Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mashhad and Kolkata (Calcutta)

For one person, living is cheaper in Kolkata (Calcutta): $428 a month against $478 in Mashhad, rent and utilities included – about $600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

23

Cost of Living Index in Mashhad
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Mashhad Living Index
21

Cost of Living Index in Kolkata (Calcutta)
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Kolkata (Calcutta) Living Index

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Mashhad

🇮🇷 Iran

$478

/mo nomad

Kolkata (Calcutta)

🇮🇳 India

$428

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mashhad and in Kolkata (Calcutta)

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 Kolkata (Calcutta) actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $478 in Mashhad versus $428 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Mashhad $478
Kolkata (Calcutta) $428

Estimated couple costs with rent: $769 in Mashhad versus $676 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Mashhad $769
Kolkata (Calcutta) $676

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,060 in Mashhad versus $924 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Mashhad $1,060
Kolkata (Calcutta) $924

Living in Mashhad is roughly 12% more expensive than in Kolkata (Calcutta), and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mashhad 65% lower, Kolkata (Calcutta) 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.94 $2.94

$2.10 ₹200

40.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.79 $18.79

$14.69 ₹1,395

27.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.28 ₹406

16.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.57 $0.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 $0.91

Cappuccino

$1.08 $1.08

$1.64 ₹156

-34.15%

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

$0.43 $0.43

$0.45 ₹42.81

-4.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 $0.26

$0.13 ₹12.23

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 ₹184

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ₹305

Milk (1 liter)

$0.65 $0.65

$0.71 ₹67.6

-8.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.21 $0.21

$0.47 ₹44.41

-55.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$0.70 ₹66.9

175.71%

Eggs

$1.16 $1.16

$1.04 ₹98.6

11.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$5.20 ₹494

-59.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$3.06 ₹291

-10.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.32 $10.32

Apples (1kg)

$0.89 $0.89

$2.39 ₹227

-62.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$0.83 ₹78.8

86.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.47 ₹140

-42.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 $0.58

$0.62 ₹58.8

-6.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 $0.49

$0.30 ₹28.62

63.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 $0.44

$0.44 ₹42.10

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.34 ₹32.68

52.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 $0.29

$0.28 ₹26.62

3.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.93 $0.93

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 $0.78

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 $0.93

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 $3.05

$5.12 ₹486

-40.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.30 ₹979

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ₹174

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₹267

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$6.57 ₹624

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.02 $0.02

$0.16 ₹15.06

-87.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.68 $3.68

$3.13 ₹297

17.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.18 $0.18

$0.66 ₹62.3

-72.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 $0.48

$0.32 ₹30.52

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.61 ₹153

25.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.11 ₹105

-25.23%

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

$60.8K $60.8K

$15.9K ₹1.5M

282.06%

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

$66.2K $66.2K

$22.5K ₹2.1M

193.63%

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

$13.84 $13.84

$52.9 ₹5,021

-73.82%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$4.97 ₹472

-46.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.25 $27.25

$7.30 ₹693

273.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.18 $19.18

$15.66 ₹1,487

22.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.12 $15.12

$11.55 ₹1,097

30.91%

Cinema Ticket

$2.05 $2.05

$3.42 ₹325

-40.06%

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

$41.26 $41.26

$47.35 ₹4,497

-12.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$628 $628

$2,072 ₹196.7K

-69.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.15 $20.15

$27.13 ₹2,576

-25.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.41 $38.41

$26.58 ₹2,524

44.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 $94.7

$35.20 ₹3,343

168.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.8 $68.8

$28.34 ₹2,691

142.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$215 $215

$152 ₹14.5K

40.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 $151

$96.3 ₹9,143

56.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 $401

$393 ₹37.3K

1.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 $269

$212 ₹20.1K

26.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,140 $1,140

$1,115 ₹105.9K

2.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$685 $685

$597 ₹56.7K

14.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$250 $250

$392 ₹37.2K

-36.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.5

9.04

137.83%

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

Last update for Mashhad: October 12, 2026

Last update for Kolkata (Calcutta): October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mashhad

$151 31.6%

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$96 22.5% 36.3% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Mashhad

$100 20.9%

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$53 12.3% 47.2% $47

Groceries & Markets

Mashhad

$100 20.9%

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$117 27.4% 17.6% $18

Eating Out

Mashhad

$54 11.3%

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$68 15.8% 25.1% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mashhad

$44 9.1%

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$65 15.2% 48.9% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Mashhad

$23 4.9%

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$23 5.3% 3.4% $0.8

Getting Around

Mashhad

$6.3 1.3%

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$6 1.4% 4.7% $0.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $215 in Mashhad and $152 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kolkata (Calcutta) pays 57% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Mashhad vs $15.00 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Groceries flip the comparison at $100 vs $118, with Mashhad cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Mashhad

🇮🇳 Kolkata (Calcutta)

🕒 Local time

04:33 4:33 AM

06:33 6:33 AM

2 h ahead of Mashhad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,001,184

4,486,679

💱 Currency

USD USD

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, EUR to USD – USD Converter

🇮🇳 Indian Rupee (₹)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

USD exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 94.96 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

INR to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mashhad Kolkata (Calcutta) 3,160 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Mashhad
Kolkata (Calcutta)

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 Kolkata (Calcutta): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kolkata (Calcutta) wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Mashhad. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kolkata (Calcutta) the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 57% lower in Kolkata (Calcutta). That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $215 in Mashhad versus $152 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $478 per month in Mashhad versus $428 in Kolkata (Calcutta) – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kolkata (Calcutta) runs roughly 18% less than in Mashhad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Kolkata (Calcutta) gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

Safety-wise, Mashhad and Kolkata (Calcutta) 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 Kolkata (Calcutta) gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Mashhad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.