Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Afghanistan

Name: Afghanistan
Address: AF

For one person, living is cheaper in India: $399 a month against $555 in Afghanistan, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

19

Cost of Living Index in India
Learn more

India Living Index
27

Cost of Living Index in Afghanistan
Learn more

Afghanistan Living Index

Jump to prices

🇮🇳 India

$399

/mo nomad

🇦🇫 Afghanistan

$555

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in India and in Afghanistan

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

A single person spends $399 per month in India vs $555 in Afghanistan, rent included.

India $399
Afghanistan $555

A couple spends around $639 per month in India vs $745 in Afghanistan, rent included.

India $639
Afghanistan $745

A family of three spends $879 per month in India vs $934 in Afghanistan, rent included.

India $879
Afghanistan $934

Cost ranges are similar: India spans $230–$813, Afghanistan $24–$504. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

The cost of living in India is roughly 28% lower than in Afghanistan on average.

Both India and Afghanistan are more affordable than the global median – India 71% lower, Afghanistan 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 ₹204

$2.25 ؋146

-4.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.46 ₹995

$10.78 ؋700

-2.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.80 ₹361

$3.76 ؋244

1.06%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 ؋132

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.61 ؋494

Cappuccino

$1.68 ₹160

$0.97 ؋62.8

73.20%

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

$0.38 ₹35.99

$0.48 ؋31.23

-20.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.60

$0.17 ؋11.04

-11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 ₹178

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ₹303

Milk (1 liter)

$0.62 ₹59.2

$0.81 ؋52.9

-23.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 ₹47.76

$0.28 ؋18.33

78.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.3

$1.85 ؋120

-65.95%

Eggs

$0.96 ₹91.3

$1.67 ؋109

-42.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.85 ₹461

$4.69 ؋305

3.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.84 ₹271

$3.69 ؋239

-23.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.44 ؋418

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 ₹190

$0.68 ؋44.45

194.12%

Banana (1kg)

$0.65 ₹61.4

$1.01 ؋65.7

-35.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 ₹92.3

$1.02 ؋66.2

-4.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 ₹44.30

$0.58 ؋37.37

-18.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.34 ₹31.87

$0.55 ؋36.01

-38.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 ₹39.73

$0.44 ؋28.35

-4.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 ₹44.39

$0.36 ؋23.49

30.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.67

$0.38 ؋24.46

-18.42%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.90 ؋123

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ؋45.21

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 ؋66.0

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.08 ₹483

$2.37 ؋154

114.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.31 ₹695

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ₹155

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ₹262

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.11 ₹486

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₹24.86

$0.32 ؋21.03

-18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.58 ₹816

$14.55 ؋945

-41.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 ₹94.7

$1.42 ؋92.2

-29.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₹25.74

$0.44 ؋28.82

-38.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 ₹146

$1.72 ؋112

-10.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ₹102

$1.11 ؋72.1

-3.60%

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

$11.2K ₹1.1M

$8,359 ؋542.8K

34.16%

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

$20.1K ₹1.9M

$34.8K ؋2.3M

-42.32%

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

$37.08 ₹3,527

$57.1 ؋3,709

-35.07%

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

$3.58 ₹340

$13.94 ؋905

-74.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.15 ₹680

$165 ؋10.7K

-95.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.00 ₹1,427

$10.77 ؋699

39.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.17 ₹682

$4.05 ؋263

77.04%

Cinema Ticket

$3.20 ₹304

$2.66 ؋173

20.30%

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

$58.8 ₹5,592

$20.34 ؋1,321

189.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,667 ₹158.5K

$1,292 ؋83.9K

29.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.03 ₹2,191

$13.49 ؋876

70.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.17 ₹2,299

$17.97 ؋1,167

34.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.20 ₹3,918

$43.87 ؋2,849

-6.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.62 ₹2,817

$31.87 ؋2,070

-7.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$146 ₹13.9K

$117 ؋7,586

25.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$96.4 ₹9,165

$89.7 ؋5,827

7.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 ₹32.6K

$202 ؋13.1K

69.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$234 ₹22.2K

$113 ؋7,332

107.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,177 ₹111.9K

$664 ؋43.1K

77.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$633 ₹60.2K

$347 ؋22.6K

82.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$409 ₹38.9K

$261 ؋17.0K

56.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.93

18.22

-50.99%

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

Last update for India: October 25, 2026

Last update for Afghanistan: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

India

$102 25.6%

Afghanistan

$102 18.4% 0.3% $0.3

Accommodation & Living

India

$96 24.1%

Afghanistan

$90 16.2% 6.9% $6.6

Eating Out

India

$67 16.7%

Afghanistan

$43 7.8% 34.7% $23

Clothing & Footwear

India

$53 13.3%

Afghanistan

$48 8.7% 9.2% $4.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

India

$48 12%

Afghanistan

$236 42.5% 393% $188

Sport & Entertainment

India

$21 5.4%

Afghanistan

$16 2.9% 24.7% $5.3

Getting Around

India

$12 3%

Afghanistan

$19 3.5% 62.7% $7.5

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $120 in India vs $89 in Afghanistan. For reference, capital cities sit at $277 in Delhi and $122 in Kabul.

Average salary: $412 in India vs $228 in Afghanistan. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 35% higher in India.

Public transport is 113% more expensive in Afghanistan.

Salaries are 81% higher in India, and purchasing power comes out stronger in India.

Good to know

🇮🇳 India

🇦🇫 Afghanistan

🕒 Local time

14:17 2:17 PM

13:17 1:17 PM

1 h behind India

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,326,093,247

41,454,761

💱 Currency

Indian Rupee INR ₹

Afghanistan Afghani AFN ؋

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 INR = 10.51 USD

1,000 INR = 9.45 EUR

100 AFN = 1.54 USD

100 AFN = 1.38 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AFN, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇳 Indian Rupee (₹)

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 95.1 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.45 EUR).

Afghanistan Afghani exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 64.94 AFN (100 AFN = 1.54 USD). 1 EUR = 72.27 AFN (100 AFN = 1.38 EUR).

USD to INR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

India Afghanistan 1,000 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

India
Afghanistan

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

India vs Afghanistan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

India is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 28% lower on average.

Not necessarily. Overall, Afghanistan costs about 39% more, but the gap varies by category, and some expenses can be lower in Afghanistan. Compare the categories that matter most for your budget.

India is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.