Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mashhad and Dubai

For one person, living is cheaper in Mashhad: $745 a month against $2,896 in Dubai, rent and utilities included – about $25,800 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
140

Cost of Living Index in Dubai
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Dubai Living Index

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Mashhad

🇮🇶 Iraq

$745

/mo nomad

Dubai

🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

$2,896

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mashhad and in Dubai

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $745 in Mashhad versus $2,896 in Dubai.

Mashhad $745
Dubai $2,896

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,114 in Mashhad versus $4,384 in Dubai.

Mashhad $1,114
Dubai $4,384

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,483 in Mashhad versus $5,872 in Dubai.

Mashhad $1,483
Dubai $5,872

Living in Mashhad costs roughly 74% less than in Dubai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mashhad is 45% below, Dubai is 115% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.17 IQD 6,301

$12.67 AED 46.55

-67.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.37 IQD 44.4K

$81.7 AED 300

-64.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 IQD 10.2K

$9.34 AED 34.30

-27.94%

Cappuccino

$2.67 IQD 4,034

$5.89 AED 21.62

-54.67%

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

$0.33 IQD 492

$1.69 AED 6.20

-80.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 333

$0.78 AED 2.86

-71.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 IQD 4,921

$13.66 AED 50.2

-76.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 IQD 5,091

$13.49 AED 49.54

-75.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 IQD 1,346

$1.84 AED 6.78

-51.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 IQD 1,035

$1.50 AED 5.50

-54.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 IQD 2,005

$2.57 AED 9.45

-48.25%

Eggs

$0.82 IQD 1,242

$3.32 AED 12.18

-75.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.36 IQD 5,071

$12.60 AED 46.28

-73.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.97 IQD 2,981

$9.66 AED 35.46

-79.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.09 IQD 4,668

$12.78 AED 46.93

-75.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,521

$2.60 AED 9.54

-61.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 IQD 1,385

$1.90 AED 6.99

-51.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 IQD 1,373

$1.91 AED 7.02

-52.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 1,026

$1.37 AED 5.02

-50.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 IQD 845

$1.13 AED 4.14

-50.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 900

$1.01 AED 3.71

-40.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.29 IQD 432

$1.44 AED 5.30

-79.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 322

$0.67 AED 2.48

-68.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.83 IQD 1,254

$5.88 AED 21.59

-85.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.88 IQD 17.9K

$16.15 AED 59.3

-26.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 IQD 2,989

$2.72 AED 10.00

-27.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 IQD 2,965

$3.08 AED 11.32

-36.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 IQD 690

$1.60 AED 5.87

-71.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.64 IQD 32.7K

$76.0 AED 279

-71.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 IQD 3,031

$3.24 AED 11.91

-37.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 IQD 1,965

$0.71 AED 2.61

83.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 IQD 9,659

$7.96 AED 29.22

-19.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 805

$0.98 AED 3.62

-45.92%

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

$16.8K IQD 25.4M

$27.4K AED 100.6K

-38.68%

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

$16.7K IQD 25.3M

$22.0K AED 80.9K

-24.10%

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

$192 IQD 289.6K

$249 AED 913

-22.87%

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

$17.37 IQD 26.2K

$54.4 AED 200

-68.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.33 IQD 54.9K

$91.5 AED 336

-60.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.10 IQD 51.5K

$103 AED 380

-67.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.32 AED 155

Cinema Ticket

$10.02 IQD 15.1K

$16.29 AED 59.8

-38.49%

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

$147 IQD 221.6K

$844 AED 3,098

-82.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,968 IQD 4.5M

$18.3K AED 67.1K

-83.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.05 IQD 37.9K

$67.0 AED 246

-62.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.34 IQD 42.8K

$57.9 AED 213

-51.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.1 IQD 90.8K

$102 AED 375

-41.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.28 IQD 62.4K

$98.7 AED 363

-58.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$150 IQD 226.4K

$2,393 AED 8,788

-93.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 IQD 178.6K

$1,533 AED 5,630

-92.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 IQD 606.7K

$4,594 AED 16.9K

-91.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 IQD 432.6K

$2,939 AED 10.8K

-90.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$717 IQD 1.1M

$7,046 AED 25.9K

-89.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$639 IQD 965.4K

$4,222 AED 15.5K

-84.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,461 AED 12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

4.54

-9.25%

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

Last update for Mashhad: October 12, 2026

Last update for Dubai: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mashhad

$245 32.9%

Dubai

$394 13.6% 60.7% $149

Accommodation & Living

Mashhad

$118 15.9%

Dubai

$1.5K 52.9% 1197% $1.4K

Groceries & Markets

Mashhad

$115 15.5%

Dubai

$292 10.1% 153% $176

Eating Out

Mashhad

$111 14.9%

Dubai

$305 10.5% 176% $194

Clothing & Footwear

Mashhad

$70 9.3%

Dubai

$147 5.1% 111% $77

Sport & Entertainment

Mashhad

$54 7.3%

Dubai

$136 4.7% 151% $82

Getting Around

Mashhad

$32 4.3%

Dubai

$89 3.1% 179% $57

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $150 in Mashhad and $2,393 in Dubai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $29.00 in Mashhad vs $82.0 in Dubai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $115 vs $292 per month, with Mashhad cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Mashhad

🇦🇪 Dubai

🕒 Local time

22:55 10:55 PM

23:55 11:55 PM

1 h ahead of Mashhad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

13,000

3,790,000

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

UAE Dirham AED د.إ

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR

1 AED = 0.272 USD

1 AED = 0.242 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AED, 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).

UAE Dirham exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 3.67 AED (1 AED = 0.272 USD). 1 EUR = 4.13 AED (1 AED = 0.242 EUR).

USD to IQD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mashhad Dubai 1,650 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Mashhad
Dubai

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 Dubai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mashhad is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 288% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,118 in Mashhad and $4,344 in Dubai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $150 in Mashhad versus $2,393 in Dubai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mashhad runs roughly 251% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $147 in Mashhad versus $844 in Dubai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $745 in Mashhad versus $2,896 in Dubai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mashhad but tight or insufficient in Dubai. The gap between the two cities makes Mashhad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mashhad is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Dubai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mashhad and Dubai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mashhad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 288% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.