Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mashhad, Iran and Abadan, Iran

For one person, living is cheaper in Mashhad: $464 a month against $534 in Abadan, rent and utilities included – about $840 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mashhad, Iran
Abadan, Iran
Mashhad
🇮🇷 Iran
$464
/mo nomad
Abadan
🇮🇷 Iran
$534
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mashhad and in Abadan

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $464 in Mashhad versus $534 in Abadan.

  • Mashhad $464
  • Abadan $534

Estimated couple costs with rent: $759 in Mashhad versus $851 in Abadan.

  • Mashhad $759
  • Abadan $851

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,054 in Mashhad versus $1,167 in Abadan.

  • Mashhad $1,054
  • Abadan $1,167

Living in Mashhad costs roughly 13% less than in Abadan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mashhad 66% lower, Abadan 60% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mashhad
Abadan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.07 $3.07
$2.96 $2.96
3.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.75 $18.75
$16.06 $16.06
16.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.06 $5.06
$3.94 $3.94
28.43%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.56 $0.56
$0.68 $0.68
-17.65%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92 $0.92
$1.12 $1.12
-17.86%
Cappuccino
$1.09 $1.09
$1.10 $1.10
-0.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43 $0.43
$0.49 $0.49
-12.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.26 $0.26
$0.98 $0.98
-73.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mashhad
Abadan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.61 $0.61
$1.04 $1.04
-41.35%
White Bread (500g)
$0.21 $0.21
$0.48 $0.48
-56.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.95 $1.95
$2.07 $2.07
-5.80%
Eggs
$1.15 $1.15
$1.18 $1.18
-2.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$2.17 $2.17
$4.50 $4.50
-51.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.71 $2.71
$3.41 $3.41
-20.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.43 $10.43
$10.39 $10.39
0.38%
Apples (1kg)
$0.87 $0.87
$1.03 $1.03
-15.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 $1.56
$1.61 $1.61
-3.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.80 $0.80
$0.86 $0.86
-6.98%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.63 $0.63
$0.56 $0.56
12.50%
Potato (1kg)
$0.49 $0.49
$0.54 $0.54
-9.26%
Onion (1kg)
$0.48 $0.48
$0.47 $0.47
2.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.52 $0.52
$0.57 $0.57
-8.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.27 $0.27
$0.24 $0.24
12.50%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$0.86 $0.86
$0.77 $0.77
11.69%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 $0.79
$0.55 $0.55
43.64%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97 $0.97
$1.38 $1.38
-29.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.08 $3.08
$2.53 $2.53
21.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Mashhad
Abadan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.02 $0.02
$0.14 $0.14
-85.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$3.66 $3.66
$9.46 $9.46
-61.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.18 $0.18
$0.38 $0.38
-52.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.49 $0.49
$0.29 $0.29
68.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.02 $2.02
$2.64 $2.64
-23.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.78 $0.78
$0.09 $0.09
766.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$59.8K $59.8K
$50.0K $50.0K
19.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$67.7K $67.7K
$45.1K $45.1K
49.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mashhad
Abadan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$14.81 $14.81
$13.23 $13.23
11.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$2.14 $2.14
$1.58 $1.58
35.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.20 $20.20
$4.02 $4.02
402.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mashhad
Abadan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$19.54 $19.54
$18.95 $18.95
3.11%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.96 $14.96
$13.28 $13.28
12.65%
Cinema Ticket
$1.97 $1.97
$1.95 $1.95
1.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mashhad
Abadan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$41.44 $41.44
$108 $108
-61.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$625 $625
$2,416 $2,416
-74.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mashhad
Abadan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$20.06 $20.06
$22.77 $22.77
-11.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.31 $39.31
$28.89 $28.89
36.07%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.3 $95.3
$96.2 $96.2
-0.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.1 $70.1
$73.1 $73.1
-4.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mashhad
Abadan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$199 $199
$290 $290
-31.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$141 $141
$208 $208
-32.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$402 $402
$799 $799
-49.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$263 $263
$363 $363
-27.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,124 $1,124
$712 $712
57.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$687 $687
$1,037 $1,037
-33.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mashhad
Abadan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$249 $249
$447 $447
-44.30%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
24
24.3
-1.23%

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

Last update for Mashhad: November 2, 2026

Last update for Abadan: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mashhad
$141
Abadan
$208 47.9% $67
Clothing & Footwear
Mashhad
$101
Abadan
$99 1.7% $1.7
Groceries & Markets
Mashhad
$100
Abadan
$119 18.9% $19
Eating Out
Mashhad
$56
Abadan
$55 1.9% $1.1
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mashhad
$37
Abadan
$19 49.3% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Mashhad
$23
Abadan
$23 2.6% $0.6
Getting Around
Mashhad
$6.4
Abadan
$12 86% $5.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $199 in Mashhad and $290 in Abadan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abadan pays 80% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $19 in Mashhad vs $16 in Abadan. Groceries flip the comparison at $100 vs $119, with Mashhad cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇮🇷 Mashhad
🇮🇷 Abadan
🕒 Local time
18:24 6:24 PM
18:24 6:24 PM
Same time as Mashhad
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,001,184
231,476
💱 Currency
USD USD
USD USD
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – USD Converter

USD exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mashhad Abadan 1,240 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mashhad
  • Abadan

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
Mashhad vs Abadan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mashhad cheaper than Abadan?
Mashhad is about 13% cheaper overall, especially in groceries and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Mashhad or Abadan?
On paper, salaries run 44% lower in Mashhad. 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 Mashhad and Abadan?
Rent for a central apartment: $199 in Mashhad versus $290 in Abadan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Mashhad or in Abadan?
Dining out is cheaper in Abadan – a meal for two runs $16 versus $19 in Mashhad. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Mashhad and in Abadan?
All in, you’ll spend $464 per month in Mashhad versus $534 in Abadan – Mashhad is about 13% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is $800 enough for either Mashhad or Abadan?
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 it better to live in Mashhad or in Abadan?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Mashhad wins on affordability, Abadan on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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