Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mashhad, Iran and Babol

For one person, living costs are similar in Mashhad and in Babol: $478 and $471 a month, rent and utilities included.

23

Cost of Living Index in Mashhad
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Mashhad Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Babol
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Babol Living Index

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Mashhad

🇮🇷 Iran

$478

/mo nomad

Babol

🇮🇷 Iran

$471

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mashhad and in Babol

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

A single person spends $478 per month in Mashhad vs $471 in Babol, rent included.

Mashhad $478
Babol $471

A couple spends around $766 per month in Mashhad vs $733 in Babol, rent included.

Mashhad $766
Babol $733

A family of three spends $1,055 per month in Mashhad vs $994 in Babol, rent included.

Mashhad $1,055
Babol $994

Mashhad and Babol have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Mashhad and Babol are more affordable than the global median – Mashhad 65% lower, Babol 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.94 $2.94

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.29 $18.29

$10.80 $10.80

69.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.02 $4.02

23.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.56 $0.56

$0.49 $0.49

14.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.66 $0.66

43.94%

Cappuccino

$1.10 $1.10

$1.05 $1.05

4.76%

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

$0.43 $0.43

$0.29 $0.29

48.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 $0.26

$1.72 $1.72

-84.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.61 $0.61

$0.71 $0.71

-14.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.21 $0.21

$0.22 $0.22

-4.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.47 $2.47

-21.46%

Eggs

$1.12 $1.12

$1.22 $1.22

-8.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.02 $2.02

2.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.27 $3.27

-16.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.34 $10.34

$9.23 $9.23

12.03%

Apples (1kg)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.22 $1.22

-22.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.41 $1.41

9.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 $0.83

$0.48 $0.48

72.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.61 $0.61

$0.48 $0.48

27.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.29 $0.29

79.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 $0.44

$0.29 $0.29

51.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.29 $0.29

79.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 $0.29

$0.14 $0.14

107.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.91 $0.91

$0.78 $0.78

16.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 $0.77

$0.54 $0.54

42.59%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 $0.90

$2.18 $2.18

-58.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.24 $2.24

35.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.02 $0.02

$0.16 $0.16

-87.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 $3.58

$9.65 $9.65

-62.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.20 $0.20

$0.51 $0.51

-60.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.29 $0.29

79.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.94 $2.94

-32.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.08 $0.08

912.50%

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

$59.3K $59.3K

$49.2K $49.2K

20.38%

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

$68.1K $68.1K

$30.1K $30.1K

126.58%

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

$13.66 $13.66

$12.91 $12.91

5.81%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$1.52 $1.52

73.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.95 $26.95

$3.84 $3.84

601.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.25 $19.25

$18.51 $18.51

4.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.14 $15.14

$13.57 $13.57

11.57%

Cinema Ticket

$2.05 $2.05

$1.94 $1.94

5.67%

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

$41.46 $41.46

$48.02 $48.02

-13.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$613 $613

$2,397 $2,397

-74.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.34 $20.34

$19.85 $19.85

2.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 $38.31

$14.97 $14.97

155.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.2 $93.2

$53.6 $53.6

73.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.8 $69.8

$39.31 $39.31

77.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$209 $209

$289 $289

-27.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 $151

$207 $207

-27.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 $392

$779 $779

-49.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 $266

$359 $359

-25.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,153 $1,153

$911 $911

26.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$683 $683

$596 $596

14.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$250 $250

$130 $130

91.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.5

23.75

-9.47%

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

Last update for Mashhad: October 27, 2026

Last update for Babol: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mashhad

$151 31.6%

Babol

$207 44% 37.5% $57

Groceries & Markets

Mashhad

$100 20.9%

Babol

$97 20.6% 2.6% $2.6

Clothing & Footwear

Mashhad

$100 20.9%

Babol

$57 12.2% 42.3% $42

Eating Out

Mashhad

$54 11.4%

Babol

$56 11.9% 3.4% $1.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mashhad

$43 9.1%

Babol

$18 3.9% 57.7% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Mashhad

$23 4.9%

Babol

$22 4.8% 4.2% $1

Getting Around

Mashhad

$6.5 1.4%

Babol

$12 2.6% 89% $5.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $209 in Mashhad versus $289 in Babol. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 92% higher in Mashhad. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18 in Mashhad versus $11 in Babol. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $100 vs $97 – making Babol the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Mashhad

🇮🇷 Babol

🕒 Local time

01:20 1:20 AM

Same time as Mashhad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,001,184

220,000

💱 Currency

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mashhad Babol 620 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Mashhad
Babol

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 Babol: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $717 per month in Mashhad and $707 in Babol. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $209 there versus $289 in Babol.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Mashhad, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Kindergarten costs $41 per month in Mashhad and $48 in Babol. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $478 in Mashhad and $471 in Babol, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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