Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Mazar-i-Sharif: $291 a month against $498 in Jalalabad, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. The total is higher in Jalalabad despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Jalalabad
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Jalalabad Living Index

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Jalalabad

🇦🇫 Afghanistan

$498

/mo nomad

Mazar-i-Sharif

🇦🇫 Afghanistan

$291

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jalalabad 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 Jalalabad and in Mazar-i-Sharif actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $498 per month in Jalalabad vs $291 in Mazar-i-Sharif, rent included.

Jalalabad $498
Mazar-i-Sharif $291

A couple spends around $682 per month in Jalalabad vs $459 in Mazar-i-Sharif, rent included.

Jalalabad $682
Mazar-i-Sharif $459

A family of three spends $866 per month in Jalalabad vs $628 in Mazar-i-Sharif, rent included.

Jalalabad $866
Mazar-i-Sharif $628

Jalalabad costs about 71% more than Mazar-i-Sharif, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Jalalabad and Mazar-i-Sharif are more affordable than the global median – Jalalabad 63% lower, Mazar-i-Sharif 79% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.28 ؋148

$2.33 ؋151

-2.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.83 ؋508

$15.33 ؋995

-48.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.88 ؋252

$3.92 ؋254

-1.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 ؋512

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.47 ؋485

Cappuccino

$0.76 ؋49.16

$1.23 ؋79.7

-38.21%

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

$0.54 ؋34.73

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ؋19.43

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 ؋57.6

$0.60 ؋39.00

48.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.40 ؋25.78

$0.17 ؋10.76

135.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ؋122

$2.10 ؋136

-10.48%

Eggs

$1.69 ؋110

$1.59 ؋103

6.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.49 ؋356

$7.58 ؋492

-27.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.73 ؋177

$3.47 ؋225

-21.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.03 ؋392

$6.30 ؋409

-4.29%

Apples (1kg)

$0.65 ؋42.24

$0.55 ؋35.86

18.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 ؋39.06

$1.12 ؋72.7

-46.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 ؋48.14

$0.83 ؋54.0

-10.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 ؋30.53

$0.61 ؋39.67

-22.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 ؋23.57

$0.48 ؋30.93

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.29 ؋19.13

$0.41 ؋26.76

-29.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 ؋21.12

$0.56 ؋36.45

-41.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ؋19.45

$0.30 ؋19.40

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.92 ؋255

$1.87 ؋122

109.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ؋51.3

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 ؋68.1

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.29 ؋149

$1.52 ؋98.7

50.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 ؋9.65

$0.76 ؋49.03

-80.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.80 ؋701

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ؋48.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 ؋30.87

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ؋97.8

$1.51 ؋98.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ؋68.3

$1.52 ؋98.7

-30.92%

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

$8,330 ؋540.6K

$10.1K ؋653.4K

-17.27%

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

$22.69 ؋1,472

$81.5 ؋5,286

-72.14%

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

$17.03 ؋1,105

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$231 ؋15.0K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$7.84 ؋509

$11.75 ؋762

-33.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.57 ؋296

$3.78 ؋246

20.90%

Cinema Ticket

$1.55 ؋101

$4.61 ؋299

-66.38%

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

$15.18 ؋985

$76.8 ؋4,985

-80.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,212 ؋78.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.45 ؋1,197

$13.11 ؋851

40.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.17 ؋985

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.51 ؋1,526

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.62 ؋1,987

$18.61 ؋1,208

64.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$114 ؋7,424

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$45.97 ؋2,984

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$232 ؋15.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$122 ؋7,933

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$466 ؋30.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$232 ؋15.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$185 ؋12.0K

$228 ؋14.8K

-18.76%

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: October 26, 2026

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

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jalalabad

$254 * 51%

Mazar-i-Sharif

–

Groceries & Markets

Jalalabad

$94 18.9%

Mazar-i-Sharif

–

Accommodation & Living

Jalalabad

$46 9.2%

Mazar-i-Sharif

–

Clothing & Footwear

Jalalabad

$39 7.9%

Mazar-i-Sharif

–

Eating Out

Jalalabad

$39 * 7.8%

Mazar-i-Sharif

–

Getting Around

Jalalabad

$15 2.9%

Mazar-i-Sharif

–

Sport & Entertainment

Jalalabad

$11 2.2%

Mazar-i-Sharif

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 23% 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 in Jalalabad versus $15 in Mazar-i-Sharif. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $94 vs $105 – making Jalalabad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇦🇫 Jalalabad

🇦🇫 Mazar-i-Sharif

🕒 Local time

04:11 4:11 AM

Same time as Jalalabad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

168,600

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

Jalalabad Mazar-i-Sharif 390 km

From you

Jalalabad
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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $498 in Jalalabad, $291 in Mazar-i-Sharif – Mazar-i-Sharif comes out roughly 42% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $746 per month in Jalalabad and $436 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 $498 in Jalalabad and $291 in Mazar-i-Sharif. That makes Mazar-i-Sharif about 42% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $15.18 per month in Jalalabad and $77 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 $498 in Jalalabad and $291 in Mazar-i-Sharif, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.