Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Afghanistan Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Afghanistan

Name: Afghanistan
Address: AF

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $388 per month in India vs $237 in Afghanistan, rent included.

A couple spends around $617 per month in India vs $329 in Afghanistan, rent included.

A family of three spends $846 per month in India vs $420 in Afghanistan, rent included.

The cost of living in India is about 64% higher than in Afghanistan on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both India and Afghanistan are more affordable than the global median – India 71% lower, Afghanistan 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.53 ₹244

$2.18 ؋143

16.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.73 ₹1,322

$9.84 ؋647

39.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.00 ₹385

$3.53 ؋232

13.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 ؋187

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 ؋469

Cappuccino

$1.91 ₹184

$0.90 ؋59.0

112.22%

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

$0.43 ₹41.85

$0.38 ؋25.14

13.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹16.11

$0.13 ؋8.49

30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 ₹186

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₹341

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹69.9

$0.71 ؋46.89

2.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 ₹50.1

$0.21 ؋13.79

147.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 ₹69.9

$1.72 ؋113

-57.56%

Eggs

$0.95 ₹91.4

$1.60 ؋105

-40.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.32 ₹512

$3.74 ؋246

42.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ₹299

$3.41 ؋224

-9.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.80 ؋381

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 ₹208

$0.60 ؋39.74

260.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.70 ₹67.7

$0.83 ؋54.4

-15.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 ₹101

$0.75 ؋49.02

40.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 ₹50.8

$0.51 ؋33.64

3.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 ₹37.66

$0.47 ؋30.59

-17.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 ₹46.64

$0.40 ؋26.00

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 ₹49.78

$0.32 ؋21.24

62.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₹34.33

$0.30 ؋19.47

20.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.82 ؋120

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ؋45.11

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ؋98.9

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 ₹387

$2.19 ؋144

83.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.28 ₹701

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 ₹183

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ₹292

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

$5.84 ₹562

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₹34.66

$0.30 ؋19.88

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.84 ₹948

$12.08 ؋794

-18.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 ₹91.8

$1.46 ؋95.8

-34.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹29.03

$0.64 ؋42.02

-53.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 ₹172

$1.69 ؋111

5.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₹117

$0.99 ؋64.9

22.22%

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

$13.9K ₹1.3M

$8,783 ؋577.3K

57.72%

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

$22.4K ₹2.2M

$35.5K ؋2.3M

-36.69%

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

$40.16 ₹3,867

$74.7 ؋4,913

-46.27%

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

$3.76 ₹362

$14.65 ؋963

-74.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.04 ₹774

$148 ؋9,707

-94.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.25 ₹1,565

$9.75 ؋641

66.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.56 ₹728

$3.32 ؋218

127.71%

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 ₹330

$2.43 ؋160

41.15%

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

$69.7 ₹6,713

$23.76 ؋1,562

193.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,852 ₹178.3K

$1,445 ؋95.0K

28.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.59 ₹2,463

$13.90 ؋914

84.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.30 ₹2,532

$19.40 ؋1,275

35.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.89 ₹4,322

$33.36 ؋2,193

34.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.20 ₹3,197

$29.07 ؋1,911

14.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₹16.8K

$81.9 ؋5,384

112.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 ₹10.8K

$53.1 ؋3,488

112.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 ₹39.0K

$182 ؋11.9K

122.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 ₹24.8K

$103 ؋6,743

151.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,263 ₹121.6K

$606 ؋39.8K

108.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$653 ₹62.8K

$341 ؋22.4K

91.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$424 ₹40.8K

$256 ؋16.8K

65.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.02

16.22

-44.39%

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

Last update for India: July 12, 2026

Last update for Afghanistan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $127 in India vs $38.00 in Afghanistan. For reference, capital cities sit at $242 in Delhi and $85.0 in Kabul.

Average salary: $398 in India vs $221 in Afghanistan. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 234% higher in India.

Dining out costs 83% more in India.

Public transport is 29% more expensive in India.

Salaries are 80% higher in India.

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

Afghanistan is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 76% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in India, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but India consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Afghanistan, contributing to the overall 76% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Afghanistan, but in India 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.