Cost of Living Comparison Between Kabul and Kolkata (Calcutta) Cost of Living Comparison Between Kabul and Kolkata (Calcutta)

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $506 in Kabul versus $417 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $680 in Kabul versus $665 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $855 in Kabul versus $912 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Living in Kabul is roughly 21% more expensive than in Kolkata (Calcutta), driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kabul 63% lower, Kolkata (Calcutta) 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 ؋177

$2.04 ₹194

34.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.55 ؋488

$13.29 ₹1,262

-43.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.60 ؋297

$4.13 ₹392

11.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 ؋150

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ؋118

Cappuccino

$1.06 ؋68.2

$1.64 ₹156

-35.37%

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

$0.45 ؋28.93

$0.43 ₹41.22

4.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ؋9.05

$0.13 ₹12.70

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 ₹182

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 ₹297

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 ؋55.3

$0.70 ₹66.9

22.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.25 ؋16.14

$0.46 ₹43.65

-45.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ؋119

$0.72 ₹68.5

155.56%

Eggs

$1.49 ؋96.1

$1.05 ₹100

41.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.24 ؋273

$5.47 ₹519

-22.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.91 ؋252

$2.96 ₹281

32.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.55 ؋423

Apples (1kg)

$0.68 ؋43.80

$2.53 ₹240

-73.12%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 ؋53.9

$0.80 ₹76.2

5.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.89 ؋57.1

$1.46 ₹138

-39.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 ؋32.22

$0.68 ₹64.5

-26.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 ؋38.44

$0.30 ₹28.59

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 ؋32.33

$0.38 ₹36.37

31.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 ؋17.84

$0.31 ₹29.34

-9.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ؋22.98

$0.26 ₹24.65

38.46%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.80 ؋116

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ؋48.30

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 ؋66.4

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 ؋147

$5.15 ₹489

-55.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 ₹986

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 ₹163

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ₹255

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

$7.04 ₹669

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 ؋10.27

$0.15 ₹14.59

6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.71 ؋1,337

$2.13 ₹202

872.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 ؋130

$0.57 ₹54.0

252.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ؋27.91

$0.31 ₹29.24

38.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 ؋170

$1.79 ₹170

47.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 ؋66.1

$1.08 ₹103

-5.56%

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

$8,405 ؋542.4K

$14.3K ₹1.4M

-41.09%

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

$33.6K ؋2.2M

$21.3K ₹2.0M

57.85%

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

$41.87 ؋2,702

$55.1 ₹5,230

-24.00%

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

$12.64 ؋816

$5.06 ₹481

149.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$97.2 ؋6,270

$7.06 ₹671

1276.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.98 ؋709

$14.23 ₹1,351

-22.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.90 ؋252

$10.69 ₹1,015

-63.52%

Cinema Ticket

$2.30 ؋149

$3.75 ₹356

-38.67%

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

$20.23 ؋1,305

$45.21 ₹4,292

-55.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,023 ؋66.0K

$1,963 ₹186.4K

-47.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.62 ؋685

$24.97 ₹2,371

-57.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.80 ؋1,020

$22.58 ₹2,144

-30.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 ؋3,656

$31.25 ₹2,967

81.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$24.52 ؋1,583

$26.49 ₹2,515

-7.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$121 ؋7,802

$162 ₹15.4K

-25.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ؋7,053

$95.1 ₹9,024

14.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$216 ؋13.9K

$411 ₹39.0K

-47.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 ؋7,435

$210 ₹20.0K

-45.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$675 ؋43.6K

$1,242 ₹117.9K

-45.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$357 ؋23.0K

$617 ₹58.6K

-42.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$327 ؋21.1K

$381 ₹36.2K

-14.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.27

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

Last update for Kabul: September 1, 2026

Last update for Kolkata (Calcutta): August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $121 in Kabul and $162 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kolkata (Calcutta) pays 16% 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 $13.00 in Kolkata (Calcutta) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $99.0 vs $117 per month, with Kabul cheaper across the board.

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 Kolkata (Calcutta): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kabul and Kolkata (Calcutta) differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($506 vs $417 including rent). Kolkata (Calcutta) is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Kolkata (Calcutta). 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: $121 in Kabul versus $162 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kolkata (Calcutta) runs roughly 872% less than in Kabul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $20.23 in Kabul versus $45.21 in Kolkata (Calcutta). 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 Kolkata (Calcutta) 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.

Expats usually find Kolkata (Calcutta) gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Kabul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.