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 $2,217 per month in Canada vs $209 in Afghanistan, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,254 per month in Canada vs $294 in Afghanistan, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,291 per month in Canada vs $379 in Afghanistan, rent included.

The cost of living in Canada is about 961% higher than in Afghanistan on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Canada sits 61% above the global median, while Afghanistan is 85% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.28 CA$25.35

$2.36 ؋152

674.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$98.8

$10.83 ؋696

557.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.20

$3.77 ؋242

190.72%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 ؋135

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.42 ؋477

Cappuccino

$3.95 CA$5.47

$1.01 ؋65.2

291.09%

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

$2.07 CA$2.88

$0.44 ؋28.27

370.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.42

$0.19 ؋12.16

815.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.23

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 CA$7.89

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.09

$0.81 ؋51.9

175.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 CA$3.76

$0.28 ؋18.20

867.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.16

$1.83 ؋118

103.28%

Eggs

$3.61 CA$5.01

$1.60 ؋103

125.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 CA$14.99

$4.61 ؋296

134.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.22 CA$16.95

$3.75 ؋241

225.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.68 CA$21.75

$6.54 ؋421

139.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.89

$0.69 ؋44.51

515.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.98

$0.99 ؋64.0

44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.57

$1.01 ؋65.2

298.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.67

$0.52 ؋33.63

686.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.72

$0.55 ؋35.14

387.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 CA$3.40

$0.41 ؋26.25

497.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 CA$3.70

$0.39 ؋24.76

584.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.50

$0.34 ؋21.56

429.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.78 ؋114

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ؋43.78

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 ؋68.1

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.46 CA$20.05

$2.36 ؋151

512.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.58 CA$18.84

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.94

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 CA$4.52

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 CA$3.41

$0.30 ؋19.01

720.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.2 CA$104

$14.68 ؋944

411.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 CA$4.37

$1.41 ؋90.9

123.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 CA$2.14

$0.44 ؋28.38

250.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.55 CA$38.21

$1.65 ؋106

1569.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.61

$1.02 ؋65.5

13.73%

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

$28.4K CA$39.3K

$8,438 ؋542.6K

236.19%

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

$19.5K CA$27.0K

$33.4K ؋2.1M

-41.77%

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

$155 CA$215

$56.9 ؋3,660

172.14%

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

$43.47 CA$60.3

$13.81 ؋888

214.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 CA$83.8

$165 ؋10.6K

-63.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.15 CA$57.1

$10.61 ؋682

287.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.79 CA$27.45

$4.02 ؋258

392.29%

Cinema Ticket

$11.53 CA$15.98

$2.62 ؋168

340.08%

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

$786 CA$1,089

$20.34 ؋1,308

3762.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K CA$20.6K

$1,316 ؋84.6K

1026.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CA$76.3

$12.99 ؋835

323.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.25 CA$57.2

$17.54 ؋1,128

135.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 CA$122

$43.06 ؋2,769

104.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$147

$31.95 ؋2,055

231.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 CA$1,797

$117 ؋7,531

1006.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 CA$1,619

$90.3 ؋5,807

1193.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,044 CA$2,835

$200 ؋12.9K

922.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,779 CA$2,467

$112 ؋7,229

1482.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,786 CA$6,638

$654 ؋42.1K

631.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,973 CA$5,510

$354 ؋22.8K

1021.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,078 CA$4,270

$255 ؋16.4K

1108.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.86

18.22

-73.33%

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

Last update for Canada: September 8, 2026

Last update for Afghanistan: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,228 in Canada vs $27.00 in Afghanistan. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,496 in Ottawa and $124 in Kabul.

Average salary: $2,981 in Canada vs $226 in Afghanistan. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 4448% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 1000% more in Canada.

Public transport is 1100% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are 1219% 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 844% 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 844% 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.