Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mashhad, Iran and Qom

For one person, living is cheaper in Qom: $436 a month against $464 in Mashhad, rent and utilities included – about $340 less a year. The total is higher in Mashhad despite lower rent and utilities.

22

Cost of Living Index in Mashhad
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Mashhad Living Index
21

Cost of Living Index in Qom
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Qom Living Index

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Mashhad

🇮🇷 Iran

$464

/mo nomad

Qom

🇮🇷 Iran

$436

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mashhad and in Qom

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

A single person spends $464 per month in Mashhad vs $436 in Qom, rent included.

Mashhad $464
Qom $436

A couple spends around $759 per month in Mashhad vs $847 in Qom, rent included.

Mashhad $759
Qom $847

A family of three spends $1,054 per month in Mashhad vs $1,257 in Qom, rent included.

Mashhad $1,054
Qom $1,257

Mashhad costs about 6% more than Qom, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Mashhad and Qom are more affordable than the global median – Mashhad 66% lower, Qom 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 $3.07

$3.05 $3.05

0.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.75 $18.75

$15.89 $15.89

18.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.91 $3.91

29.41%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.56 $0.56

$0.52 $0.52

7.69%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.48 $1.48

-37.84%

Cappuccino

$1.09 $1.09

$1.01 $1.01

7.92%

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

$0.43 $0.43

$0.41 $0.41

4.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 $0.26

$1.73 $1.73

-84.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.61 $0.61

$0.53 $0.53

15.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.21 $0.21

$0.62 $0.62

-66.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.70 $1.70

14.71%

Eggs

$1.15 $1.15

$1.02 $1.02

12.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.81 $2.81

-22.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.13 $3.13

-13.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 $10.43

$7.45 $7.45

40.00%

Apples (1kg)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.79 $0.79

10.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.46 $1.46

6.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.80 $0.80

$0.99 $0.99

-19.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 $0.63

$0.47 $0.47

34.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 $0.49

$0.47 $0.47

4.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 $0.48

$0.43 $0.43

11.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.26 $0.26

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 $0.27

$0.26 $0.26

3.85%

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

$0.47 $0.47

68.09%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.48 $1.48

-34.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.22 $1.22

152.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.02 $0.02

$0.17 $0.17

-88.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.66 $3.66

$14.48 $14.48

-74.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.18 $0.18

$0.26 $0.26

-30.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 $0.49

$0.25 $0.25

96.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.02 $1.02

98.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$0.08 $0.08

875.00%

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

$59.8K $59.8K

$50.7K $50.7K

17.82%

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

$67.7K $67.7K

$46.1K $46.1K

46.85%

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

$14.81 $14.81

$12.79 $12.79

15.79%

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

$2.14 $2.14

$1.27 $1.27

68.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.20 $20.20

$3.97 $3.97

408.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.54 $19.54

$8.60 $8.60

127.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.96 $14.96

$9.86 $9.86

51.72%

Cinema Ticket

$1.97 $1.97

$0.98 $0.98

101.02%

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

$41.44 $41.44

$108 $108

-61.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$625 $625

$2,623 $2,623

-76.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.06 $20.06

$15.29 $15.29

31.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.31 $39.31

$12.99 $12.99

202.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 $95.3

$100 $100

-5.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.1 $70.1

$49.43 $49.43

41.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 $199

$237 $237

-15.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 $141

$160 $160

-12.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 $402

$578 $578

-30.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 $263

$573 $573

-54.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,124 $1,124

$885 $885

26.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$687 $687

$611 $611

12.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$249 $249

$216 $216

15.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.33

18.05%

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

Last update for Mashhad: November 2, 2026

Last update for Qom: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mashhad

$141 30.3%

Qom

$160 36.6% 13.8% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Mashhad

$101 21.8%

Qom

$80 18.4% 20.8% $21

Groceries & Markets

Mashhad

$100 21.5%

Qom

$94 21.6% 5.6% $5.6

Eating Out

Mashhad

$56 12%

Qom

$57 13% 2.3% $1.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mashhad

$37 8%

Qom

$18 4.1% 51.5% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Mashhad

$23 5.1%

Qom

$11 2.4% 55% $13

Getting Around

Mashhad

$6.4 1.4%

Qom

$17 3.8% 162% $10

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $199 in Mashhad versus $237 in Qom. 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 16% higher in Mashhad. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Mashhad versus $16 in Qom. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $100 vs $94 – making Qom the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Mashhad

🇮🇷 Qom

🕒 Local time

11:32 11:32 AM

Same time as Mashhad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,001,184

1,075,000

💱 Currency

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mashhad Qom 810 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Mashhad
Qom

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 Qom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mashhad costs about 6% more than Qom, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $696 per month in Mashhad and $655 in Qom. 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 $237 in Qom.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $464 in Mashhad and $436 in Qom. That makes Qom about 6% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 75% less in Mashhad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $464 in Mashhad and $436 in Qom, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

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