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 $235 in Afghanistan, rent included.

A couple spends around $617 per month in India vs $327 in Afghanistan, rent included.

A family of three spends $846 per month in India vs $419 in Afghanistan, rent included.

India costs about 65% more than 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

$2.49 ₹237

$2.18 ؋138

14.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.20 ₹1,353

$9.92 ؋630

43.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.98 ₹379

$3.67 ؋233

8.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 ؋180

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 ؋461

Cappuccino

$1.88 ₹179

$0.92 ؋58.5

104.35%

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

$0.44 ₹41.98

$0.41 ؋26.04

7.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.57

$0.14 ؋8.89

35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 ₹192

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ₹329

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 ₹68.3

$0.75 ؋47.82

-4.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 ₹49.26

$0.23 ؋14.62

126.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 ₹68.7

$1.67 ؋106

-56.89%

Eggs

$0.93 ₹88.8

$1.52 ؋96.7

-38.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.24 ₹499

$3.76 ؋239

39.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ₹292

$3.40 ؋216

-9.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.84 ؋371

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 ₹207

$0.60 ؋38.26

261.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 ₹72.2

$0.84 ؋53.5

-9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 ₹100

$0.76 ؋48.03

38.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 ₹50.7

$0.47 ؋29.91

12.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 ₹37.53

$0.44 ؋27.80

-11.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 ₹46.81

$0.40 ؋25.16

22.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 ₹49.35

$0.32 ؋20.46

62.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.13

$0.32 ؋20.32

3.13%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.87 ؋119

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ؋44.30

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 ؋92.4

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 ₹386

$2.24 ؋142

80.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 ₹704

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ₹175

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₹277

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

$5.65 ₹538

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₹34.59

$0.30 ؋19.16

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.74 ₹928

$12.38 ؋786

-21.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 ₹90.6

$1.40 ؋88.7

-32.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.64

$0.65 ؋41.51

-53.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 ₹165

$1.68 ؋107

2.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₹117

$1.03 ؋65.6

19.42%

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

$13.9K ₹1.3M

$8,556 ؋543.4K

61.90%

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

$22.6K ₹2.2M

$36.8K ؋2.3M

-38.57%

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

$40.88 ₹3,894

$76.8 ؋4,875

-46.74%

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

$3.91 ₹372

$14.68 ؋932

-73.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.81 ₹744

$148 ؋9,381

-94.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.15 ₹1,538

$9.78 ؋621

65.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.49 ₹713

$3.21 ؋204

133.33%

Cinema Ticket

$3.42 ₹326

$2.51 ؋159

36.25%

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

$69.9 ₹6,660

$23.60 ؋1,499

196.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,793 ₹170.8K

$1,454 ؋92.3K

23.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.83 ₹2,460

$14.15 ؋898

82.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.61 ₹2,535

$19.65 ؋1,248

35.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.24 ₹4,309

$33.36 ؋2,119

35.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.68 ₹3,208

$29.58 ؋1,878

13.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 ₹17.0K

$81.4 ؋5,169

118.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 ₹10.9K

$51.3 ؋3,260

123.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 ₹38.8K

$185 ؋11.7K

120.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$264 ₹25.1K

$101 ؋6,411

161.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,240 ₹118.1K

$631 ؋40.1K

96.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$631 ₹60.1K

$340 ؋21.6K

85.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$432 ₹41.2K

$270 ؋17.2K

59.87%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Afghanistan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $127 in India vs $38.00 in Afghanistan. For reference, capital cities sit at $239 in Delhi and $85.0 in Kabul.

Average salary: $398 in India vs $236 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 69% 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 77% 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 77% 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.