Cost of Living Comparison Between Kabul and Herat Cost of Living Comparison Between Kabul and Herat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $416 per month in Kabul vs $567 in Herat, rent included.

A couple spends around $602 per month in Kabul vs $732 in Herat, rent included.

A family of three spends $787 per month in Kabul vs $898 in Herat, rent included.

Kabul is about 27% cheaper than Herat, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Kabul and Herat are more affordable than the global median – Kabul 69% lower, Herat 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.53 ؋161

$2.10 ؋133

20.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.74 ؋682

$8.41 ؋534

27.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.37 ؋278

$3.88 ؋247

12.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ؋143

$2.14 ؋136

4.67%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ؋107

$7.35 ؋467

-77.14%

Cappuccino

$1.01 ؋64.0

$0.73 ؋46.64

38.36%

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

$0.36 ؋22.93

$0.52 ؋33.01

-30.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 ؋8.10

$0.12 ؋7.62

8.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 ؋44.85

$0.48 ؋30.44

47.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.21 ؋13.14

$0.30 ؋19.18

-30.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 ؋108

$2.86 ؋181

-40.56%

Eggs

$1.42 ؋90.0

$2.01 ؋128

-29.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.84 ؋244

$2.80 ؋178

37.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.35 ؋213

$2.63 ؋167

27.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.00 ؋381

$5.58 ؋355

7.53%

Apples (1kg)

$0.53 ؋33.75

$0.73 ؋46.55

-27.40%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 ؋50.8

$0.69 ؋43.60

15.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 ؋47.84

$0.55 ؋34.91

36.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.46 ؋29.36

$0.60 ؋37.88

-23.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 ؋30.44

$0.60 ؋37.99

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 ؋26.99

$0.35 ؋22.21

22.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.23 ؋14.60

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ؋20.72

$0.28 ؋17.72

17.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.97 ؋125

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ؋59.5

$0.89 ؋56.6

5.62%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ؋93.9

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.64 ؋168

$1.82 ؋116

45.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 ؋13.31

$0.28 ؋17.73

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.87 ؋627

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 ؋112

$2.12 ؋135

-16.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 ؋35.21

$1.37 ؋87.1

-59.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 ؋164

$4.41 ؋280

-41.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 ؋60.1

$1.04 ؋66.1

-8.65%

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

$7,763 ؋493.0K

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

$32.1K ؋2.0M

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

$50.3 ؋3,196

$183 ؋11.6K

-72.53%

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

$13.77 ؋874

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.6 ؋5,819

$145 ؋9,184

-36.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.06 ؋575

$14.34 ؋911

-36.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.88 ؋247

Cinema Ticket

$2.21 ؋140

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

$18.18 ؋1,155

$14.54 ؋923

25.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,414 ؋89.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.57 ؋608

$21.37 ؋1,357

-55.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.44 ؋1,108

$21.81 ؋1,385

-20.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.79 ؋2,082

$28.50 ؋1,810

15.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.41 ؋1,804

$36.23 ؋2,301

-21.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$85.0 ؋5,398

$70.7 ؋4,492

20.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.5 ؋3,715

$42.90 ؋2,725

36.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 ؋12.9K

$114 ؋7,259

77.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$111 ؋7,037

$70.7 ؋4,487

56.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$732 ؋46.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$410 ؋26.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$351 ؋22.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

-7.50%

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

Last update for Kabul: June 2, 2026

Last update for Herat: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $85.0 in Kabul versus $70.7 in Herat. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Kabul versus $8.00 in Herat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $88.0 vs $84.0 – making Herat 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

Kabul vs Herat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Herat is pricier by about 36%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $624 per month in Kabul and $850 in Herat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kabul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $416 in Kabul and $567 in Herat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $18.18 per month in Kabul and $14.54 in Herat. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $416 in Kabul and $567 in Herat, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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