Cost of Living Comparison Between Herat and Kabul Cost of Living Comparison Between Herat and Kabul

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $579 per month in Herat vs $417 in Kabul, rent included.

A couple spends around $738 per month in Herat vs $604 in Kabul, rent included.

A family of three spends $898 per month in Herat vs $790 in Kabul, rent included.

Herat costs about 39% more than Kabul, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Herat and Kabul are more affordable than the global median – Herat 57% lower, Kabul 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.12 ؋140

$2.66 ؋175

-20.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.82 ؋580

$10.83 ؋712

-18.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.93 ؋258

$4.24 ؋279

-7.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ؋138

$2.33 ؋153

-9.44%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 ؋479

$1.68 ؋110

333.93%

Cappuccino

$0.69 ؋45.39

$1.01 ؋66.6

-31.68%

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

$0.52 ؋34.30

$0.34 ؋22.04

52.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ؋9.52

$0.15 ؋9.87

-6.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.48 ؋31.71

$0.71 ؋46.73

-32.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.30 ؋19.88

$0.17 ؋11.49

76.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.93 ؋192

$1.70 ؋112

72.35%

Eggs

$2.05 ؋135

$1.43 ؋94.1

43.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.88 ؋190

$3.76 ؋247

-23.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.64 ؋174

$3.27 ؋215

-19.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.79 ؋381

$5.91 ؋389

-2.03%

Apples (1kg)

$0.70 ؋45.85

$0.57 ؋37.42

22.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 ؋45.41

$0.74 ؋48.77

-6.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.59 ؋38.62

$0.70 ؋45.92

-15.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 ؋35.76

$0.47 ؋30.95

14.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 ؋38.48

$0.45 ؋29.46

31.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.34 ؋22.55

$0.43 ؋28.13

-20.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.25 ؋16.46

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ؋19.94

$0.36 ؋23.39

-16.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.76 ؋116

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ؋59.7

$0.94 ؋61.9

-3.19%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ؋101

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.84 ؋121

$2.55 ؋168

-27.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ؋18.25

$0.21 ؋13.80

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.94 ؋654

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ؋138

$1.69 ؋111

24.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 ؋86.7

$0.52 ؋34.44

153.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 ؋286

$2.50 ؋164

74.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 ؋65.6

$0.98 ؋64.4

2.04%

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

$7,814 ؋513.6K

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

$31.9K ؋2.1M

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

$187 ؋12.3K

$50.4 ؋3,310

270.53%

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

$14.12 ؋928

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$146 ؋9,580

$90.5 ؋5,949

61.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.48 ؋952

$9.10 ؋598

59.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.83 ؋252

Cinema Ticket

$2.20 ؋145

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

$14.14 ؋929

$18.59 ؋1,222

-23.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,453 ؋95.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.30 ؋1,400

$9.12 ؋600

133.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.58 ؋1,418

$17.07 ؋1,122

26.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.22 ؋1,921

$32.63 ؋2,145

-10.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.49 ؋2,333

$27.45 ؋1,805

29.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$72.1 ؋4,736

$85.4 ؋5,614

-15.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$42.44 ؋2,790

$57.7 ؋3,795

-26.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$117 ؋7,674

$198 ؋13.0K

-41.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$72.2 ؋4,745

$110 ؋7,199

-34.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$744 ؋48.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$407 ؋26.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$330 ؋21.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

8.11%

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

Last update for Herat: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kabul: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $72.1 in Herat versus $85.4 in Kabul. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Herat versus $11.00 in Kabul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $86.0 vs $87.0 – making Herat the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Herat vs Kabul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Herat is pricier by about 39%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $869 per month in Herat and $626 in Kabul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kabul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $579 in Herat and $417 in Kabul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $14.14 per month in Herat and $18.59 in Kabul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $579 in Herat and $417 in Kabul, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Kabul – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Kabul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Herat makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.