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.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Qom and in Mashhad actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $436 per month in Qom vs $464 in Mashhad, rent included.
Qom $436
Mashhad $464
A couple spends around $847 per month in Qom vs $759 in Mashhad, rent included.
Qom $847
Mashhad $759
A family of three spends $1,257 per month in Qom vs $1,054 in Mashhad, rent included.
Qom $1,257
Mashhad $1,054
🙂
Qom is about 6% cheaper than Mashhad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.
📊
Both Qom and Mashhad are more affordable than the global median – Qom68% lower, Mashhad66% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Qom
Mashhad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.05$3.05
$3.07$3.07
-0.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$15.89$15.89
$18.75$18.75
-15.25%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.91$3.91
$5.06$5.06
-22.73%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.52$0.52
$0.56$0.56
-7.14%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48$1.48
$0.92$0.92
60.87%
Cappuccino
$1.01$1.01
$1.09$1.09
-7.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.41$0.41
$0.43$0.43
-4.65%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73$1.73
$0.26$0.26
565.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Qom
Mashhad
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.53$0.53
$0.61$0.61
-13.11%
White Bread(500g)
$0.62$0.62
$0.21$0.21
195.24%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.70$1.70
$1.95$1.95
-12.82%
Eggs
$1.02$1.02
$1.15$1.15
-11.30%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$2.81$2.81
$2.17$2.17
29.49%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.13$3.13
$2.71$2.71
15.50%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.45$7.45
$10.43$10.43
-28.57%
Apples(1kg)
$0.79$0.79
$0.87$0.87
-9.20%
Banana(1kg)
$1.46$1.46
$1.56$1.56
-6.41%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.99$0.99
$0.80$0.80
23.75%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.47$0.47
$0.63$0.63
-25.40%
Potato(1kg)
$0.47$0.47
$0.49$0.49
-4.08%
Onion(1kg)
$0.43$0.43
$0.48$0.48
-10.42%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.26$0.26
$0.52$0.52
-50.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.26$0.26
$0.27$0.27
-3.70%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$0.77$0.77
$0.86$0.86
-10.47%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.47$0.47
$0.79$0.79
-40.51%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48$1.48
$0.97$0.97
52.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.22$1.22
$3.08$3.08
-60.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Qom
Mashhad
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.17$0.17
$0.02$0.02
750.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$14.48$14.48
$3.66$3.66
295.63%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.26$0.26
$0.18$0.18
44.44%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.25$0.25
$0.49$0.49
-48.98%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.02$1.02
$2.02$2.02
-49.50%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.08$0.08
$0.78$0.78
-89.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.7K$50.7K
$59.8K$59.8K
-15.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$46.1K$46.1K
$67.7K$67.7K
-31.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Qom
Mashhad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$12.79$12.79
$14.81$14.81
-13.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$1.27$1.27
$2.14$2.14
-40.65%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$3.97$3.97
$20.20$20.20
-80.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Qom
Mashhad
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$8.60$8.60
$19.54$19.54
-55.99%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.86$9.86
$14.96$14.96
-34.09%
Cinema Ticket
$0.98$0.98
$1.97$1.97
-50.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Qom
Mashhad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$108$108
$41.44$41.44
161.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,623$2,623
$625$625
319.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Qom
Mashhad
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$15.29$15.29
$20.06$20.06
-23.78%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$12.99$12.99
$39.31$39.31
-66.95%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$100$100
$95.3$95.3
5.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$49.43$49.43
$70.1$70.1
-29.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Qom
Mashhad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$237$237
$199$199
18.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$160$160
$141$141
13.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$578$578
$402$402
43.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$573$573
$263$263
117.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$885$885
$1,124$1,124
-21.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$611$611
$687$687
-11.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Qom
Mashhad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$216$216
$249$249
-13.46%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
20.33
24
-15.29%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Qom: October 31, 2026
Last update for Mashhad: November 2, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Qom
$160 36.6%
Mashhad
$141 30.3% ↓ 12.1%$19
🛒Groceries & Markets
Qom
$94 21.6%
Mashhad
$100 21.5% ↑ 5.9%$5.6
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Qom
$80 18.4%
Mashhad
$101 21.8% ↑ 26.2%$21
🍽Eating Out
Qom
$57 13%
Mashhad
$56 12% ↓ 2.3%$1.3
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Qom
$18 4.1%
Mashhad
$37 8% ↑ 106%$19
🚌Getting Around
Qom
$17 3.8%
Mashhad
$6.4 1.4% ↓ 61.9%$10
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Qom
$11 2.4%
Mashhad
$23 5.1% ↑ 122%$13
🏠Accommodation & Living
Qom
$573 45.6%
Mashhad
$263 25% ↓ 54.1%$310
🛒Groceries & Markets
Qom
$231 18.4%
Mashhad
$247 23.4% ↑ 6.9%$16
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Qom
$178 14.2%
Mashhad
$225 21.3% ↑ 26.2%$47
🍽Eating Out
Qom
$191 15.2%
Mashhad
$205 19.4% ↑ 7.1%$14
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Qom
$19 1.5%
Mashhad
$39 3.7% ↑ 104%$20
🚌Getting Around
Qom
$34 2.7%
Mashhad
$13 1.2% ↓ 62.1%$21
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Qom
$31 2.5%
Mashhad
$62 5.9% ↑ 99.9%$31
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $237 in Qom versus $199 in Mashhad. 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 $16 in Qom versus $19 in Mashhad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $94 vs $100 – making Qom the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
Qom vs Mashhad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Qom or Mashhad?
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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Qom and in Mashhad?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $655 per month in Qom and $696 in Mashhad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Qom or Mashhad?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mashhad, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $199 there versus $237 in Qom.
How much does it cost to live in Qom compared to Mashhad?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $436 in Qom and $464 in Mashhad. That makes Qom about 6% cheaper.
How expensive is transport in Qom compared to Mashhad?
Public transport costs about 75% less in Mashhad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $800/month in Qom or in Mashhad?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $436 in Qom and $464 in Mashhad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
How safe is Qom compared to Mashhad?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Qom or to Mashhad?
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.