Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mashhad and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Mashhad: $745 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

37

Cost of Living Index in Mashhad
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Mashhad Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Mashhad

🇮🇶 Iraq

$745

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mashhad and in Budapest

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mashhad and in Budapest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $745 per month in Mashhad vs $1,619 in Budapest, rent included.

Mashhad $745
Budapest $1,619

A couple spends around $1,114 per month in Mashhad vs $2,524 in Budapest, rent included.

Mashhad $1,114
Budapest $2,524

A family of three spends $1,483 per month in Mashhad vs $3,429 in Budapest, rent included.

Mashhad $1,483
Budapest $3,429

Mashhad is about 54% cheaper than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Mashhad sits 45% below the global median, while Budapest is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.17 IQD 6,301

$13.94 Ft 4,503

-70.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.37 IQD 44.4K

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

-52.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 IQD 10.2K

$10.19 Ft 3,291

-33.95%

Cappuccino

$2.67 IQD 4,034

$3.26 Ft 1,055

-18.10%

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

$0.33 IQD 492

$2.14 Ft 690

-84.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 333

$1.78 Ft 577

-87.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 IQD 4,921

$3.71 Ft 1,198

-12.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 IQD 5,091

$3.77 Ft 1,217

-10.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 IQD 1,346

$1.15 Ft 371

-22.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 IQD 1,035

$1.79 Ft 578

-62.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 IQD 2,005

$2.49 Ft 804

-46.59%

Eggs

$0.82 IQD 1,242

$3.90 Ft 1,261

-78.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.36 IQD 5,071

$11.10 Ft 3,587

-69.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.97 IQD 2,981

$6.62 Ft 2,139

-70.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.09 IQD 4,668

$14.69 Ft 4,745

-78.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,521

$1.83 Ft 591

-44.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 IQD 1,385

$2.05 Ft 661

-55.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 IQD 1,373

$2.37 Ft 765

-61.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 1,026

$3.90 Ft 1,260

-82.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 IQD 845

$0.99 Ft 320

-43.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 900

$1.00 Ft 322

-40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.29 IQD 432

$1.58 Ft 511

-81.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 322

$0.67 Ft 216

-68.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.83 IQD 1,254

$7.96 Ft 2,572

-89.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.88 IQD 17.9K

$6.22 Ft 2,009

91.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 IQD 2,989

$1.27 Ft 411

55.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 IQD 2,965

$2.03 Ft 654

-3.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 IQD 690

$1.52 Ft 490

-69.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.64 IQD 32.7K

$28.02 Ft 9,053

-22.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 IQD 3,031

$3.31 Ft 1,070

-39.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 IQD 1,965

$1.37 Ft 442

-5.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 IQD 9,659

$19.83 Ft 6,406

-67.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 805

$1.82 Ft 589

-70.88%

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

$16.8K IQD 25.4M

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

-43.64%

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

$16.7K IQD 25.3M

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

-50.55%

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

$192 IQD 289.6K

$171 Ft 55.3K

12.01%

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

$17.37 IQD 26.2K

$23.51 Ft 7,596

-26.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.33 IQD 54.9K

$23.29 Ft 7,526

55.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.10 IQD 51.5K

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

-49.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

Cinema Ticket

$10.02 IQD 15.1K

$9.30 Ft 3,004

7.74%

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

$147 IQD 221.6K

$533 Ft 172.3K

-72.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,968 IQD 4.5M

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

-82.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.05 IQD 37.9K

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

-74.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.34 IQD 42.8K

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

-34.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.1 IQD 90.8K

$110 Ft 35.7K

-45.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.28 IQD 62.4K

$119 Ft 38.4K

-65.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$150 IQD 226.4K

$830 Ft 268.3K

-81.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 IQD 178.6K

$622 Ft 200.9K

-80.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 IQD 606.7K

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

-74.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 IQD 432.6K

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

-75.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$717 IQD 1.1M

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

-87.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$639 IQD 965.4K

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

-83.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

6.45

-36.12%

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

Last update for Mashhad: October 12, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mashhad

$245 32.9%

Budapest

$218 13.5% 11.2% $27

Accommodation & Living

Mashhad

$118 15.9%

Budapest

$622 38.4% 426% $504

Groceries & Markets

Mashhad

$115 15.5%

Budapest

$258 15.9% 124% $143

Eating Out

Mashhad

$111 14.9%

Budapest

$223 13.8% 101% $112

Clothing & Footwear

Mashhad

$70 9.3%

Budapest

$168 10.4% 141% $98

Sport & Entertainment

Mashhad

$54 7.3%

Budapest

$86 5.3% 59% $32

Getting Around

Mashhad

$32 4.3%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 38.3% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $150 in Mashhad versus $830 in Budapest. 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 $29.00 in Mashhad versus $61.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $115 vs $258 – making Mashhad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Mashhad

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

17:53 5:53 PM

16:53 4:53 PM

1 h behind Mashhad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

13,000

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to IQD – Iraqi Dinar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇶 Iraqi Dinar (ع.د)

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,699 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

USD to IQD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Mashhad Budapest 2,390 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Mashhad
Budapest

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Mashhad vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 117%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,118 per month in Mashhad and $2,428 in Budapest. 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 29% less in Mashhad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $147 per month in Mashhad and $533 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mashhad, where all-in costs run around $745, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Mashhad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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 have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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