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

Name: Afghanistan
Address: AF

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

The cost of living in Canada is about 878% higher than in Afghanistan on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.63 CA$26.11

$2.18 ؋143

754.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 CA$104

$9.84 ؋647

652.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.31

$3.53 ؋232

209.35%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 ؋187

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 ؋469

Cappuccino

$3.76 CA$5.28

$0.90 ؋59.0

317.78%

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

$2.19 CA$3.07

$0.38 ؋25.14

476.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.43

$0.13 ؋8.49

1238.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.31

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 CA$8.35

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CA$3.20

$0.71 ؋46.89

221.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.74

$0.21 ؋13.79

1171.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.30

$1.72 ؋113

119.77%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.90

$1.60 ؋105

118.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.70 CA$16.40

$3.74 ؋246

212.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.30 CA$17.24

$3.41 ؋224

260.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.44 CA$21.65

$5.80 ؋381

166.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 CA$6.00

$0.60 ؋39.74

613.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$0.83 ؋54.4

74.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.62

$0.75 ؋49.02

434.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 CA$5.98

$0.51 ؋33.64

737.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 CA$3.77

$0.47 ؋30.59

472.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.71

$0.40 ؋26.00

562.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.70

$0.32 ؋21.24

725.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 CA$2.65

$0.30 ؋19.47

530.00%

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)

$14.77 CA$20.71

$2.19 ؋144

574.43%

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

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 CA$3.67

$0.30 ؋19.88

773.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.1 CA$110

$12.08 ؋794

546.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 CA$4.79

$1.46 ؋95.8

134.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.10

$0.64 ؋42.02

134.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.07 CA$40.76

$1.69 ؋111

1620.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.68

$0.99 ؋64.9

21.21%

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

$25.5K CA$35.7K

$8,783 ؋577.3K

190.01%

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

$20.6K CA$28.8K

$35.5K ؋2.3M

-42.00%

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

$152 CA$212

$74.7 ؋4,913

102.74%

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

$46.70 CA$65.5

$14.65 ؋963

218.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.8 CA$86.7

$148 ؋9,707

-58.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.36 CA$60.8

$9.75 ؋641

344.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.05 CA$25.31

$3.32 ؋218

443.67%

Cinema Ticket

$11.51 CA$16.13

$2.43 ؋160

373.66%

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

$806 CA$1,130

$23.76 ؋1,562

3291.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K CA$17.0K

$1,445 ؋95.0K

740.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 CA$77.6

$13.90 ؋914

298.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.80 CA$58.6

$19.40 ؋1,275

115.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$126

$33.36 ؋2,193

168.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$149

$29.07 ؋1,911

264.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,329 CA$1,864

$81.9 ؋5,384

1523.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,692

$53.1 ؋3,488

2174.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 CA$2,961

$182 ؋11.9K

1062.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,833 CA$2,570

$103 ؋6,743

1687.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,639 CA$6,503

$606 ؋39.8K

665.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,849 CA$5,396

$341 ؋22.4K

1027.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,948 CA$4,133

$256 ؋16.8K

1052.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.33

16.22

-60.97%

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

Last update for Canada: July 14, 2026

Last update for Afghanistan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Average salary: $2,904 in Canada vs $221 in Afghanistan. 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

Canada vs Afghanistan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Afghanistan is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 570% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Canada, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Canada consistently has higher rents.

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.

$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Afghanistan, but in Canada it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

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.