Cost of Living Comparison Between Afghanistan and Australia Cost of Living Comparison Between Afghanistan and Australia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $237 per month in Afghanistan vs $2,184 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $329 per month in Afghanistan vs $3,219 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $421 per month in Afghanistan vs $4,253 in Australia, rent included.

Afghanistan is roughly 89% cheaper than Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Afghanistan sits 82% below the global median, while Australia is 63% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Afghanistan
Australia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.15 ؋138
$16.44 A$23.23
-86.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$9.94 ؋638
$78.1 A$110
-87.28%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.61 ؋232
$9.94 A$14.05
-63.68%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.84 ؋182
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.24 ؋464
-
-
Cappuccino
$0.94 ؋60.3
$3.60 A$5.08
-73.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 ؋24.78
$2.68 A$3.78
-85.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.16 ؋10.15
$2.14 A$3.02
-92.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$6.53 A$9.23
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$7.05 A$9.96
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Afghanistan
Australia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.70 ؋44.73
$1.58 A$2.23
-55.70%
White Bread (500g)
$0.23 ؋14.80
$2.53 A$3.57
-90.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 ؋112
$2.07 A$2.93
-15.94%
Eggs
$1.53 ؋98.4
$4.30 A$6.08
-64.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.73 ؋239
$9.03 A$12.76
-58.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ؋212
$8.55 A$12.08
-61.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.74 ؋368
$13.96 A$19.72
-58.88%
Apples (1kg)
$0.65 ؋41.43
$3.18 A$4.49
-79.56%
Banana (1kg)
$0.84 ؋53.8
$2.84 A$4.01
-70.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.71 ؋45.36
$2.95 A$4.17
-75.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.47 ؋30.44
$4.43 A$6.26
-89.39%
Potato (1kg)
$0.43 ؋27.78
$2.46 A$3.47
-82.52%
Onion (1kg)
$0.37 ؋23.72
$2.17 A$3.07
-82.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.30 ؋19.12
$2.29 A$3.24
-86.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.30 ؋19.04
$1.57 A$2.22
-80.89%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$1.93 ؋124
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.70 ؋45.05
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48 ؋95.1
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.24 ؋144
$30.87 A$43.61
-92.74%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$14.06 A$19.86
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$4.55 A$6.43
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.81 A$6.80
-
🚌 Getting Around
Afghanistan
Australia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.28 ؋17.92
$2.87 A$4.05
-90.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.18 ؋781
$95.8 A$135
-87.28%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.46 ؋93.4
$3.65 A$5.15
-60.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.65 ؋41.54
$1.76 A$2.49
-63.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.74 ؋111
$38.27 A$54.1
-95.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.04 ؋66.5
$1.15 A$1.63
-9.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$8,673 ؋556.4K
$28.4K A$40.1K
-69.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.4K ؋2.3M
$23.0K A$32.5K
58.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Afghanistan
Australia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$77.7 ؋4,986
$178 A$251
-56.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.49 ؋930
$26.46 A$37.38
-45.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$150 ؋9,647
$54.1 A$76.4
177.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Afghanistan
Australia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$9.95 ؋638
$46.64 A$65.9
-78.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.22 ؋207
$16.54 A$23.37
-80.53%
Cinema Ticket
$2.38 ؋153
$13.65 A$19.28
-82.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Afghanistan
Australia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$23.51 ؋1,508
$1,575 A$2,225
-98.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,442 ؋92.5K
$12.7K A$17.9K
-88.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Afghanistan
Australia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$13.96 ؋896
$71.5 A$101
-80.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.61 ؋1,258
$50.8 A$71.8
-61.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$33.77 ؋2,167
$100 A$142
-66.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$29.49 ؋1,892
$108 A$153
-72.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Afghanistan
Australia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$82.6 ؋5,300
$1,384 A$1,955
-94.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$52.2 ؋3,350
$1,105 A$1,562
-95.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$183 ؋11.7K
$2,298 A$3,246
-92.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$102 ؋6,547
$1,728 A$2,441
-94.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$630 ؋40.4K
$7,610 A$10.8K
-91.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$343 ؋22.0K
$5,504 A$7,776
-93.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Afghanistan
Australia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$269 ؋17.3K
$4,002 A$5,654
-93.28%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.22
6.35
155.43%

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

Last update for Afghanistan: June 7, 2026

Last update for Australia: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $38.00 in Afghanistan vs $1,232 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $86.0 in Kabul and $1,568 in Canberra.

Average salary: $233 in Afghanistan vs $3,845 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 3142% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 1183% more in Australia.

Public transport is 857% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 1550% higher in Australia, giving Australia stronger purchasing power.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Afghanistan vs Australia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Afghanistan or Australia?
Afghanistan is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 571% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Afghanistan or Australia?
Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.
How do daily expenses compare in Afghanistan vs Australia?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Afghanistan, contributing to the overall 571% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Can you live in both Afghanistan and Australia on $800 per month?
$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Afghanistan, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Which country is better for expats: Afghanistan or Australia?
Afghanistan is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

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