Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahabad and Tabriz

For one person, living is cheaper in Tabriz: $411 a month against $528 in Mahabad, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

25

Cost of Living Index in Mahabad
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Mahabad Living Index
20

Cost of Living Index in Tabriz
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Tabriz Living Index

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Mahabad

🇮🇷 Iran

$528

/mo nomad

Tabriz

🇮🇷 Iran

$411

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mahabad and in Tabriz

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

A single person spends $528 per month in Mahabad vs $411 in Tabriz, rent included.

Mahabad $528
Tabriz $411

A couple spends around $831 per month in Mahabad vs $684 in Tabriz, rent included.

Mahabad $831
Tabriz $684

A family of three spends $1,135 per month in Mahabad vs $958 in Tabriz, rent included.

Mahabad $1,135
Tabriz $958

Mahabad costs about 28% more than Tabriz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Mahabad and Tabriz are more affordable than the global median – Mahabad 61% lower, Tabriz 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.92 $2.92

$2.95 $2.95

-1.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.31 $16.31

$15.06 $15.06

8.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.99 $3.99

$3.96 $3.96

0.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.04 $1.04

-29.81%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.12 $1.12

-3.57%

Cappuccino

$1.13 $1.13

$1.37 $1.37

-17.52%

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

$0.51 $0.51

$0.55 $0.55

-7.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.58 $0.58

70.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.68 $0.68

$0.59 $0.59

15.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 $0.51

$0.35 $0.35

45.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$3.78 $3.78

-44.71%

Eggs

$1.24 $1.24

$0.90 $0.90

37.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$4.76 $4.76

-6.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.81 $2.81

18.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 $7.85

$9.76 $9.76

-19.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.97 $0.97

6.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.32 $1.32

20.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 $0.86

$0.88 $0.88

-2.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 $0.57

$0.53 $0.53

7.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 $0.57

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 $0.47

$0.55 $0.55

-14.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 $0.54

$0.45 $0.45

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 $0.24

$0.19 $0.19

26.32%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.77 $0.77

$0.57 $0.57

35.09%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 $0.50

$0.44 $0.44

13.64%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.50 $1.50

-10.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.14 $2.14

14.95%

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

$12.40 $12.40

-22.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 $0.44

$0.39 $0.39

12.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 $0.31

$0.20 $0.20

55.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 $2.63

$4.05 $4.05

-35.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.10 $0.10

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

$50.0K $50.0K

$72.4K $72.4K

-30.93%

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

$45.4K $45.4K

$54.3K $54.3K

-16.38%

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

$12.98 $12.98

$14.59 $14.59

-11.03%

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

$1.57 $1.57

$2.01 $2.01

-21.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$3.81 $3.81

$5.46 $5.46

-30.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.40 $18.40

$14.40 $14.40

27.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.52 $13.52

$24.75 $24.75

-45.37%

Cinema Ticket

$2.04 $2.04

$1.51 $1.51

35.10%

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

$107 $107

$58.4 $58.4

83.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,442 $2,442

$540 $540

352.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.95 $22.95

$15.27 $15.27

50.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.82 $27.82

$10.67 $10.67

160.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 $98.5

$73.8 $73.8

33.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 $73.7

$49.30 $49.30

49.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$290 $290

$153 $153

90.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 $212

$122 $122

73.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 $806

$364 $364

121.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 $356

$239 $239

48.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,134 $1,134

$888 $888

27.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$541 $541

$850 $850

-36.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$254 $254

$235 $235

7.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.3

22.5

8.00%

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

Last update for Mahabad: October 31, 2026

Last update for Tabriz: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mahabad

$212 40.2%

Tabriz

$122 29.7% 42.4% $90

Groceries & Markets

Mahabad

$108 20.4%

Tabriz

$112 27.2% 3.7% $4

Clothing & Footwear

Mahabad

$100 19%

Tabriz

$67 16.3% 33.1% $33

Eating Out

Mahabad

$55 10.4%

Tabriz

$56 13.7% 2.7% $1.5

Sport & Entertainment

Mahabad

$22 4.3%

Tabriz

$17 4.2% 22.5% $5.1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mahabad

$18 3.5%

Tabriz

$22 5.4% 20.1% $3.7

Getting Around

Mahabad

$12 2.3%

Tabriz

$14 3.5% 16.6% $2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $290 in Mahabad versus $153 in Tabriz. 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 8% higher in Mahabad, 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 $16 in Mahabad versus $15 in Tabriz. Groceries tell a different story – $108 in Mahabad vs $112 in Tabriz – so Mahabad wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Mahabad

🇮🇷 Tabriz

🕒 Local time

23:38 11:38 PM

Same time as Mahabad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

208,541

1,558,693

💱 Currency

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Mahabad Tabriz 150 km

From you

Mahabad
Tabriz

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 Tabriz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mahabad is pricier by about 28%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $792 per month in Mahabad and $616 in Tabriz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tabriz, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $153 there versus $290 in Mahabad.

Kindergarten costs $107 per month in Mahabad and $58 in Tabriz. 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 Mahabad – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $528 in Mahabad and $411 in Tabriz, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Tabriz – 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.

If budget matters most, go with Tabriz. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mahabad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.