Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Herat and Mazar-i-Sharif

For one person, living is cheaper in Mazar-i-Sharif: $291 a month against $399 in Herat, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Herat outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Herat

🇦🇫 Afghanistan

$399

/mo nomad

Mazar-i-Sharif

🇦🇫 Afghanistan

$291

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Herat and in Mazar-i-Sharif

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Herat and in Mazar-i-Sharif actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $399 per month in Herat vs $291 in Mazar-i-Sharif, rent included.

Herat $399
Mazar-i-Sharif $291

A couple spends around $478 per month in Herat vs $459 in Mazar-i-Sharif, rent included.

Herat $478
Mazar-i-Sharif $459

A family of three spends $558 per month in Herat vs $628 in Mazar-i-Sharif, rent included.

Herat $558
Mazar-i-Sharif $628

Herat costs about 37% more than Mazar-i-Sharif.

Both Herat and Mazar-i-Sharif are more affordable than the global median – Herat 71% lower, Mazar-i-Sharif 79% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.33 ؋152

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.41 ؋611

$15.33 ؋995

-38.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.75 ؋243

$3.92 ؋255

-4.34%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 ؋98.4

$7.88 ؋512

-80.71%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 ؋511

$7.47 ؋485

5.35%

Cappuccino

$0.79 ؋51.5

$1.23 ؋79.7

-35.77%

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

$0.44 ؋28.57

$0.54 ؋34.75

-18.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ؋19.44

Milk (1 liter)

$0.61 ؋39.47

$0.60 ؋39.02

1.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.17 ؋10.77

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 ؋136

Eggs

$1.89 ؋123

$1.59 ؋103

18.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.58 ؋492

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.47 ؋226

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.28 ؋408

$6.30 ؋409

-0.32%

Apples (1kg)

$0.63 ؋41.16

$0.55 ؋35.88

14.55%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 ؋48.83

$1.12 ؋72.7

-33.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 ؋54.1

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ؋41.71

$0.61 ؋39.69

4.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 ؋19.37

$0.48 ؋30.95

-37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.32 ؋20.80

$0.41 ؋26.78

-21.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ؋36.47

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ؋19.18

$0.30 ؋19.41

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.87 ؋122

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ؋30.52

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.17 ؋206

$1.52 ؋98.8

108.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 ؋49.06

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ؋98.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ؋98.7

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

$10.1K ؋653.8K

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

$312 ؋20.3K

$81.5 ؋5,289

283.63%

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

$17.03 ؋1,106

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.41 ؋1,001

$11.75 ؋763

31.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ؋246

Cinema Ticket

$4.61 ؋299

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

$76.8 ؋4,988

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.11 ؋851

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$18.61 ؋1,209

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$228 ؋14.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Herat: October 26, 2026

Last update for Mazar-i-Sharif: October 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9 in Herat versus $15 in Mazar-i-Sharif. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $48 vs $105 – making Herat the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇦🇫 Herat

🇦🇫 Mazar-i-Sharif

🕒 Local time

01:37 1:37 AM

Same time as Herat

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

349,000

300,600

💱 Currency

Afghanistan Afghani AFN ؋

📈 Exchange rate

100 AFN = 1.54 USD

100 AFN = 1.38 EUR

100 AFN = 1.54 USD

100 AFN = 1.38 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Herat Mazar-i-Sharif 510 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Herat
Mazar-i-Sharif

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Mazar-i-Sharif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $598 per month in Herat and $436 in Mazar-i-Sharif. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Interestingly, groceries are about 54% cheaper in Herat – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9 in Herat and $15 in Mazar-i-Sharif. 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 $399 in Herat and $291 in Mazar-i-Sharif, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.