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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $386 per month in Herat vs $497 in Kabul, rent included.

A couple spends around $465 per month in Herat vs $680 in Kabul, rent included.

A family of three spends $544 per month in Herat vs $864 in Kabul, rent included.

Herat is about 22% cheaper than Kabul, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Herat and Kabul are more affordable than the global median – Herat 72% lower, Kabul 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 ؋181

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.03 ؋580

$7.70 ؋495

17.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.68 ؋237

$4.45 ؋286

-17.30%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.50 ؋96.1

$2.24 ؋144

-33.04%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.77 ؋499

$1.86 ؋119

317.74%

Cappuccino

$0.72 ؋46.47

$1.11 ؋71.2

-35.14%

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

$0.47 ؋30.29

$0.48 ؋30.89

-2.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 ؋8.39

Milk (1 liter)

$0.63 ؋40.65

$0.88 ؋56.5

-28.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 ؋14.76

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 ؋115

Eggs

$1.83 ؋118

$1.58 ؋102

15.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.23 ؋272

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.99 ؋256

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.20 ؋399

$6.55 ؋421

-5.34%

Apples (1kg)

$0.59 ؋37.75

$0.73 ؋46.78

-19.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 ؋51.2

$0.90 ؋57.9

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 ؋61.1

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 ؋37.43

$0.54 ؋34.50

7.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 ؋20.02

$0.62 ؋40.17

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.29 ؋18.47

$0.51 ؋32.83

-43.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 ؋17.78

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ؋20.17

$0.36 ؋23.09

-13.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.86 ؋119

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ؋30.17

$0.74 ؋47.71

-36.49%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 ؋67.2

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ؋193

$2.43 ؋156

23.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.13 ؋8.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.53 ؋1,320

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ؋136

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 ؋30.93

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 ؋171

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 ؋63.4

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

$8,551 ؋549.8K

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

$33.8K ؋2.2M

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

$298 ؋19.2K

$42.79 ؋2,751

597.03%

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

$12.63 ؋812

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$97.8 ؋6,289

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.43 ؋992

$11.19 ؋720

37.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ؋255

Cinema Ticket

$2.32 ؋149

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

$19.89 ؋1,279

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,043 ؋67.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.49 ؋675

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.10 ؋1,035

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.5 ؋3,695

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.12 ؋1,615

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$124 ؋7,996

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 ؋6,957

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$216 ؋13.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 ؋7,462

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$688 ؋44.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$355 ؋22.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$333 ؋21.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Herat: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kabul: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Herat versus $8.00 in Kabul. Groceries tell a different story – $48.00 in Herat vs $101 in Kabul – so Herat wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 – Kabul is pricier by about 29%, 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 $580 per month in Herat and $745 in Kabul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 109% more in Kabul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Herat and $8.00 in Kabul. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $386 in Herat and $497 in Kabul, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Herat – 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 Herat. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kabul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.