9% $4.2

Clothing & Footwear

Mahabad

$100 19%

Shiraz

$86 15.9% 13.9% $14

Eating Out

Mahabad

$55 10.4%

Shiraz

$65 * 12% 18.3% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Mahabad

$22 4.3%

Shiraz

$22 4.1% 0% $0

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mahabad

$18 3.5%

Shiraz

$42 7.8% 130% $24

Getting Around

Mahabad

$12 2.3%

Shiraz

$4.8 0.9% 60.8% $7.4

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $290 in Mahabad versus $293 in Shiraz. 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 7% higher in Mahabad, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16 in Mahabad versus $13 in Shiraz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $108 vs $103 – making Shiraz the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Mahabad

🇮🇷 Shiraz

🕒 Local time

09:34 9:34 AM

Same time as Mahabad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

208,541

1,565,572

💱 Currency

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mahabad Shiraz 1,020 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Mahabad
Shiraz

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 Shiraz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shiraz is pricier by about 3%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $792 per month in Mahabad and $815 in Shiraz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $290 in Mahabad and $293 in Shiraz. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Kindergarten costs $107 per month in Mahabad and $103 in Shiraz. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Shiraz – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $528 in Mahabad and $544 in Shiraz, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Shiraz has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $528 in Mahabad to $544 in Shiraz. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.