Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shiraz and Mahabad

For one person, living is cheaper in Mahabad: $528 a month against $544 in Shiraz, rent and utilities included – about $190 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Shiraz outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

26

Cost of Living Index in Shiraz
Learn more

Shiraz Living Index
25

Cost of Living Index in Mahabad
Learn more

Mahabad Living Index

Jump to prices

Shiraz

🇮🇷 Iran

$544

/mo nomad

Mahabad

🇮🇷 Iran

$528

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shiraz and in Mahabad

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Shiraz and in Mahabad actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $544 per month in Shiraz vs $528 in Mahabad, rent included.

Shiraz $544
Mahabad $528

A couple spends around $813 per month in Shiraz vs $831 in Mahabad, rent included.

Shiraz $813
Mahabad $831

A family of three spends $1,082 per month in Shiraz vs $1,135 in Mahabad, rent included.

Shiraz $1,082
Mahabad $1,135

Shiraz costs about 3% more than Mahabad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Shiraz and Mahabad are more affordable than the global median – Shiraz 60% lower, Mahabad 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.46 $4.46

$2.92 $2.92

52.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.88 $12.88

$16.31 $16.31

-21.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 $4.12

$3.99 $3.99

3.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.73 $0.73

32.88%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.08 $1.08

57.41%

Cappuccino

$1.21 $1.21

$1.13 $1.13

7.08%

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

$0.60 $0.60

$0.51 $0.51

17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

Milk (1 liter)

$0.67 $0.67

$0.68 $0.68

-1.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 $0.45

$0.51 $0.51

-11.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.09 $2.09

-10.05%

Eggs

$1.19 $1.19

$1.24 $1.24

-4.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$4.47 $4.47

-49.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.34 $3.34

-11.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.02 $10.02

$7.85 $7.85

27.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.03 $1.03

8.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.59 $1.59

-1.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 $0.90

$0.86 $0.86

4.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 $0.59

$0.57 $0.57

3.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 $0.53

$0.57 $0.57

-7.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 $0.53

$0.47 $0.47

12.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 $0.47

$0.54 $0.54

-12.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.21 $0.21

$0.24 $0.24

-12.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.77 $0.77

12.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 $0.55

$0.50 $0.50

10.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.34 $1.34

29.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.46 $2.46

20.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.11 $0.11

$0.14 $0.14

-21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$2.98 $2.98

$9.67 $9.67

-69.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 $0.38

$0.44 $0.44

-13.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 $0.20

$0.31 $0.31

-35.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 $3.53

$2.63 $2.63

34.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.10 $0.10

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

$66.2K $66.2K

$50.0K $50.0K

32.44%

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

$53.1K $53.1K

$45.4K $45.4K

16.88%

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

$23.42 $23.42

$12.98 $12.98

80.43%

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

$2.07 $2.07

$1.57 $1.57

31.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.82 $16.82

$3.81 $3.81

341.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.40 $18.40

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.74 $13.74

$13.52 $13.52

1.63%

Cinema Ticket

$2.04 $2.04

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

$103 $103

$107 $107

-4.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,386 $2,386

$2,442 $2,442

-2.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.62 $22.62

$22.95 $22.95

-1.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.48 $18.48

$27.82 $27.82

-33.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 $96.3

$98.5 $98.5

-2.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.6 $54.6

$73.7 $73.7

-25.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$293 $293

$290 $290

0.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 $219

$212 $212

3.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$545 $545

$806 $806

-32.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 $323

$356 $356

-9.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,154 $1,154

$1,134 $1,134

1.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$503 $503

$541 $541

-7.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$237 $237

$254 $254

-6.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.3

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

Last update for Shiraz: November 1, 2026

Last update for Mahabad: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Shiraz

$219 40.3%

Mahabad

$212 40.2% 3.3% $7.2

Groceries & Markets

Shiraz

$103 19%

Mahabad

$108 20.4% 4% $4.2

Clothing & Footwear

Shiraz

$86 15.9%

Mahabad

$100 19% 16.1% $14

Eating Out

Shiraz

$65 * 12%

Mahabad

$55 10.4% 15.5% $10

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shiraz

$42 7.8%

Mahabad

$18 3.5% 56.6% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Shiraz

$22 4.1%

Mahabad

$22 4.3% 0% $0

Getting Around

Shiraz

$4.8 0.9%

Mahabad

$12 2.3% 155% $7.4

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $293 in Shiraz versus $290 in Mahabad. 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 7% higher in Mahabad, 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 $13 in Shiraz versus $16 in Mahabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $108 – making Shiraz the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Shiraz

🇮🇷 Mahabad

🕒 Local time

10:26 10:26 AM

Same time as Shiraz

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,565,572

208,541

💱 Currency

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Shiraz Mahabad 1,020 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Shiraz
Mahabad

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

Shiraz vs Mahabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shiraz is pricier by about 3%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $815 per month in Shiraz and $792 in Mahabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $293 in Shiraz and $290 in Mahabad. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Kindergarten costs $103 per month in Shiraz and $107 in Mahabad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Shiraz – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $544 in Shiraz and $528 in Mahabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Shiraz has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $528 in Mahabad to $544 in Shiraz. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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