Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tehran and Mashhad, Iran

Name: Mashhad
Address: Mashhad, IR

For one person, living is cheaper in Mashhad: $478 a month against $629 in Tehran, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

30

Cost of Living Index in Tehran
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Tehran Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Mashhad
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Mashhad Living Index

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Tehran

🇮🇷 Iran

$629

/mo nomad

Mashhad

🇮🇷 Iran

$478

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tehran 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 Tehran and in Mashhad actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $629 per month in Tehran vs $478 in Mashhad, rent included.

Tehran $629
Mashhad $478

A couple spends around $1,066 per month in Tehran vs $766 in Mashhad, rent included.

Tehran $1,066
Mashhad $766

A family of three spends $1,503 per month in Tehran vs $1,055 in Mashhad, rent included.

Tehran $1,503
Mashhad $1,055

Tehran costs about 32% more than Mashhad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Tehran and Mashhad are more affordable than the global median – Tehran 54% lower, Mashhad 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 $3.45

$2.94 $2.94

17.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.28 $16.28

$18.29 $18.29

-10.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 $4.09

$4.97 $4.97

-17.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.72 $0.72

$0.56 $0.56

28.57%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$0.95 $0.95

60.00%

Cappuccino

$1.32 $1.32

$1.10 $1.10

20.00%

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

$0.53 $0.53

$0.43 $0.43

23.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$0.26 $0.26

561.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 $0.71

$0.61 $0.61

16.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 $0.62

$0.21 $0.21

195.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$1.94 $1.94

72.16%

Eggs

$1.26 $1.26

$1.12 $1.12

12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.08 $2.08

116.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$2.73 $2.73

23.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.13 $10.13

$10.34 $10.34

-2.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.94 $0.94

46.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.55 $1.55

20.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.83 $0.83

37.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 $0.64

$0.61 $0.61

4.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 $0.55

$0.52 $0.52

5.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 $0.47

$0.44 $0.44

6.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 $0.53

$0.52 $0.52

1.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 $0.30

$0.29 $0.29

3.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.79 $0.79

$0.91 $0.91

-13.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 $0.55

$0.77 $0.77

-28.57%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$0.90 $0.90

134.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.53 $2.53

$3.03 $3.03

-16.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.10 $0.10

$0.02 $0.02

400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.47 $5.47

$3.58 $3.58

52.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.20 $0.20

160.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 $0.29

$0.52 $0.52

-44.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.99 $1.99

55.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.09 $0.09

$0.81 $0.81

-88.89%

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

$51.0K $51.0K

$59.3K $59.3K

-14.04%

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

$45.1K $45.1K

$68.1K $68.1K

-33.80%

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

$12.88 $12.88

$13.66 $13.66

-5.71%

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

$1.60 $1.60

$2.63 $2.63

-39.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$3.85 $3.85

$26.95 $26.95

-85.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.27 $24.27

$19.25 $19.25

26.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.15 $13.15

$15.14 $15.14

-13.14%

Cinema Ticket

$1.95 $1.95

$2.05 $2.05

-4.88%

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

$109 $109

$41.46 $41.46

161.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,557 $2,557

$613 $613

316.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.91 $26.91

$20.34 $20.34

32.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.60 $37.60

$38.31 $38.31

-1.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 $118

$93.2 $93.2

26.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 $71.7

$69.8 $69.8

2.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 $430

$209 $209

105.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 $269

$151 $151

78.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$961 $961

$392 $392

144.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 $628

$266 $266

135.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,268 $1,268

$1,153 $1,153

9.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$717 $717

$683 $683

5.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$211 $211

$250 $250

-15.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.79

21.5

15.30%

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

Last update for Tehran: October 24, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tehran

$269 42.8%

Mashhad

$151 31.6% 44% $118

Groceries & Markets

Tehran

$126 20.1%

Mashhad

$100 20.9% 21.1% $27

Clothing & Footwear

Tehran

$114 18.2%

Mashhad

$100 20.9% 12.7% $15

Eating Out

Tehran

$65 10.3%

Mashhad

$54 11.4% 16.1% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Tehran

$28 4.5%

Mashhad

$23 4.9% 17.1% $4.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tehran

$18 2.9%

Mashhad

$43 9.1% 136% $25

Getting Around

Tehran

$7.8 1.3%

Mashhad

$6.5 1.4% 17.3% $1.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Tehran versus $209 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 19% higher in Mashhad, 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 $16 in Tehran versus $18 in Mashhad. Groceries tell a different story – $126 in Tehran vs $100 in Mashhad – so Mashhad wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Tehran

🇮🇷 Mashhad

🕒 Local time

19:31 7:31 PM

Same time as Tehran

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,000,000 Capital

3,001,184

💱 Currency

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Tehran Mashhad 740 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Tehran
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

Tehran vs Mashhad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tehran costs about 32% 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 $943 per month in Tehran and $717 in Mashhad. 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 $430 in Tehran.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $629 in Tehran and $478 in Mashhad. That makes Mashhad about 24% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 35% 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 $629 in Tehran and $478 in Mashhad, 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.