Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Malayer and Mashhad, Iran

For one person, living is cheaper in Mashhad: $478 a month against $531 in Malayer, rent and utilities included – about $640 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Malayer outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Malayer, Iran
Mashhad, Iran
Malayer
🇮🇷 Iran
$531
/mo nomad
Mashhad
🇮🇷 Iran
$478
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $531 in Malayer versus $478 in Mashhad.

  • Malayer $531
  • Mashhad $478

Estimated couple costs with rent: $844 in Malayer versus $766 in Mashhad.

  • Malayer $844
  • Mashhad $766

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,156 in Malayer versus $1,055 in Mashhad.

  • Malayer $1,156
  • Mashhad $1,055

Living in Malayer is roughly 11% more expensive than in Mashhad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Malayer 61% lower, Mashhad 65% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Malayer
Mashhad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.41 $3.41
$2.94 $2.94
15.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$16.23 $16.23
$18.29 $18.29
-11.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.49 $3.49
$4.97 $4.97
-29.78%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.66 $0.66
$0.56 $0.56
17.86%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09 $1.09
$0.95 $0.95
14.74%
Cappuccino
$1.17 $1.17
$1.10 $1.10
6.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.52 $0.52
$0.43 $0.43
20.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09 $1.09
$0.26 $0.26
319.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Malayer
Mashhad
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.69 $0.69
$0.61 $0.61
13.11%
White Bread (500g)
$0.48 $0.48
$0.21 $0.21
128.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.08 $2.08
$1.94 $1.94
7.22%
Eggs
$1.18 $1.18
$1.12 $1.12
5.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.40 $4.40
$2.08 $2.08
111.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.33 $3.33
$2.73 $2.73
21.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.16 $10.16
$10.34 $10.34
-1.74%
Apples (1kg)
$1.03 $1.03
$0.94 $0.94
9.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 $1.54
$1.55 $1.55
-0.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.82 $0.82
$0.83 $0.83
-1.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.55 $0.55
$0.61 $0.61
-9.84%
Potato (1kg)
$0.54 $0.54
$0.52 $0.52
3.85%
Onion (1kg)
$0.51 $0.51
$0.44 $0.44
15.91%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.57 $0.57
$0.52 $0.52
9.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.26 $0.26
$0.29 $0.29
-10.34%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$0.79 $0.79
$0.91 $0.91
-13.19%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 $0.55
$0.77 $0.77
-28.57%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 $1.33
$0.90 $0.90
47.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.54 $2.54
$3.03 $3.03
-16.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Malayer
Mashhad
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.16 $0.16
$0.02 $0.02
700.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.86 $9.86
$3.58 $3.58
175.42%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 $0.44
$0.20 $0.20
120.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.33 $0.33
$0.52 $0.52
-36.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.37 $2.37
$1.99 $1.99
19.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.09 $0.09
$0.81 $0.81
-88.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.6K $50.6K
$59.3K $59.3K
-14.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$45.1K $45.1K
$68.1K $68.1K
-33.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Malayer
Mashhad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$14.51 $14.51
$13.66 $13.66
6.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$1.60 $1.60
$2.63 $2.63
-39.16%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$3.41 $3.41
$26.95 $26.95
-87.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Malayer
Mashhad
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$18.67 $18.67
$19.25 $19.25
-3.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.85 $12.85
$15.14 $15.14
-15.13%
Cinema Ticket
$1.78 $1.78
$2.05 $2.05
-13.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Malayer
Mashhad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$108 $108
$41.46 $41.46
161.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,196 $2,196
$613 $613
258.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Malayer
Mashhad
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.38 $22.38
$20.34 $20.34
10.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.93 $25.93
$38.31 $38.31
-32.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.2 $96.2
$93.2 $93.2
3.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.9 $70.9
$69.8 $69.8
1.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Malayer
Mashhad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$292 $292
$209 $209
39.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$208 $208
$151 $151
37.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$789 $789
$392 $392
101.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$360 $360
$266 $266
35.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,166 $1,166
$1,153 $1,153
1.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$529 $529
$683 $683
-22.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Malayer
Mashhad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$216 $216
$250 $250
-13.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
24.3
21.5
13.02%

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

Last update for Malayer: October 26, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Malayer
$208
Mashhad
$151 27.5% $57
Groceries & Markets
Malayer
$114
Mashhad
$100 12.1% $14
Clothing & Footwear
Malayer
$97
Mashhad
$100 2.9% $2.8
Eating Out
Malayer
$58
Mashhad
$54 6.7% $3.9
Sport & Entertainment
Malayer
$22
Mashhad
$23 5% $1.1
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Malayer
$20
Mashhad
$43 122% $24
Getting Around
Malayer
$13
Mashhad
$6.5 48.5% $6.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $292 in Malayer and $209 in Mashhad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mashhad pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $16 in Malayer vs $18 in Mashhad. Groceries flip the comparison at $114 vs $100, with Mashhad cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇮🇷 Malayer
🇮🇷 Mashhad
🕒 Local time
04:37 4:37 AM
04:37 4:37 AM
Same time as Malayer
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
170,237
3,001,184
💱 Currency
USD USD
USD USD
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – USD Converter

USD exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Malayer Mashhad 1,000 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Malayer
  • 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
Malayer vs Mashhad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mashhad cheaper than Malayer?
Mashhad is about 10% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Malayer or Mashhad?
On paper, salaries run 14% lower in Malayer. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Malayer and Mashhad?
Rent for a central apartment: $292 in Malayer versus $209 in Mashhad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $108 in Malayer versus $41 in Mashhad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Malayer and in Mashhad?
Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Malayer. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $800 enough for either Malayer or Mashhad?
Either city works on $800 a month, though Mashhad gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Malayer or Mashhad more family-friendly?
For families, Mashhad is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Malayer, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Malayer vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?