Mashhad, Iran: cost, safety and best time to visit (2026)

A seven-day trip runs about $2,450 on a budget plan, $5,705 for mid-range travel, and $12,215 for a luxury trip, according to local daily cost estimates. These figures cover the typical mix of lodging, food, and transport at each spending level.

April, May, June, and September stand out as the best months, with daytime highs between roughly 23.7C and 32.9C and sunshine reaching close to 12 hours a day in June. These months balance warm weather with manageable rainfall compared to the wetter spring months.

The US State Department has issued a Level 4, Do Not Travel advisory for Iran, and the UK FCDO describes a high risk of arrest, detention, and terrorism-related incidents for foreign nationals, including British-Iranian dual nationals. Both advisories apply at the country level rather than specifically to Mashhad.

The budget daily estimate is $350 per person, which covers basic lodging, meals, and local transport, and adds up to $2,450 over a week. This is well below the mid-range figure of $815 a day, so a lower-cost trip is achievable if travelers stick to simple accommodations and meals.

January, February, and December are listed as the off-season months, coinciding with the lowest visitor numbers and, generally, lower demand for lodging. These months also have cooler temperatures, with January highs around 8.1C.

Typical costs include a cheap meal for a few dollars and a restaurant meal for somewhat more, alongside inexpensive local transport fares, all factored into the daily budget estimates. These smaller daily expenses combine with lodging costs to produce the overall daily figures of $350, $815, and $1,745 across the three tiers.