Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Afghanistan Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Afghanistan

Name: Afghanistan
Address: AF

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $713 per month in China vs $237 in Afghanistan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,132 per month in China vs $329 in Afghanistan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,551 per month in China vs $421 in Afghanistan, rent included.

China costs about 201% more than Afghanistan on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both China and Afghanistan are more affordable than the global median – China 47% lower, Afghanistan 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 ¥19.36

$2.15 ؋138

33.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.29 ¥158

$9.94 ؋638

134.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 ¥32.66

$3.61 ؋232

33.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 ؋182

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.24 ؋464

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.52

$0.94 ؋60.3

223.40%

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

$0.45 ¥3.03

$0.39 ؋24.78

15.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$0.16 ؋10.15

68.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ¥6.71

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥13.74

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.86

$0.70 ؋44.73

150.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ¥11.31

$0.23 ؋14.80

626.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.56

$1.74 ؋112

-44.25%

Eggs

$1.54 ¥10.45

$1.53 ؋98.4

0.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.30 ¥89.9

$3.73 ؋239

256.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 ¥21.69

$3.30 ؋212

-2.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 ¥73.0

$5.74 ؋368

87.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.27

$0.65 ؋41.43

178.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ¥8.84

$0.84 ؋53.8

55.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.15

$0.71 ؋45.36

111.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.74

$0.47 ؋30.44

142.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.90

$0.43 ؋27.78

69.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 ¥5.86

$0.37 ؋23.72

135.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ¥3.85

$0.30 ؋19.12

90.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.30 ؋19.04

80.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.93 ؋124

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ؋45.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ؋95.1

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.53 ¥23.88

$2.24 ؋144

57.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.71 ¥79.2

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥5.67

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.29

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.75

$0.28 ؋17.92

46.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.78 ¥141

$12.18 ؋781

70.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.21

$1.46 ؋93.4

-6.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.21

$0.65 ؋41.54

-49.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 ¥46.40

$1.74 ؋111

294.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.57

$1.04 ؋66.5

7.69%

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

$19.2K ¥129.8K

$8,673 ؋556.4K

121.27%

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

$16.9K ¥114.4K

$36.4K ؋2.3M

-53.53%

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

$51.8 ¥350

$77.7 ؋4,986

-33.34%

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

$9.85 ¥66.6

$14.49 ؋930

-32.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.13 ¥75.3

$150 ؋9,647

-92.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.10 ¥264

$9.95 ؋638

292.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.89 ¥101

$3.22 ؋207

362.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 ¥42.24

$2.38 ؋153

162.61%

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

$404 ¥2,732

$23.51 ؋1,508

1618.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ¥120.5K

$1,442 ؋92.5K

1135.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.11 ¥312

$13.96 ؋896

230.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.27 ¥218

$19.61 ؋1,258

64.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 ¥491

$33.77 ؋2,167

115.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 ¥493

$29.49 ؋1,892

147.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥3,009

$82.6 ؋5,300

438.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 ¥1,727

$52.2 ؋3,350

388.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ¥6,266

$183 ؋11.7K

406.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$532 ¥3,600

$102 ؋6,547

421.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,943 ¥33.4K

$630 ؋40.4K

684.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,492 ¥16.9K

$343 ؋22.0K

626.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,057 ¥7,148

$269 ؋17.3K

292.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

16.22

-74.97%

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

Last update for China: June 6, 2026

Last update for Afghanistan: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $286 in China vs $38.00 in Afghanistan. For reference, capital cities sit at $913 in Beijing (Pekin) and $86.0 in Kabul.

Average salary: $862 in China vs $233 in Afghanistan. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 653% higher in China.

Dining out costs 250% more in China.

Public transport is 157% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 270% higher in China, giving China stronger purchasing power.

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

China vs Afghanistan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Afghanistan is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 163% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Afghanistan, contributing to the overall 163% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Afghanistan, but in China 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.