Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mashhad, Iran and Mahabad

For one person, living is cheaper in Mashhad: $464 a month against $528 in Mahabad, rent and utilities included – about $770 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Mahabad outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

22

Cost of Living Index in Mashhad
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Mashhad Living Index
25

Cost of Living Index in Mahabad
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Mahabad Living Index

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Mashhad

🇮🇷 Iran

$464

/mo nomad

Mahabad

🇮🇷 Iran

$528

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mashhad and in Mahabad

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

A single person spends $464 per month in Mashhad vs $528 in Mahabad, rent included.

Mashhad $464
Mahabad $528

A couple spends around $759 per month in Mashhad vs $831 in Mahabad, rent included.

Mashhad $759
Mahabad $831

A family of three spends $1,054 per month in Mashhad vs $1,135 in Mahabad, rent included.

Mashhad $1,054
Mahabad $1,135

Mashhad is about 12% cheaper than Mahabad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Mashhad and Mahabad are more affordable than the global median – Mashhad 66% lower, Mahabad 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 $3.07

$2.92 $2.92

5.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.75 $18.75

$16.31 $16.31

14.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.99 $3.99

26.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.56 $0.56

$0.73 $0.73

-23.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.08 $1.08

-14.81%

Cappuccino

$1.09 $1.09

$1.13 $1.13

-3.54%

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

$0.99 $0.99

-73.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.61 $0.61

$0.68 $0.68

-10.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.21 $0.21

$0.51 $0.51

-58.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.09 $2.09

-6.70%

Eggs

$1.15 $1.15

$1.24 $1.24

-7.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$4.47 $4.47

-51.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.34 $3.34

-18.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 $10.43

$7.85 $7.85

32.87%

Apples (1kg)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.03 $1.03

-15.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.59 $1.59

-1.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.80 $0.80

$0.86 $0.86

-6.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 $0.63

$0.57 $0.57

10.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 $0.49

$0.57 $0.57

-14.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 $0.48

$0.47 $0.47

2.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.54 $0.54

-3.70%

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

$0.50 $0.50

58.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.34 $1.34

-27.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.46 $2.46

25.20%

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

$9.67 $9.67

-62.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.18 $0.18

$0.44 $0.44

-59.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 $0.49

$0.31 $0.31

58.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.63 $2.63

-23.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$0.10 $0.10

680.00%

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

$59.8K $59.8K

$50.0K $50.0K

19.64%

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

$67.7K $67.7K

$45.4K $45.4K

48.98%

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

$14.81 $14.81

$12.98 $12.98

14.10%

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

$2.14 $2.14

$1.57 $1.57

36.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.20 $20.20

$3.81 $3.81

430.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.54 $19.54

$18.40 $18.40

6.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.96 $14.96

$13.52 $13.52

10.65%

Cinema Ticket

$1.97 $1.97

$2.04 $2.04

-3.43%

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

$41.44 $41.44

$107 $107

-61.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$625 $625

$2,442 $2,442

-74.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.06 $20.06

$22.95 $22.95

-12.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.31 $39.31

$27.82 $27.82

41.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 $95.3

$98.5 $98.5

-3.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.1 $70.1

$73.7 $73.7

-4.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 $199

$290 $290

-31.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 $141

$212 $212

-33.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 $402

$806 $806

-50.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 $263

$356 $356

-26.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,124 $1,124

$1,134 $1,134

-0.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$687 $687

$541 $541

26.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$249 $249

$254 $254

-1.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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 Mahabad: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mashhad

$141 30.3%

Mahabad

$212 40.2% 50.8% $71

Clothing & Footwear

Mashhad

$101 21.8%

Mahabad

$100 19% 0.8% $0.8

Groceries & Markets

Mashhad

$100 21.5%

Mahabad

$108 20.4% 7.8% $7.8

Eating Out

Mashhad

$56 12%

Mahabad

$55 10.4% 1.2% $0.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mashhad

$37 8%

Mahabad

$18 3.5% 50.6% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Mashhad

$23 5.1%

Mahabad

$22 4.3% 4.3% $1

Getting Around

Mashhad

$6.4 1.4%

Mahabad

$12 2.3% 92% $5.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $199 in Mashhad versus $290 in Mahabad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Mashhad versus $16 in Mahabad. Groceries tell a different story – $100 in Mashhad vs $108 in Mahabad – so Mashhad wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Mashhad

🇮🇷 Mahabad

🕒 Local time

15:16 3:16 PM

Same time as Mashhad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,001,184

208,541

💱 Currency

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mashhad Mahabad 1,240 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Mashhad
Mahabad

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 Mahabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mahabad is pricier by about 14%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $696 per month in Mashhad and $792 in Mahabad. 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 $199 there versus $290 in Mahabad.

Kindergarten costs $41 per month in Mashhad and $107 in Mahabad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Mahabad, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $464 in Mashhad and $528 in Mahabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Mashhad – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.