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 $712 per month in China vs $235 in Afghanistan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,131 per month in China vs $327 in Afghanistan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,549 per month in China vs $418 in Afghanistan, rent included.

The cost of living in China is about 203% 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 47% lower, Afghanistan 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.77 ¥18.72

$2.19 ؋144

26.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.05 ¥162

$10.11 ؋666

137.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 ¥31.93

$3.54 ؋233

33.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.83 ؋186

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 ؋469

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥20.78

$0.89 ؋58.9

246.07%

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

$0.44 ¥3.00

$0.39 ؋25.60

12.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.14 ؋9.33

107.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ¥6.80

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ¥14.03

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ¥12.39

$0.76 ؋50.3

140.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ¥10.94

$0.21 ؋13.78

671.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.58

$1.69 ؋111

-42.60%

Eggs

$1.61 ¥10.90

$1.60 ؋106

0.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 ¥90.1

$3.76 ؋248

254.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 ¥22.75

$3.38 ؋222

-0.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 ¥72.2

$5.54 ؋365

92.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.26

$0.62 ؋40.51

191.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 ¥8.44

$0.79 ؋52.1

58.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.88

$0.70 ؋45.80

108.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.73

$0.51 ؋33.37

125.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.92

$0.47 ؋31.01

55.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 ¥5.99

$0.40 ؋26.08

122.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ¥4.05

$0.32 ؋21.31

87.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.59

$0.32 ؋21.24

65.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.86 ؋123

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ؋49.00

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 ؋95.3

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ¥22.93

$2.28 ؋150

48.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.73 ¥79.3

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥5.23

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥10.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.77

$0.30 ؋19.83

36.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.24 ¥143

$12.31 ؋811

72.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ¥9.13

$1.47 ؋97.0

-8.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.40

$0.65 ؋42.72

-44.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.70 ¥45.26

$1.69 ؋111

296.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.98

$0.99 ؋65.1

19.19%

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

$19.8K ¥133.4K

$8,713 ؋573.6K

126.75%

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

$16.5K ¥111.7K

$36.8K ؋2.4M

-55.08%

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

$51.7 ¥349

$75.8 ؋4,988

-31.71%

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

$10.09 ¥68.2

$14.54 ؋957

-30.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.38 ¥76.9

$147 ؋9,682

-92.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.24 ¥265

$9.72 ؋640

303.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.84 ¥100

$3.27 ؋215

353.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 ¥42.56

$2.51 ؋165

151.00%

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

$414 ¥2,795

$23.65 ؋1,557

1649.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K ¥117.6K

$1,454 ؋95.7K

1097.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.77 ¥316

$14.17 ؋933

230.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.08 ¥223

$19.60 ؋1,290

68.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.9 ¥479

$33.38 ؋2,197

112.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 ¥503

$29.62 ؋1,950

151.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 ¥2,972

$81.7 ؋5,379

438.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 ¥1,707

$52.8 ؋3,479

378.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$911 ¥6,153

$188 ؋12.4K

385.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ¥3,584

$100 ؋6,596

429.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,778 ¥32.3K

$650 ؋42.8K

634.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,403 ¥16.2K

$344 ؋22.6K

598.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,058 ¥7,144

$261 ؋17.2K

305.85%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Afghanistan: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $287 in China vs $38.00 in Afghanistan. For reference, capital cities sit at $909 in Beijing (Pekin) and $86.0 in Kabul.

Average salary: $857 in China vs $225 in Afghanistan. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 655% higher in China.

Dining out costs 200% more in China.

Public transport is 157% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 281% 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 168% 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 168% 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.