Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahabad and Tehran

For one person, living is cheaper in Mahabad: $528 a month against $617 in Tehran, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

25

Cost of Living Index in Mahabad
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Mahabad Living Index
29

Cost of Living Index in Tehran
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Tehran Living Index

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Mahabad

🇮🇷 Iran

$528

/mo nomad

Tehran

🇮🇷 Iran

$617

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mahabad and in Tehran

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

A single person spends $528 per month in Mahabad vs $617 in Tehran, rent included.

Mahabad $528
Tehran $617

A couple spends around $831 per month in Mahabad vs $1,064 in Tehran, rent included.

Mahabad $831
Tehran $1,064

A family of three spends $1,135 per month in Mahabad vs $1,511 in Tehran, rent included.

Mahabad $1,135
Tehran $1,511

Mahabad is about 14% cheaper than Tehran, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Mahabad and Tehran are more affordable than the global median – Mahabad 61% lower, Tehran 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.92 $2.92

$3.45 $3.45

-15.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.31 $16.31

$16.20 $16.20

0.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.99 $3.99

$3.91 $3.91

2.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.73 $0.73

$0.68 $0.68

7.35%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.46 $1.46

-26.03%

Cappuccino

$1.13 $1.13

$1.40 $1.40

-19.29%

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

$0.51 $0.51

$0.50 $0.50

2.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.71 $1.71

-42.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.68 $0.68

$0.67 $0.67

1.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 $0.51

$0.59 $0.59

-13.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$3.46 $3.46

-39.60%

Eggs

$1.24 $1.24

$1.26 $1.26

-1.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$4.32 $4.32

3.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.32 $3.32

0.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 $7.85

$10.44 $10.44

-24.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.48 $1.48

-30.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.99 $1.99

-20.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.27 $1.27

-32.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 $0.57

$0.63 $0.63

-9.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 $0.57

$0.55 $0.55

3.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 $0.47

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

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 $0.50

$0.51 $0.51

-1.96%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 $1.34

$2.15 $2.15

-37.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 $2.46

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

$5.61 $5.61

72.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 $0.44

$0.51 $0.51

-13.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 $0.31

$0.29 $0.29

6.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 $2.63

$3.01 $3.01

-12.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.10 $0.10

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

$50.0K $50.0K

$49.6K $49.6K

0.78%

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

$45.4K $45.4K

$45.6K $45.6K

-0.31%

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

$12.98 $12.98

$13.23 $13.23

-1.89%

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

$1.57 $1.57

$1.60 $1.60

-1.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$3.81 $3.81

$3.85 $3.85

-1.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.40 $18.40

$24.30 $24.30

-24.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.52 $13.52

$13.26 $13.26

1.96%

Cinema Ticket

$2.04 $2.04

$2.02 $2.02

0.99%

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

$107 $107

$108 $108

-0.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,442 $2,442

$2,533 $2,533

-3.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.95 $22.95

$26.03 $26.03

-11.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.82 $27.82

$38.33 $38.33

-27.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 $98.5

$116 $116

-14.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 $73.7

$72.9 $72.9

1.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$290 $290

$419 $419

-30.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 $212

$256 $256

-17.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 $806

$940 $940

-14.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 $356

$632 $632

-43.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,134 $1,134

$1,293 $1,293

-12.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$541 $541

$727 $727

-25.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$254 $254

$210 $210

20.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.3

24.79

-1.98%

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

Last update for Mahabad: October 31, 2026

Last update for Tehran: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mahabad

$212 40.2%

Tehran

$256 41.4% 20.6% $44

Groceries & Markets

Mahabad

$108 20.4%

Tehran

$128 20.7% 18.8% $20

Clothing & Footwear

Mahabad

$100 19%

Tehran

$114 18.4% 13.4% $13

Eating Out

Mahabad

$55 10.4%

Tehran

$65 10.5% 18.3% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Mahabad

$22 4.3%

Tehran

$28 4.6% 26% $5.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mahabad

$18 3.5%

Tehran

$19 3% 1.7% $0.3

Getting Around

Mahabad

$12 2.3%

Tehran

$8 1.3% 34.3% $4.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $290 in Mahabad versus $419 in Tehran. 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 21% 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 $16 in Tehran. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $108 vs $128 – making Mahabad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Mahabad

🇮🇷 Tehran

🕒 Local time

00:45 12:45 AM

Same time as Mahabad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

208,541

8,000,000 Capital

💱 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 Tehran 520 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Mahabad
Tehran

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 Tehran: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tehran is pricier by about 17%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $792 per month in Mahabad and $926 in Tehran. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mahabad, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $290 there versus $419 in Tehran.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $528 in Mahabad and $617 in Tehran. That makes Mahabad about 14% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $107 per month in Mahabad and $108 in Tehran. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $528 in Mahabad and $617 in Tehran, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Tehran has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $528 in Mahabad to $617 in Tehran. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.