Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Afghanistan and the United States

Name: United States
Address: US

For one person, living is cheaper in Afghanistan: $555 a month against $2,734 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $26,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

27

Cost of Living Index in Afghanistan
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Afghanistan Living Index
131

Cost of Living Index in the United States
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United States Living Index

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🇦🇫 Afghanistan

$555

/mo nomad

🇺🇸 United States

$2,734

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Afghanistan and in the United States

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 the United States actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $555 per month in Afghanistan vs $2,734 in the United States, rent included.

Afghanistan $555
United States $2,734

A couple spends around $745 per month in Afghanistan vs $3,985 in the United States, rent included.

Afghanistan $745
United States $3,985

A family of three spends $934 per month in Afghanistan vs $5,235 in the United States, rent included.

Afghanistan $934
United States $5,235

The regional cost range is wider in the United States ($979–$5,160) than in Afghanistan ($24–$504), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in Afghanistan is roughly 80% lower than in the United States on average.

Afghanistan sits 59% below the global median, while the United States is 101% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.25 ؋146

$20.03 $20.03

-88.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.78 ؋700

$80.0 $80.0

-86.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.76 ؋244

$11.80 $11.80

-68.14%

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

$5.55 $5.55

-82.52%

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

$0.48 ؋31.23

$2.66 $2.66

-81.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ؋11.04

$2.17 $2.17

-92.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 $6.12

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 $7.94

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 ؋52.9

$1.04 $1.04

-22.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.28 ؋18.33

$3.59 $3.59

-92.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ؋120

$4.52 $4.52

-59.07%

Eggs

$1.67 ؋109

$4.28 $4.28

-60.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.69 ؋305

$13.22 $13.22

-64.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 ؋239

$12.60 $12.60

-70.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.44 ؋418

$17.60 $17.60

-63.41%

Apples (1kg)

$0.68 ؋44.45

$5.30 $5.30

-87.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ؋65.7

$1.69 $1.69

-40.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 ؋66.2

$4.44 $4.44

-77.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 ؋37.37

$4.77 $4.77

-87.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 ؋36.01

$2.97 $2.97

-81.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 ؋28.35

$3.15 $3.15

-86.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 ؋23.49

$2.20 $2.20

-83.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 ؋24.46

$2.35 $2.35

-83.83%

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

$10.98 $10.98

-78.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 $3.79

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 ؋21.03

$1.94 $1.94

-83.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.55 ؋945

$59.4 $59.4

-75.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ؋92.2

$3.58 $3.58

-60.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ؋28.82

$1.88 $1.88

-76.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 ؋112

$29.84 $29.84

-94.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ؋72.1

$1.02 $1.02

8.82%

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

$8,359 ؋542.8K

$28.8K $28.8K

-70.93%

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

$34.8K ؋2.3M

$26.2K $26.2K

32.65%

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

$57.1 ؋3,709

$218 $218

-73.80%

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

$13.94 ؋905

$62.5 $62.5

-77.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$165 ؋10.7K

$74.5 $74.5

121.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.77 ؋699

$41.86 $41.86

-74.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.05 ؋263

$22.81 $22.81

-82.24%

Cinema Ticket

$2.66 ؋173

$14.70 $14.70

-81.90%

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

$20.34 ؋1,321

$1,489 $1,489

-98.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,292 ؋83.9K

$25.3K $25.3K

-94.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.49 ؋876

$54.3 $54.3

-75.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.97 ؋1,167

$42.71 $42.71

-57.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.87 ؋2,849

$94.1 $94.1

-53.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.87 ؋2,070

$114 $114

-71.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$117 ؋7,586

$1,659 $1,659

-92.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.7 ؋5,827

$1,348 $1,348

-93.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 ؋13.1K

$2,682 $2,682

-92.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$113 ؋7,332

$2,169 $2,169

-94.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$664 ؋43.1K

$3,283 $3,283

-79.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$347 ؋22.6K

$2,482 $2,482

-86.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$261 ؋17.0K

$4,296 $4,296

-93.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.22

6.55

178.17%

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

Last update for Afghanistan: October 27, 2026

Last update for the United States: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Afghanistan

$236 42.5%

United States

$355 13% 50.4% $119

Groceries & Markets

Afghanistan

$102 18.4%

United States

$415 15.2% 308% $314

Accommodation & Living

Afghanistan

$90 16.2%

United States

$1.3K 49.3% 1402% $1.3K

Clothing & Footwear

Afghanistan

$48 8.7%

United States

$137 5% 184% $89

Eating Out

Afghanistan

$43 7.8%

United States

$328 12% 655% $285

Getting Around

Afghanistan

$19 3.5%

United States

$80 2.9% 311% $61

Sport & Entertainment

Afghanistan

$16 2.9%

United States

$71 2.6% 343% $55

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $89 in Afghanistan vs $1,620 in the United States. For reference, capital cities sit at $122 in Kabul and $2,768 in Washington, DC.

Average salary: $228 in Afghanistan vs $4,549 in the United States. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1720% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 582% more in the United States.

Public transport is 271% more expensive in the United States.

Salaries are about 20 times higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇦🇫 Afghanistan

🇺🇸 United States

🕒 Local time

12:32 12:32 PM

04:02 4:02 AM

8 h 30 min behind Afghanistan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

41,454,761

340,110,988

💱 Currency

Afghanistan Afghani AFN ؋

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 AFN = 1.54 USD

100 AFN = 1.38 EUR

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AFN – Afghanistan Afghani Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇫 Afghanistan Afghani (؋)

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).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

USD to AFN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Afghanistan United States 11,830 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Afghanistan
United States

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 United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Afghanistan is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 80% lower on average.

Housing costs more in the United States: a central one-bedroom averages $1,620 versus $89 in Afghanistan.

Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in Afghanistan, adding to the overall 393% price gap.

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.