Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mashhad and Sari

For one person, living is cheaper in Mashhad: $478 a month against $885 in Sari, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

23

Cost of Living Index in Mashhad
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Mashhad Living Index
43

Cost of Living Index in Sari
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Sari Living Index

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Mashhad

🇮🇷 Iran

$478

/mo nomad

Sari

🇮🇷 Iran

$885

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mashhad and in Sari

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

A single person spends $478 per month in Mashhad vs $885 in Sari, rent included.

Mashhad $478
Sari $885

A couple spends around $769 per month in Mashhad vs $1,092 in Sari, rent included.

Mashhad $769
Sari $1,092

A family of three spends $1,060 per month in Mashhad vs $1,299 in Sari, rent included.

Mashhad $1,060
Sari $1,299

Mashhad is about 46% cheaper than Sari, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Mashhad and Sari are more affordable than the global median – Mashhad 65% lower, Sari 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.94 $2.94

$3.83 $3.83

-23.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.79 $18.79

$11.96 $11.96

57.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.90 $3.90

27.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.57 $0.57

$0.73 $0.73

-21.92%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 $0.91

$0.85 $0.85

7.06%

Cappuccino

$1.08 $1.08

$1.29 $1.29

-16.28%

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

$0.43 $0.43

$0.48 $0.48

-10.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 $0.26

$0.56 $0.56

-53.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.65 $0.65

$0.48 $0.48

35.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.21 $0.21

$0.61 $0.61

-65.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$3.30 $3.30

-41.52%

Eggs

$1.16 $1.16

$1.23 $1.23

-5.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$4.55 $4.55

-53.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$3.39 $3.39

-18.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.32 $10.32

$9.16 $9.16

12.66%

Apples (1kg)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.34 $1.34

-33.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.88 $1.88

-17.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.19 $1.19

-28.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 $0.58

$0.64 $0.64

-9.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 $0.49

$0.54 $0.54

-9.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 $0.44

$0.51 $0.51

-13.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.54 $0.54

-3.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 $0.29

$0.28 $0.28

3.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.93 $0.93

$0.78 $0.78

19.23%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 $0.78

$0.51 $0.51

52.94%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 $0.93

$2.16 $2.16

-56.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.44 $2.44

25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.02 $0.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.68 $3.68

$9.88 $9.88

-62.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.18 $0.18

$0.51 $0.51

-64.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 $0.48

$0.31 $0.31

54.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.08 $3.08

-34.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$0.08 $0.08

937.50%

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

$60.8K $60.8K

$50.9K $50.9K

19.36%

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

$66.2K $66.2K

$44.8K $44.8K

47.88%

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

$13.84 $13.84

$12.89 $12.89

7.37%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.64 $1.64

60.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.25 $27.25

$3.78 $3.78

620.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.18 $19.18

$50.8 $50.8

-62.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.12 $15.12

$12.17 $12.17

24.24%

Cinema Ticket

$2.05 $2.05

$0.97 $0.97

111.34%

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

$41.26 $41.26

$50.8 $50.8

-18.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$628 $628

$805 $805

-22.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.15 $20.15

$26.52 $26.52

-24.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.41 $38.41

$38.07 $38.07

0.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 $94.7

$116 $116

-18.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.8 $68.8

$74.6 $74.6

-7.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$215 $215

$799 $799

-73.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 $151

$504 $504

-70.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 $401

$688 $688

-41.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 $269

$404 $404

-33.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,140 $1,140

$849 $849

34.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$685 $685

$516 $516

32.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$250 $250

$248 $248

0.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.5

24.79

-13.27%

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

Last update for Mashhad: October 12, 2026

Last update for Sari: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mashhad

$151 31.6%

Sari

$504 57% 234% $353

Clothing & Footwear

Mashhad

$100 20.9%

Sari

$115 13% 14.7% $15

Groceries & Markets

Mashhad

$100 20.9%

Sari

$121 13.7% 21.3% $21

Eating Out

Mashhad

$54 11.3%

Sari

$62 7% 14.3% $7.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mashhad

$44 9.1%

Sari

$18 2.1% 58.1% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Mashhad

$23 4.9%

Sari

$53 6% 126% $29

Getting Around

Mashhad

$6.3 1.3%

Sari

$12 * 1.4% 88.9% $5.6

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $215 in Mashhad versus $799 in Sari. 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 1% higher in Mashhad, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Mashhad versus $12.00 in Sari. Groceries tell a different story – $100 in Mashhad vs $121 in Sari – so Mashhad wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Mashhad

🇮🇷 Sari

🕒 Local time

04:34 4:34 AM

Same time as Mashhad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,001,184

300,000

💱 Currency

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mashhad Sari 590 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Mashhad
Sari

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 Sari: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sari costs about 85% more than Mashhad, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $718 per month in Mashhad and $1,327 in Sari. 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $478 in Mashhad and $885 in Sari. That's a gap of about 85%.

Public transport costs about 168% less in Mashhad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mashhad, where all-in costs run around $478, than in Sari at $885. In Mashhad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sari it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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 have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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