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: $416 in Kabul versus $422 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $602 in Kabul versus $674 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $787 in Kabul versus $926 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Living in Kabul costs roughly 1% less than in Kolkata (Calcutta), driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kabul 69% lower, Kolkata (Calcutta) 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.53 ؋161

$3.26 ₹310

-22.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.74 ؋682

$11.67 ₹1,112

-7.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.37 ؋278

$4.96 ₹473

-11.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ؋143

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ؋107

Cappuccino

$1.01 ؋64.0

$1.78 ₹169

-43.26%

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

$0.36 ؋22.93

$0.37 ₹35.45

-2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 ؋8.10

$0.12 ₹11.91

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₹170

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ₹271

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 ؋44.85

$0.68 ₹64.5

4.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.21 ؋13.14

$0.40 ₹37.94

-47.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 ؋108

$0.65 ₹61.9

161.54%

Eggs

$1.42 ؋90.0

$1.02 ₹96.9

39.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.84 ؋244

$5.36 ₹510

-28.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.35 ؋213

$2.83 ₹270

18.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.00 ؋381

Apples (1kg)

$0.53 ؋33.75

$2.42 ₹231

-78.10%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 ؋50.8

$0.80 ₹76.6

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 ؋47.84

$1.29 ₹123

-41.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.46 ؋29.36

$0.66 ₹62.7

-30.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 ؋30.44

$0.41 ₹38.79

17.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 ؋26.99

$0.60 ₹57.0

-28.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.23 ؋14.60

$0.45 ₹42.97

-48.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ؋20.72

$0.34 ₹32.00

-2.94%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.97 ؋125

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ؋59.5

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ؋93.9

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.64 ؋168

$3.91 ₹373

-32.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.45 ₹805

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₹165

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 ₹239

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

$7.31 ₹696

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 ؋13.31

$0.22 ₹20.90

-4.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.87 ؋627

$2.93 ₹279

236.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 ؋112

$0.60 ₹57.4

193.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 ؋35.21

$0.30 ₹28.21

83.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 ؋164

$2.01 ₹191

28.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 ؋60.1

$1.24 ₹118

-23.39%

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

$7,763 ؋493.0K

$16.0K ₹1.5M

-51.46%

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

$32.1K ؋2.0M

$23.0K ₹2.2M

40.06%

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

$50.3 ؋3,196

$41.72 ₹3,974

20.61%

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

$13.77 ؋874

$3.84 ₹365

258.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.6 ؋5,819

$7.12 ₹678

1186.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.06 ؋575

$16.01 ₹1,525

-43.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.88 ؋247

$11.45 ₹1,091

-66.11%

Cinema Ticket

$2.21 ؋140

$4.13 ₹394

-46.49%

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

$18.18 ؋1,155

$43.06 ₹4,102

-57.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,414 ؋89.8K

$1,560 ₹148.6K

-9.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.57 ؋608

$27.84 ₹2,652

-65.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.44 ؋1,108

$29.87 ₹2,846

-41.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.79 ؋2,082

$49.50 ₹4,715

-33.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.41 ؋1,804

$31.81 ₹3,030

-10.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$85.0 ؋5,398

$157 ₹15.0K

-45.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.5 ؋3,715

$88.0 ₹8,386

-33.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 ؋12.9K

$377 ₹36.0K

-46.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$111 ؋7,037

$194 ₹18.5K

-42.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$732 ؋46.5K

$1,164 ₹110.9K

-37.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$410 ؋26.1K

$588 ₹56.0K

-30.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$351 ؋22.3K

$426 ₹40.6K

-17.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

9.9

86.87%

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

Last update for Kabul: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kolkata (Calcutta): June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $85.0 in Kabul and $157 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kolkata (Calcutta) pays 21% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $11.00 in Kabul vs $12.00 in Kolkata (Calcutta) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $88.0 vs $112 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 1% in total monthly costs ($416 vs $422 including rent). Kabul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Kolkata (Calcutta) earns 21% less. 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: $85.0 in Kabul versus $157 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kabul runs roughly 237% less than in Kolkata (Calcutta). Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $18.18 in Kabul versus $43.06 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Kabul 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 Kabul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Kolkata (Calcutta). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.