Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zanjan and Mashhad, Iran

Name: Mashhad
Address: Mashhad, IR

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.

21

Cost of Living Index in Zanjan
Learn more

Zanjan Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Mashhad
Learn more

Mashhad Living Index

Jump to prices

Zanjan

🇮🇷 Iran

$428

/mo nomad

Mashhad

🇮🇷 Iran

$478

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Zanjan $428
Mashhad $478

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

Zanjan $768
Mashhad $766

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

Zanjan $1,108
Mashhad $1,055

Zanjan is about 10% cheaper than Mashhad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 $3.07

$2.94 $2.94

4.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.14 $13.14

$18.29 $18.29

-28.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.03 $3.03

$4.97 $4.97

-39.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.67 $0.67

$0.56 $0.56

19.64%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$0.95 $0.95

6.32%

Cappuccino

$0.92 $0.92

$1.10 $1.10

-16.36%

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

$0.49 $0.49

$0.43 $0.43

13.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 $1.18

$0.26 $0.26

353.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$0.61 $0.61

14.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 $0.57

$0.21 $0.21

171.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$1.94 $1.94

64.95%

Eggs

$1.23 $1.23

$1.12 $1.12

9.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$2.08 $2.08

118.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$2.73 $2.73

19.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.09 $9.09

$10.34 $10.34

-12.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.94 $0.94

12.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.55 $1.55

-1.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 $0.82

$0.83 $0.83

-1.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.45 $0.45

$0.61 $0.61

-26.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 $0.53

$0.52 $0.52

1.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 $0.47

$0.44 $0.44

6.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 $0.40

$0.52 $0.52

-23.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 $0.24

$0.29 $0.29

-17.24%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.73 $0.73

$0.91 $0.91

-19.78%

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)

$1.52 $1.52

$0.90 $0.90

68.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.73 $1.73

$3.03 $3.03

-42.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 $0.19

$0.02 $0.02

850.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.85 $9.85

$3.58 $3.58

175.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 $0.31

$0.20 $0.20

55.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 $0.31

$0.52 $0.52

-40.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.99 $1.99

-48.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.03 $0.03

$0.81 $0.81

-96.30%

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

$49.9K $49.9K

$59.3K $59.3K

-15.87%

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

$46.7K $46.7K

$68.1K $68.1K

-31.48%

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

$13.19 $13.19

$13.66 $13.66

-3.44%

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

$1.57 $1.57

$2.63 $2.63

-40.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$4.00 $4.00

$26.95 $26.95

-85.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.35 $12.35

$19.25 $19.25

-35.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.66 $12.66

$15.14 $15.14

-16.38%

Cinema Ticket

$2.04 $2.04

$2.05 $2.05

-0.49%

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

$106 $106

$41.46 $41.46

156.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,544 $2,544

$613 $613

314.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.95 $26.95

$20.34 $20.34

32.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.23 $37.23

$38.31 $38.31

-2.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 $118

$93.2 $93.2

26.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.3 $74.3

$69.8 $69.8

6.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$136 $136

$209 $209

-34.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.0 $99.0

$151 $151

-34.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 $384

$392 $392

-2.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 $314

$266 $266

18.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$809 $809

$1,153 $1,153

-29.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$473 $473

$683 $683

-30.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 $285

$250 $250

13.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.5

6.98%

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

Last update for Zanjan: October 25, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Clothing & Footwear

Zanjan

$115 26.9%

Mashhad

$100 20.9% 13.5% $16

Groceries & Markets

Zanjan

$115 26.8%

Mashhad

$100 20.9% 12.9% $15

Accommodation & Living

Zanjan

$99 23.1%

Mashhad

$151 31.6% 52.4% $52

Eating Out

Zanjan

$51 12%

Mashhad

$54 11.4% 5.7% $3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Zanjan

$19 4.4%

Mashhad

$43 9.1% 131% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Zanjan

$16 3.8%

Mashhad

$23 4.9% 42.2% $6.9

Getting Around

Zanjan

$13 2.9%

Mashhad

$6.5 1.4% 48.2% $6

Cost Breakdown

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

Good to know

🇮🇷 Zanjan

🇮🇷 Mashhad

🕒 Local time

10:32 10:32 AM

Same time as Zanjan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

386,851

3,001,184

💱 Currency

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

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

From you

Zanjan
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

Zanjan vs Mashhad: 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 $642 per month in Zanjan 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 Zanjan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $136 there versus $209 in Mashhad.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $428 in Zanjan and $478 in Mashhad. 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 $428 in Zanjan and $478 in Mashhad, 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.