Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mashhad, Iran and Varamin

For one person, living is cheaper in Mashhad: $478 a month against $581 in Varamin, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 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
27

Cost of Living Index in Varamin
Learn more

Varamin Living Index

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Mashhad

🇮🇷 Iran

$478

/mo nomad

Varamin

🇮🇷 Iran

$581

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mashhad and in Varamin

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

A single person spends $478 per month in Mashhad vs $581 in Varamin, rent included.

Mashhad $478
Varamin $581

A couple spends around $766 per month in Mashhad vs $889 in Varamin, rent included.

Mashhad $766
Varamin $889

A family of three spends $1,055 per month in Mashhad vs $1,198 in Varamin, rent included.

Mashhad $1,055
Varamin $1,198

Mashhad is about 18% cheaper than Varamin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Mashhad and Varamin are more affordable than the global median – Mashhad 65% lower, Varamin 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.94 $2.94

$3.45 $3.45

-14.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.29 $18.29

$16.31 $16.31

12.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.04 $4.04

23.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.56 $0.56

$0.67 $0.67

-16.42%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.46 $1.46

-34.93%

Cappuccino

$1.10 $1.10

$1.31 $1.31

-16.03%

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

$0.43 $0.43

$0.53 $0.53

-18.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 $0.26

$1.65 $1.65

-84.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.61 $0.61

$0.66 $0.66

-7.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.21 $0.21

$0.57 $0.57

-63.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$3.31 $3.31

-41.39%

Eggs

$1.12 $1.12

$1.29 $1.29

-13.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.08 $2.08

$4.33 $4.33

-51.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.27 $3.27

-16.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.34 $10.34

$10.26 $10.26

0.78%

Apples (1kg)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.39 $1.39

-32.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.85 $1.85

-16.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.18 $1.18

-29.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.61 $0.61

$0.63 $0.63

-3.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.56 $0.56

-7.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 $0.44

$0.48 $0.48

-8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.58 $0.58

-10.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 $0.29

$0.30 $0.30

-3.33%

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

$0.55 $0.55

40.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 $0.90

$2.09 $2.09

-56.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.46 $2.46

23.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.02 $0.02

$0.17 $0.17

-88.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 $3.58

$10.65 $10.65

-66.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.20 $0.20

$0.52 $0.52

-61.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.29 $0.29

79.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 $1.99

$3.04 $3.04

-34.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.10 $0.10

710.00%

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

$59.3K $59.3K

$50.8K $50.8K

16.58%

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

$68.1K $68.1K

$45.6K $45.6K

49.46%

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

$13.66 $13.66

$12.97 $12.97

5.32%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$1.58 $1.58

66.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.95 $26.95

$4.00 $4.00

573.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.25 $19.25

$18.84 $18.84

2.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.14 $15.14

$14.58 $14.58

3.84%

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

$110 $110

-62.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$613 $613

$2,560 $2,560

-76.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.34 $20.34

$26.76 $26.76

-23.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 $38.31

$37.37 $37.37

2.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.2 $93.2

$116 $116

-19.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.8 $69.8

$72.5 $72.5

-3.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$209 $209

$318 $318

-34.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 $151

$223 $223

-32.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 $392

$813 $813

-51.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 $266

$326 $326

-18.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,153 $1,153

$1,188 $1,188

-2.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$683 $683

$546 $546

25.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$250 $250

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 27, 2026

Last update for Varamin: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mashhad

$151 31.6%

Varamin

$223 38.5% 48.2% $73

Groceries & Markets

Mashhad

$100 20.9%

Varamin

$125 21.6% 25.5% $25

Clothing & Footwear

Mashhad

$100 20.9%

Varamin

$114 19.6% 13.9% $14

Eating Out

Mashhad

$54 11.4%

Varamin

$64 11% 17.9% $9.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mashhad

$43 9.1%

Varamin

$19 3.2% 57.1% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Mashhad

$23 4.9%

Varamin

$23 3.9% 2.7% $0.6

Getting Around

Mashhad

$6.5 1.4%

Varamin

$13 2.3% 105% $6.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $209 in Mashhad versus $318 in Varamin. 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 $18 in Mashhad versus $16 in Varamin. Groceries tell a different story – $100 in Mashhad vs $125 in Varamin – so Mashhad wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Mashhad

🇮🇷 Varamin

🕒 Local time

08:21 8:21 AM

Same time as Mashhad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,001,184

225,628

💱 Currency

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mashhad Varamin 730 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Mashhad
Varamin

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 Varamin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Varamin costs about 22% more than Mashhad, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $717 per month in Mashhad and $871 in Varamin. 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 $318 in Varamin.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $478 in Mashhad and $581 in Varamin. That makes Mashhad about 18% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 66% 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 $478 in Mashhad and $581 in Varamin, 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.