Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mashhad, Iran and Zanjan

For one person, living is cheaper in Zanjan: $428 a month against $478 in Mashhad, rent and utilities included – about $600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Mashhad outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

23

Cost of Living Index in Mashhad
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Mashhad Living Index
21

Cost of Living Index in Zanjan
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Zanjan Living Index

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Mashhad

🇮🇷 Iran

$478

/mo nomad

Zanjan

🇮🇷 Iran

$428

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mashhad and in Zanjan

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

A single person spends $478 per month in Mashhad vs $428 in Zanjan, rent included.

Mashhad $478
Zanjan $428

A couple spends around $766 per month in Mashhad vs $768 in Zanjan, rent included.

Mashhad $766
Zanjan $768

A family of three spends $1,055 per month in Mashhad vs $1,108 in Zanjan, rent included.

Mashhad $1,055
Zanjan $1,108

Mashhad costs about 12% more than Zanjan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Mashhad and Zanjan are more affordable than the global median – Mashhad 65% lower, Zanjan 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.94 $2.94

$3.07 $3.07

-4.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.29 $18.29

$13.14 $13.14

39.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.03 $3.03

64.03%

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

$1.01 $1.01

-5.94%

Cappuccino

$1.10 $1.10

$0.92 $0.92

19.57%

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

$0.43 $0.43

$0.49 $0.49

-12.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 $0.26

$1.18 $1.18

-77.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.61 $0.61

$0.70 $0.70

-12.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.21 $0.21

$0.57 $0.57

-63.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$3.20 $3.20

-39.38%

Eggs

$1.12 $1.12

$1.23 $1.23

-8.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.08 $2.08

$4.54 $4.54

-54.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.27 $3.27

-16.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.34 $10.34

$9.09 $9.09

13.75%

Apples (1kg)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.06 $1.06

-11.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.52 $1.52

1.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 $0.83

$0.82 $0.82

1.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.61 $0.61

$0.45 $0.45

35.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.53 $0.53

-1.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 $0.44

$0.47 $0.47

-6.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.40 $0.40

30.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 $0.29

$0.24 $0.24

20.83%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.91 $0.91

$0.73 $0.73

24.66%

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

$1.52 $1.52

-40.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.73 $1.73

75.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.02 $0.02

$0.19 $0.19

-89.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 $3.58

$9.85 $9.85

-63.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.20 $0.20

$0.31 $0.31

-35.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.31 $0.31

67.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.02 $1.02

95.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.03 $0.03

2600.00%

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

$59.3K $59.3K

$49.9K $49.9K

18.87%

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

$68.1K $68.1K

$46.7K $46.7K

45.95%

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

$13.66 $13.66

$13.19 $13.19

3.56%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$1.57 $1.57

67.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.95 $26.95

$4.00 $4.00

573.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.25 $19.25

$12.35 $12.35

55.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.14 $15.14

$12.66 $12.66

19.59%

Cinema Ticket

$2.05 $2.05

$2.04 $2.04

0.49%

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

$41.46 $41.46

$106 $106

-60.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$613 $613

$2,544 $2,544

-75.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.34 $20.34

$26.95 $26.95

-24.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 $38.31

$37.23 $37.23

2.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.2 $93.2

$118 $118

-20.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.8 $69.8

$74.3 $74.3

-5.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$209 $209

$136 $136

53.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 $151

$99.0 $99.0

52.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 $392

$384 $384

2.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 $266

$314 $314

-15.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,153 $1,153

$809 $809

42.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$683 $683

$473 $473

44.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$250 $250

$285 $285

-12.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.5

-6.52%

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

Last update for Mashhad: October 27, 2026

Last update for Zanjan: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mashhad

$151 31.6%

Zanjan

$99 23.1% 34.4% $52

Groceries & Markets

Mashhad

$100 20.9%

Zanjan

$115 26.8% 14.9% $15

Clothing & Footwear

Mashhad

$100 20.9%

Zanjan

$115 26.9% 15.6% $16

Eating Out

Mashhad

$54 11.4%

Zanjan

$51 12% 5.4% $3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mashhad

$43 9.1%

Zanjan

$19 4.4% 56.6% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Mashhad

$23 4.9%

Zanjan

$16 3.8% 29.7% $6.9

Getting Around

Mashhad

$6.5 1.4%

Zanjan

$13 2.9% 92.9% $6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $209 in Mashhad versus $136 in Zanjan. 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 14% higher in Zanjan, 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 $18 in Mashhad versus $13 in Zanjan. Groceries tell a different story – $100 in Mashhad vs $115 in Zanjan – so Mashhad wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Mashhad

🇮🇷 Zanjan

🕒 Local time

10:33 10:33 AM

Same time as Mashhad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,001,184

386,851

💱 Currency

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mashhad Zanjan 1,000 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Mashhad
Zanjan

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 Zanjan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mashhad costs about 12% more than Zanjan, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. 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 $642 in Zanjan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zanjan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $136 there versus $209 in Mashhad.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $478 in Mashhad and $428 in Zanjan. That makes Zanjan about 10% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 64% less in Mashhad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $478 in Mashhad and $428 in Zanjan, 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.