Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tabriz and Mashhad

For one person, living is cheaper in Tabriz: $409 a month against $478 in Mashhad, rent and utilities included – about $830 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Tabriz
🇮🇷 Iran
$409
/mo nomad
Mashhad
🇮🇷 Iran
$478
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tabriz and in Mashhad

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

A single person spends $409 per month in Tabriz vs $478 in Mashhad, rent included.

  • Tabriz $409
  • Mashhad $478

A couple spends around $689 per month in Tabriz vs $769 in Mashhad, rent included.

  • Tabriz $689
  • Mashhad $769

A family of three spends $968 per month in Tabriz vs $1,060 in Mashhad, rent included.

  • Tabriz $968
  • Mashhad $1,060

Tabriz is about 15% cheaper than Mashhad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Tabriz and Mashhad are more affordable than the global median – Tabriz 70% lower, Mashhad 65% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tabriz
Mashhad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.06 $3.06
$2.94 $2.94
4.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$15.10 $15.10
$18.79 $18.79
-19.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.98 $3.98
$4.97 $4.97
-19.92%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.06 $1.06
$0.57 $0.57
85.96%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11 $1.11
$0.91 $0.91
21.98%
Cappuccino
$1.36 $1.36
$1.08 $1.08
25.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 $0.59
$0.43 $0.43
37.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62 $0.62
$0.26 $0.26
138.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tabriz
Mashhad
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.59 $0.59
$0.65 $0.65
-9.23%
White Bread (500g)
$0.37 $0.37
$0.21 $0.21
76.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.60 $3.60
$1.93 $1.93
86.53%
Eggs
$0.91 $0.91
$1.16 $1.16
-21.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.81 $4.81
$2.10 $2.10
129.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.86 $2.86
$2.75 $2.75
4.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.65 $9.65
$10.32 $10.32
-6.49%
Apples (1kg)
$1.01 $1.01
$0.89 $0.89
13.48%
Banana (1kg)
$1.32 $1.32
$1.55 $1.55
-14.84%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.85 $0.85
$0.85 $0.85
-
Tomato (1kg)
$0.57 $0.57
$0.58 $0.58
-1.72%
Potato (1kg)
$0.53 $0.53
$0.49 $0.49
8.16%
Onion (1kg)
$0.51 $0.51
$0.44 $0.44
15.91%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.42 $0.42
$0.52 $0.52
-19.23%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.19 $0.19
$0.29 $0.29
-34.48%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$0.58 $0.58
$0.93 $0.93
-37.63%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.41 $0.41
$0.78 $0.78
-47.44%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48 $1.48
$0.93 $0.93
59.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.07 $2.07
$3.05 $3.05
-32.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Tabriz
Mashhad
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.09 $0.09
$0.02 $0.02
350.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.10 $12.10
$3.68 $3.68
228.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.41 $0.41
$0.18 $0.18
127.78%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.21 $0.21
$0.48 $0.48
-56.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.91 $3.91
$2.02 $2.02
93.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.09 $0.09
$0.83 $0.83
-89.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$73.4K $73.4K
$60.8K $60.8K
20.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$53.0K $53.0K
$66.2K $66.2K
-19.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tabriz
Mashhad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$14.19 $14.19
$13.84 $13.84
2.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$1.91 $1.91
$2.64 $2.64
-27.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$5.57 $5.57
$27.25 $27.25
-79.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tabriz
Mashhad
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$14.36 $14.36
$19.18 $19.18
-25.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.65 $24.65
$15.12 $15.12
63.03%
Cinema Ticket
$1.49 $1.49
$2.05 $2.05
-27.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tabriz
Mashhad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$60.6 $60.6
$41.26 $41.26
46.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$550 $550
$628 $628
-12.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tabriz
Mashhad
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$15.57 $15.57
$20.15 $20.15
-22.73%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$10.66 $10.66
$38.41 $38.41
-72.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.3 $75.3
$94.7 $94.7
-20.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$49.19 $49.19
$68.8 $68.8
-28.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tabriz
Mashhad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$151 $151
$215 $215
-29.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$119 $119
$151 $151
-21.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$374 $374
$401 $401
-6.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$248 $248
$269 $269
-7.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$860 $860
$1,140 $1,140
-24.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$837 $837
$685 $685
22.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tabriz
Mashhad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$232 $232
$250 $250
-6.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
22.5
21.5
4.65%

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

Last update for Tabriz: October 11, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tabriz
$119
Mashhad
$151 26.6% $32
Groceries & Markets
Tabriz
$111
Mashhad
$100 10.2% $11
Clothing & Footwear
Tabriz
$68
Mashhad
$100 47.3% $32
Eating Out
Tabriz
$58
Mashhad
$54 6% $3.4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tabriz
$22
Mashhad
$44 102% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Tabriz
$17
Mashhad
$23 34.3% $5.9
Getting Around
Tabriz
$14
Mashhad
$6.3 54.5% $7.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $151 in Tabriz versus $215 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 7% higher in Mashhad, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Tabriz versus $19.00 in Mashhad. Groceries tell a different story – $111 in Tabriz vs $100 in Mashhad – so Mashhad wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇮🇷 Tabriz
🇮🇷 Mashhad
🕒 Local time
06:09 6:09 AM
06:09 6:09 AM
Same time as Tabriz
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,558,693
3,001,184
💱 Currency
USD USD
USD USD
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – USD Converter

USD exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tabriz Mashhad 1,190 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tabriz
  • Mashhad

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
Tabriz vs Mashhad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Tabriz or Mashhad?
Mashhad costs about 17% more than Tabriz, 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 Tabriz and in Mashhad?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $613 per month in Tabriz and $718 in Mashhad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Tabriz or Mashhad?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tabriz, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Tabriz compared to Mashhad?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $409 in Tabriz and $478 in Mashhad. That's a gap of about 17%.
How expensive is transport in Tabriz compared to Mashhad?
Public transport costs about 229% less in Tabriz. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $800/month in Tabriz or in Mashhad?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $409 in Tabriz and $478 in Mashhad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Tabriz – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Tabriz compared to Mashhad?
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.
Should I move to Tabriz or to Mashhad?
If budget matters most, go with Tabriz. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mashhad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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