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 $720 per month in China vs $209 in Afghanistan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,148 per month in China vs $294 in Afghanistan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,576 per month in China vs $379 in Afghanistan, rent included.

The cost of living in China is about 244% higher than in Afghanistan on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both China and Afghanistan are more affordable than the global median – China 48% lower, Afghanistan 85% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.93 ¥19.60

$2.36 ؋152

24.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.72 ¥152

$10.83 ؋696

109.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥33.95

$3.77 ؋242

34.48%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 ؋135

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.42 ؋477

Cappuccino

$2.94 ¥19.70

$1.01 ؋65.2

191.09%

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

$0.48 ¥3.21

$0.44 ؋28.27

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.02

$0.19 ؋12.16

57.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ¥7.10

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ¥15.07

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ¥11.99

$0.81 ؋51.9

120.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 ¥11.35

$0.28 ؋18.20

507.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.45

$1.83 ؋118

-47.54%

Eggs

$1.61 ¥10.79

$1.60 ؋103

0.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.60 ¥91.1

$4.61 ؋296

195.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 ¥22.84

$3.75 ؋241

-9.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ¥74.2

$6.54 ؋421

69.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.09

$0.69 ؋44.51

162.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.74

$0.99 ؋64.0

31.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.91

$1.01 ؋65.2

46.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.72

$0.52 ؋33.63

150.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.82

$0.55 ؋35.14

30.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 ¥6.31

$0.41 ؋26.25

129.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ¥4.08

$0.39 ؋24.76

56.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.73

$0.34 ؋21.56

64.71%

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)

$3.67 ¥24.58

$2.36 ؋151

55.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.90 ¥79.7

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥5.56

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ¥11.08

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.92

$0.30 ؋19.01

-3.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.61 ¥151

$14.68 ؋944

54.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 ¥9.72

$1.41 ؋90.9

2.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 ¥2.31

$0.44 ؋28.38

-22.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ¥48.72

$1.65 ؋106

340.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥8.26

$1.02 ؋65.5

20.59%

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

$19.5K ¥130.9K

$8,438 ؋542.6K

131.56%

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

$17.2K ¥115.5K

$33.4K ؋2.1M

-48.41%

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

$55.5 ¥371

$56.9 ؋3,660

-2.57%

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

$8.51 ¥57.0

$13.81 ؋888

-38.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.81 ¥72.4

$165 ؋10.6K

-93.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.02 ¥268

$10.61 ؋682

277.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.80 ¥99.1

$4.02 ؋258

268.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.73 ¥45.09

$2.62 ؋168

156.87%

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

$454 ¥3,042

$20.34 ؋1,308

2132.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K ¥130.8K

$1,316 ؋84.6K

1384.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.95 ¥301

$12.99 ؋835

246.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.81 ¥240

$17.54 ؋1,128

104.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥514

$43.06 ؋2,769

78.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.3 ¥518

$31.95 ؋2,055

141.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 ¥2,581

$117 ؋7,531

229.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ¥1,623

$90.3 ؋5,807

168.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 ¥5,603

$200 ؋12.9K

318.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 ¥3,177

$112 ؋7,229

322.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,619 ¥30.9K

$654 ؋42.1K

606.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,316 ¥15.5K

$354 ؋22.8K

554.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,062 ¥7,110

$255 ؋16.4K

316.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.47

18.22

-80.95%

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

Last update for China: September 5, 2026

Last update for Afghanistan: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $295 in China vs $27.00 in Afghanistan. For reference, capital cities sit at $957 in Beijing (Pekin) and $124 in Kabul.

Average salary: $865 in China vs $226 in Afghanistan. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 993% higher in China.

Dining out costs 250% more in China.

Public transport is 240% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 283% higher in China, and purchasing power comes out stronger in China.

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 243% 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 243% 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.