Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kabul and Chandigarh

For one person, living is cheaper in Chandigarh: $471 a month against $500 in Kabul, rent and utilities included – about $350 less a year. The total is higher in Kabul despite lower rent and utilities.

25

Cost of Living Index in Kabul
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Kabul Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Chandigarh
Learn more

Chandigarh Living Index

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Kabul

🇦🇫 Afghanistan

$500

/mo nomad

Chandigarh

🇮🇳 India

$471

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kabul and in Chandigarh

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $500 in Kabul versus $471 in Chandigarh.

Kabul $500
Chandigarh $471

Estimated couple costs with rent: $682 in Kabul versus $760 in Chandigarh.

Kabul $682
Chandigarh $760

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $864 in Kabul versus $1,049 in Chandigarh.

Kabul $864
Chandigarh $1,049

Living in Kabul is roughly 6% more expensive than in Chandigarh, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kabul 63% lower, Chandigarh 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 ؋182

$3.10 ₹294

-9.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.75 ؋502

$13.56 ₹1,288

-42.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.52 ؋293

$4.08 ₹387

10.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ؋153

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ؋122

Cappuccino

$1.07 ؋69.4

$2.72 ₹259

-60.66%

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

$0.48 ؋31.36

$0.43 ₹41.05

11.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ؋9.98

$0.23 ₹21.71

-34.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 ₹193

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 ₹295

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 ؋53.6

$0.71 ₹67.4

16.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.25 ؋16.24

$0.54 ₹51.5

-53.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 ؋117

$0.88 ₹83.5

104.55%

Eggs

$1.53 ؋99.2

$0.92 ₹87.7

66.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 ؋281

$5.07 ₹481

-14.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 ؋264

$2.84 ₹270

43.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.71 ؋435

Apples (1kg)

$0.70 ؋45.14

$1.64 ₹156

-57.32%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 ؋55.1

$0.71 ₹67.3

19.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 ؋60.6

$1.07 ₹102

-13.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 ؋33.12

$0.68 ₹64.6

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ؋42.18

$0.28 ₹26.53

132.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 ؋30.60

$0.30 ₹28.89

56.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 ؋17.93

$0.66 ₹62.7

-57.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 ؋23.98

$0.32 ₹30.81

15.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.82 ؋118

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ؋48.45

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 ؋68.0

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.43 ؋157

$4.91 ₹466

-50.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 ₹1,090

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 ₹162

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ₹264

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

$6.61 ₹627

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 ؋10.63

$0.30 ₹28.16

-46.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.99 ؋1,361

$3.59 ₹341

484.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ؋139

$1.08 ₹102

98.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 ؋31.27

$0.23 ₹21.80

108.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 ؋175

$1.64 ₹155

64.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ؋70.1

$1.13 ₹107

-4.42%

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

$8,472 ؋549.2K

$12.4K ₹1.2M

-31.64%

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

$33.8K ؋2.2M

$24.6K ₹2.3M

37.61%

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

$41.65 ؋2,700

$37.66 ₹3,576

10.59%

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

$12.84 ؋833

$4.04 ₹384

217.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$96.1 ؋6,227

$6.49 ₹616

1380.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.86 ؋704

$20.70 ₹1,965

-47.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.07 ؋264

$8.11 ₹770

-49.82%

Cinema Ticket

$2.32 ؋151

$3.11 ₹295

-25.40%

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

$19.99 ؋1,296

$58.6 ₹5,560

-65.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,035 ؋67.1K

$2,454 ₹233.0K

-57.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.80 ؋700

$27.27 ₹2,589

-60.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.92 ؋1,032

$24.64 ₹2,339

-35.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.1 ؋3,704

$57.7 ₹5,477

-0.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.12 ؋1,629

$44.07 ₹4,184

-43.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$123 ؋7,984

$166 ₹15.8K

-25.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$107 ؋6,917

$117 ₹11.1K

-8.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$213 ؋13.8K

$465 ₹44.2K

-54.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 ؋7,553

$285 ₹27.1K

-59.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$684 ؋44.4K

$3,052 ₹289.7K

-77.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$352 ؋22.8K

$1,786 ₹169.6K

-80.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ؋22.1K

$432 ₹41.1K

-21.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Kabul: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chandigarh: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kabul

$151 30.1%

Chandigarh

$48 10.2% 68% $102

Accommodation & Living

Kabul

$107 21.3%

Chandigarh

$117 24.8% 9.6% $10

Groceries & Markets

Kabul

$101 20.2%

Chandigarh

$114 24.3% 13.3% $13

Eating Out

Kabul

$51 10.3%

Chandigarh

$89 18.8% 72.8% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Kabul

$49 9.8%

Chandigarh

$69 14.7% 41% $20

Getting Around

Kabul

$26 5.2%

Chandigarh

$7 1.5% 73.3% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Kabul

$16 3.1%

Chandigarh

$27 5.7% 73.5% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $123 in Kabul and $166 in Chandigarh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chandigarh pays 27% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $8.00 in Kabul vs $14.00 in Chandigarh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $101 vs $114 per month, with Kabul cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇫 Kabul

🇮🇳 Chandigarh

🕒 Local time

14:44 2:44 PM

15:44 3:44 PM

1 h ahead of Kabul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,289,000 Capital

1,028,667

💱 Currency

Afghanistan Afghani AFN ؋

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

100 AFN = 1.54 USD

100 AFN = 1.37 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to AFN – Afghanistan Afghani Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇫 Afghanistan Afghani (؋)

Afghanistan Afghani exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 64.83 AFN (100 AFN = 1.54 USD). 1 EUR = 72.89 AFN (100 AFN = 1.37 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 94.95 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

USD to AFN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Kabul Chandigarh 830 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Kabul
Chandigarh

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

Kabul vs Chandigarh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chandigarh wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Kabul. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chandigarh the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Chandigarh. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $123 in Kabul versus $166 in Chandigarh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chandigarh runs roughly 485% less than in Kabul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $19.99 in Kabul versus $58.6 in Chandigarh. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chandigarh gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Kabul and Chandigarh are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chandigarh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Kabul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.