Cost of Living Comparison Between Afghanistan and Canada Cost of Living Comparison Between Afghanistan and Canada

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $237 per month in Afghanistan vs $2,319 in Canada, rent included.

A couple spends around $329 per month in Afghanistan vs $3,378 in Canada, rent included.

A family of three spends $420 per month in Afghanistan vs $4,437 in Canada, rent included.

The cost of living in Afghanistan is roughly 90% lower than in Canada on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Afghanistan sits 82% below the global median, while Canada is 74% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Afghanistan
Canada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.18 ؋143
$18.63 CA$26.11
-88.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$9.84 ؋647
$74.0 CA$104
-86.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.53 ؋232
$10.92 CA$15.31
-67.67%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.84 ؋187
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.13 ؋469
-
-
Cappuccino
$0.90 ؋59.0
$3.76 CA$5.28
-76.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.38 ؋25.14
$2.19 CA$3.07
-82.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.13 ؋8.49
$1.74 CA$2.43
-92.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$5.93 CA$8.31
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.95 CA$8.35
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Afghanistan
Canada
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.71 ؋46.89
$2.28 CA$3.20
-68.86%
White Bread (500g)
$0.21 ؋13.79
$2.67 CA$3.74
-92.13%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.72 ؋113
$3.78 CA$5.30
-54.50%
Eggs
$1.60 ؋105
$3.50 CA$4.90
-54.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.74 ؋246
$11.70 CA$16.40
-68.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.41 ؋224
$12.30 CA$17.24
-72.28%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.80 ؋381
$15.44 CA$21.65
-62.44%
Apples (1kg)
$0.60 ؋39.74
$4.28 CA$6.00
-85.98%
Banana (1kg)
$0.83 ؋54.4
$1.45 CA$2.04
-42.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.75 ؋49.02
$4.01 CA$5.62
-81.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.51 ؋33.64
$4.27 CA$5.98
-88.06%
Potato (1kg)
$0.47 ؋30.59
$2.69 CA$3.77
-82.53%
Onion (1kg)
$0.40 ؋26.00
$2.65 CA$3.71
-84.91%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.32 ؋21.24
$2.64 CA$3.70
-87.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.30 ؋19.47
$1.89 CA$2.65
-84.13%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$1.82 ؋120
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.69 ؋45.11
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 ؋98.9
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.19 ؋144
$14.77 CA$20.71
-85.17%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$13.32 CA$18.67
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.96 CA$4.15
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.28 CA$4.59
-
🚌 Getting Around
Afghanistan
Canada
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.30 ؋19.88
$2.62 CA$3.67
-88.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.08 ؋794
$78.1 CA$110
-84.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.46 ؋95.8
$3.42 CA$4.79
-57.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 ؋42.02
$1.50 CA$2.10
-57.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.69 ؋111
$29.07 CA$40.76
-94.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 ؋64.9
$1.20 CA$1.68
-17.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$8,783 ؋577.3K
$25.5K CA$35.7K
-65.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.5K ؋2.3M
$20.6K CA$28.8K
72.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Afghanistan
Canada
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$74.7 ؋4,913
$152 CA$212
-50.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.65 ؋963
$46.70 CA$65.5
-68.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$148 ؋9,707
$61.8 CA$86.7
138.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Afghanistan
Canada
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$9.75 ؋641
$43.36 CA$60.8
-77.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.32 ؋218
$18.05 CA$25.31
-81.61%
Cinema Ticket
$2.43 ؋160
$11.51 CA$16.13
-78.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Afghanistan
Canada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$23.76 ؋1,562
$806 CA$1,130
-97.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,445 ؋95.0K
$12.1K CA$17.0K
-88.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Afghanistan
Canada
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$13.90 ؋914
$55.4 CA$77.6
-74.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.40 ؋1,275
$41.80 CA$58.6
-53.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$33.36 ؋2,193
$89.7 CA$126
-62.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$29.07 ؋1,911
$106 CA$149
-72.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Afghanistan
Canada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$81.9 ؋5,384
$1,329 CA$1,864
-93.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$53.1 ؋3,488
$1,207 CA$1,692
-95.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$182 ؋11.9K
$2,112 CA$2,961
-91.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$103 ؋6,743
$1,833 CA$2,570
-94.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$606 ؋39.8K
$4,639 CA$6,503
-86.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$341 ؋22.4K
$3,849 CA$5,396
-91.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Afghanistan
Canada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$256 ؋16.8K
$2,948 CA$4,133
-91.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.22
6.33
156.24%

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

Last update for Afghanistan: July 12, 2026

Last update for Canada: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $38.00 in Afghanistan vs $1,281 in Canada. For reference, capital cities sit at $85.0 in Kabul and $1,481 in Ottawa.

Average salary: $221 in Afghanistan vs $2,904 in Canada. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 3271% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 1033% more in Canada.

Public transport is 829% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are 1214% higher in Canada, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Canada.

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 Canada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Afghanistan or Canada?
Afghanistan is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 570% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Afghanistan or in Canada?
Housing costs more in Canada, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Canada consistently has higher rents.
How do daily expenses compare in Afghanistan vs Canada?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Afghanistan, contributing to the overall 570% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Can you live in both Afghanistan and Canada on $800 per month?
$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Afghanistan, but in Canada it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Which country is better for expats: Afghanistan or Canada?
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.

Afghanistan vs other spots: cost of living compared

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