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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $490 per month in Jalalabad vs $290 in Mazar-i-Sharif, rent included.

A couple spends around $677 per month in Jalalabad vs $455 in Mazar-i-Sharif, rent included.

A family of three spends $865 per month in Jalalabad vs $620 in Mazar-i-Sharif, rent included.

Jalalabad costs about 69% more than Mazar-i-Sharif, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Jalalabad and Mazar-i-Sharif are more affordable than the global median – Jalalabad 64% lower, Mazar-i-Sharif 79% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.36 ؋152

$2.32 ؋149

1.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.52 ؋484

$15.50 ؋997

-51.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.79 ؋244

$3.90 ؋251

-2.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.72 ؋497

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.61 ؋490

Cappuccino

$0.75 ؋48.54

$1.24 ؋79.7

-39.52%

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

$0.53 ؋34.38

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ؋19.23

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 ؋56.5

$0.61 ؋39.03

44.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.40 ؋25.43

$0.15 ؋9.34

166.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 ؋118

$2.04 ؋132

-10.29%

Eggs

$1.67 ؋108

$1.64 ؋106

1.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.42 ؋349

$7.89 ؋508

-31.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.69 ؋173

$3.47 ؋223

-22.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.97 ؋384

$6.11 ؋393

-2.29%

Apples (1kg)

$0.63 ؋40.66

$0.55 ؋35.47

14.55%

Banana (1kg)

$0.61 ؋38.95

$1.18 ؋76.2

-48.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.79 ؋51.1

$0.83 ؋53.3

-4.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 ؋30.39

$0.62 ؋39.74

-24.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 ؋23.31

$0.51 ؋33.08

-29.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.32 ؋20.81

$0.39 ؋24.95

-17.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.30 ؋18.99

$0.51 ؋33.08

-41.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ؋20.94

$0.32 ؋20.82

3.13%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.96 ؋254

$1.89 ؋122

109.52%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ؋48.81

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 ؋68.6

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ؋152

$1.57 ؋101

50.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.13 ؋8.50

$0.79 ؋50.7

-83.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.86 ؋699

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ؋48.45

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 ؋28.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ؋96.5

$1.51 ؋97.3

-0.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ؋71.1

$1.53 ؋98.3

-27.45%

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

$8,328 ؋535.8K

$9,954 ؋640.4K

-16.34%

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

$22.94 ؋1,476

$82.3 ؋5,296

-72.13%

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

$16.76 ؋1,078

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$232 ؋14.9K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$7.51 ؋483

$11.73 ؋755

-35.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.67 ؋300

$3.80 ؋245

22.89%

Cinema Ticket

$1.57 ؋101

$4.71 ؋303

-66.67%

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

$15.40 ؋991

$76.4 ؋4,913

-79.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,244 ؋80.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.22 ؋1,172

$12.95 ؋833

40.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.33 ؋986

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.90 ؋1,474

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.24 ؋2,010

$18.14 ؋1,167

72.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$115 ؋7,412

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$45.51 ؋2,928

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$233 ؋15.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$124 ؋8,008

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$467 ؋30.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$235 ؋15.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$186 ؋12.0K

$231 ؋14.9K

-19.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.88

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

Last update for Jalalabad: September 15, 2026

Last update for Mazar-i-Sharif: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 24% higher in Mazar-i-Sharif, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $8.00 in Jalalabad versus $15.00 in Mazar-i-Sharif. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $94.0 vs $106 – making Jalalabad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $490 in Jalalabad, $290 in Mazar-i-Sharif – roughly 69% apart. Jalalabad costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $734 per month in Jalalabad and $435 in Mazar-i-Sharif. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $490 in Jalalabad and $290 in Mazar-i-Sharif. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $15.40 per month in Jalalabad and $76.4 in Mazar-i-Sharif. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $490 in Jalalabad and $290 in Mazar-i-Sharif, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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