Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mashhad, Iran and Ardabil

For one person, living is cheaper in Mashhad: $478 a month against $508 in Ardabil, rent and utilities included – about $360 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ardabil outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

23

Cost of Living Index in Mashhad
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Mashhad Living Index
26

Cost of Living Index in Ardabil
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Ardabil Living Index

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Mashhad

🇮🇷 Iran

$478

/mo nomad

Ardabil

🇮🇷 Iran

$508

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mashhad and in Ardabil

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $478 in Mashhad versus $508 in Ardabil.

Mashhad $478
Ardabil $508

Estimated couple costs with rent: $766 in Mashhad versus $807 in Ardabil.

Mashhad $766
Ardabil $807

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,055 in Mashhad versus $1,106 in Ardabil.

Mashhad $1,055
Ardabil $1,106

Living in Mashhad costs roughly 6% less than in Ardabil, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mashhad 65% lower, Ardabil 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.94 $2.94

$2.89 $2.89

1.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.29 $18.29

$14.95 $14.95

22.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.92 $3.92

26.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.56 $0.56

$0.70 $0.70

-20.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.00 $1.00

-5.00%

Cappuccino

$1.10 $1.10

$1.20 $1.20

-8.33%

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

$0.43 $0.43

$0.51 $0.51

-15.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 $0.26

$1.03 $1.03

-74.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.61 $0.61

$0.65 $0.65

-6.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.21 $0.21

$0.49 $0.49

-57.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.03 $2.03

-4.43%

Eggs

$1.12 $1.12

$1.15 $1.15

-2.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.08 $2.08

$4.49 $4.49

-53.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.32 $3.32

-17.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.34 $10.34

$10.23 $10.23

1.08%

Apples (1kg)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.17 $1.17

-19.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.41 $1.41

9.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 $0.83

$0.87 $0.87

-4.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.61 $0.61

$0.53 $0.53

15.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.50 $0.50

4.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 $0.44

$0.47 $0.47

-6.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.47 $0.47

10.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 $0.29

$0.23 $0.23

26.09%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.91 $0.91

$0.85 $0.85

7.06%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 $0.77

$0.53 $0.53

45.28%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.44 $1.44

-37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.25 $2.25

34.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.02 $0.02

$0.15 $0.15

-86.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 $3.58

$8.58 $8.58

-58.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.20 $0.20

$0.43 $0.43

-53.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.30 $0.30

73.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.32 $2.32

-14.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.10 $0.10

710.00%

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

$59.3K $59.3K

$42.9K $42.9K

38.11%

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

$68.1K $68.1K

$40.4K $40.4K

68.61%

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

$13.66 $13.66

$14.32 $14.32

-4.61%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$1.70 $1.70

54.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.95 $26.95

$3.40 $3.40

692.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.25 $19.25

$15.84 $15.84

21.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.14 $15.14

$14.71 $14.71

2.92%

Cinema Ticket

$2.05 $2.05

$1.98 $1.98

3.54%

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

$41.46 $41.46

$93.6 $93.6

-55.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$613 $613

$2,121 $2,121

-71.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.34 $20.34

$21.25 $21.25

-4.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 $38.31

$25.29 $25.29

51.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.2 $93.2

$96.5 $96.5

-3.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.8 $69.8

$65.6 $65.6

6.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$209 $209

$292 $292

-28.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 $151

$196 $196

-23.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 $392

$775 $775

-49.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 $266

$339 $339

-21.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,153 $1,153

$1,188 $1,188

-2.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$683 $683

$506 $506

35.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$250 $250

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.5

24.3

-11.52%

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

Last update for Mashhad: October 27, 2026

Last update for Ardabil: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mashhad

$151 31.6%

Ardabil

$196 38.6% 29.9% $45

Groceries & Markets

Mashhad

$100 20.9%

Ardabil

$112 22.1% 12.6% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Mashhad

$100 20.9%

Ardabil

$94 18.5% 5.8% $5.8

Eating Out

Mashhad

$54 11.4%

Ardabil

$55 10.9% 2.1% $1.1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mashhad

$43 9.1%

Ardabil

$19 3.8% 55.1% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Mashhad

$23 4.9%

Ardabil

$20 3.9% 15.2% $3.6

Getting Around

Mashhad

$6.5 1.4%

Ardabil

$11 2.2% 71.1% $4.6

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $18 in Mashhad vs $15 in Ardabil. Groceries flip the comparison at $100 vs $112, with Mashhad cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Mashhad

🇮🇷 Ardabil

🕒 Local time

13:51 1:51 PM

Same time as Mashhad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,001,184

482,632

💱 Currency

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Mashhad Ardabil 1,020 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Mashhad
Ardabil

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 Ardabil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mashhad is about 6% cheaper overall, especially in groceries and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $717 in Mashhad and $762 in Ardabil 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: $209 in Mashhad versus $292 in Ardabil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mashhad runs roughly 58% less than in Ardabil. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $41 in Mashhad versus $94 in Ardabil. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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.

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

Safety-wise, Mashhad and Ardabil are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.