Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Afghanistan and Turkey

For one person, living is cheaper in Afghanistan: $555 a month against $1,212 in Turkey, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Afghanistan
Turkey
🇦🇫 Afghanistan
$555
/mo nomad
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,212
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Afghanistan and in Turkey

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Afghanistan and in Turkey actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $555 per month in Afghanistan vs $1,212 in Turkey, rent included.

  • Afghanistan $555
  • Turkey $1,212

A couple spends around $745 per month in Afghanistan vs $1,844 in Turkey, rent included.

  • Afghanistan $745
  • Turkey $1,844

A family of three spends $934 per month in Afghanistan vs $2,475 in Turkey, rent included.

  • Afghanistan $934
  • Turkey $2,475

The regional cost range is wider in Turkey ($656–$1,765) than in Afghanistan ($24–$504), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in Afghanistan is roughly 54% lower than in Turkey on average.

Both Afghanistan and Turkey are more affordable than the global median – Afghanistan 59% lower, Turkey 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Afghanistan
Turkey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.25 ؋146
$9.14 ₺455
-75.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.78 ؋700
$40.12 ₺1,999
-73.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.76 ؋244
$8.91 ₺444
-57.80%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.03 ؋132
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.61 ؋494
-
-
Cappuccino
$0.97 ؋62.8
$3.75 ₺187
-74.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48 ؋31.23
$1.47 ₺73.3
-67.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.17 ؋11.04
$0.56 ₺27.65
-69.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.84 ₺191
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.91 ₺245
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Afghanistan
Turkey
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.81 ؋52.9
$1.02 ₺51.1
-20.59%
White Bread (500g)
$0.28 ؋18.33
$1.00 ₺49.91
-72.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.85 ؋120
$2.20 ₺110
-15.91%
Eggs
$1.67 ؋109
$2.21 ₺110
-24.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.69 ؋305
$9.72 ₺484
-51.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.69 ؋239
$4.86 ₺242
-24.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.44 ؋418
$20.09 ₺1,001
-67.94%
Apples (1kg)
$0.68 ؋44.45
$1.86 ₺92.4
-63.44%
Banana (1kg)
$1.01 ؋65.7
$1.98 ₺98.9
-48.99%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.02 ؋66.2
$1.06 ₺53.1
-3.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.58 ؋37.37
$1.36 ₺67.8
-57.35%
Potato (1kg)
$0.55 ؋36.01
$0.54 ₺26.85
1.85%
Onion (1kg)
$0.44 ؋28.35
$0.45 ₺22.30
-2.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.36 ؋23.49
$1.00 ₺49.59
-64.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.38 ؋24.46
$0.69 ₺34.22
-44.93%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$1.90 ؋123
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.70 ؋45.21
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02 ؋66.0
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.37 ؋154
$2.26 ₺113
4.87%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$11.91 ₺593
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.24 ₺112
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.85 ₺142
-
🚌 Getting Around
Afghanistan
Turkey
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.32 ؋21.03
$0.76 ₺38.00
-57.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$14.55 ؋945
$39.49 ₺1,968
-63.16%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 ؋92.2
$1.42 ₺70.9
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.44 ؋28.82
$0.84 ₺41.64
-47.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.72 ؋112
$7.98 ₺398
-78.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 ؋72.1
$1.38 ₺68.8
-19.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$8,359 ؋542.8K
$41.6K ₺2.1M
-79.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.8K ؋2.3M
$40.3K ₺2.0M
-13.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Afghanistan
Turkey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$57.1 ؋3,709
$75.0 ₺3,735
-23.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.94 ؋905
$10.38 ₺517
34.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$165 ؋10.7K
$15.56 ₺775
959.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Afghanistan
Turkey
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$10.77 ؋699
$55.2 ₺2,752
-80.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.05 ؋263
$21.01 ₺1,047
-80.72%
Cinema Ticket
$2.66 ؋173
$6.87 ₺342
-61.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Afghanistan
Turkey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$20.34 ؋1,321
$680 ₺33.9K
-97.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,292 ؋83.9K
$15.9K ₺792.2K
-91.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Afghanistan
Turkey
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$13.49 ؋876
$54.7 ₺2,723
-75.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.97 ؋1,167
$42.98 ₺2,141
-58.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$43.87 ؋2,849
$102 ₺5,072
-56.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$31.87 ؋2,070
$93.9 ₺4,676
-66.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Afghanistan
Turkey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$117 ؋7,586
$614 ₺30.6K
-80.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$89.7 ؋5,827
$441 ₺22.0K
-79.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$202 ؋13.1K
$1,011 ₺50.4K
-79.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$113 ؋7,332
$703 ₺35.0K
-83.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$664 ؋43.1K
$1,710 ₺85.2K
-61.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$347 ؋22.6K
$1,115 ₺55.6K
-68.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Afghanistan
Turkey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$261 ؋17.0K
$1,061 ₺52.8K
-75.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
18.22
41.67
-56.28%

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

Last update for Afghanistan: October 27, 2026

Last update for Turkey: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Afghanistan
$236
Turkey
$101 57.2% $135
Groceries & Markets
Afghanistan
$102
Turkey
$239 135% $137
Accommodation & Living
Afghanistan
$90
Turkey
$441 391% $351
Clothing & Footwear
Afghanistan
$48
Turkey
$132 174% $84
Eating Out
Afghanistan
$43
Turkey
$182 319% $139
Getting Around
Afghanistan
$19
Turkey
$48 147% $29
Sport & Entertainment
Afghanistan
$16
Turkey
$69 328% $53

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $89 in Afghanistan vs $446 in Turkey. For reference, capital cities sit at $122 in Kabul and $765 in Ankara.

Average salary: $228 in Afghanistan vs $1,034 in Turkey. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 401% higher in Turkey.

Dining out costs 209% more in Turkey.

Public transport is 94% more expensive in Turkey.

Salaries are about 4.5 times higher in Turkey, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Turkey.

Good to know
🇦🇫 Afghanistan
🇹🇷 Turkey
🕒 Local time
12:30 12:30 PM
11:00 11:00 AM
1 h 30 min behind Afghanistan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
41,454,761
85,372,377
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to AFN – Afghanistan Afghani Converter

Afghanistan Afghani exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 64.94 AFN (100 AFN = 1.54 USD). 1 EUR = 72.27 AFN (100 AFN = 1.38 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 49.82 TRY (100 TRY = 2.01 USD). 1 EUR = 55.45 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Afghanistan Turkey 3,250 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Afghanistan
  • Turkey

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Turkey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Afghanistan or Turkey?
Afghanistan is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 54% lower on average.
Is rent more expensive in Afghanistan or in Turkey?
Housing costs more in Turkey: a central one-bedroom averages $446 versus $89 in Afghanistan.
How do daily expenses compare in Afghanistan vs Turkey?
Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in Afghanistan, adding to the overall 118% price gap.
Can you live in both Afghanistan and Turkey on $800 per month?
$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Afghanistan, but in Turkey it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Which country is better for expats: Afghanistan or Turkey?
Afghanistan is the budget-friendly choice for expats. 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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