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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $416 in Kabul versus $652 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $602 in Kabul versus $827 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $787 in Kabul versus $1,001 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Living in Kabul costs roughly 36% less than in Mazar-i-Sharif, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kabul 69% lower, Mazar-i-Sharif 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.53 ؋161

$2.18 ؋139

16.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.74 ؋682

$14.10 ؋895

-23.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.37 ؋278

$3.28 ؋208

33.23%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ؋143

$3.61 ؋229

-37.95%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ؋107

$7.06 ؋448

-76.20%

Cappuccino

$1.01 ؋64.0

$1.15 ؋73.3

-12.17%

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

$0.36 ؋22.93

$0.52 ؋33.20

-30.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 ؋8.10

$0.25 ؋15.70

-48.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 ؋44.85

$0.55 ؋34.95

29.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.21 ؋13.14

$0.20 ؋12.48

5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 ؋108

$1.56 ؋99.2

8.97%

Eggs

$1.42 ؋90.0

$1.55 ؋98.7

-8.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.84 ؋244

$5.11 ؋325

-24.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.35 ؋213

$3.70 ؋235

-9.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.00 ؋381

$5.26 ؋334

14.07%

Apples (1kg)

$0.53 ؋33.75

$0.56 ؋35.62

-5.36%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 ؋50.8

$0.94 ؋60.0

-14.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 ؋47.84

$0.71 ؋45.34

5.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.46 ؋29.36

$0.56 ؋35.61

-17.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 ؋30.44

$0.46 ؋29.51

4.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 ؋26.99

$0.36 ؋22.82

19.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.23 ؋14.60

$0.41 ؋26.05

-43.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ؋20.72

$0.28 ؋17.57

17.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.97 ؋125

$1.87 ؋118

5.35%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ؋59.5

$0.45 ؋28.54

108.89%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ؋93.9

$1.13 ؋71.6

30.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.64 ؋168

$1.18 ؋75.0

123.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 ؋13.31

$0.48 ؋30.42

-56.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.87 ؋627

$21.66 ؋1,375

-54.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 ؋112

$0.73 ؋46.37

141.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 ؋35.21

$1.33 ؋84.3

-58.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 ؋164

$1.40 ؋88.9

85.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 ؋60.1

$1.11 ؋70.7

-14.41%

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

$7,763 ؋493.0K

$9,996 ؋634.8K

-22.34%

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

$32.1K ؋2.0M

$41.0K ؋2.6M

-21.68%

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

$50.3 ؋3,196

$110 ؋7,012

-54.43%

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

$13.77 ؋874

$15.56 ؋988

-11.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.6 ؋5,819

$290 ؋18.4K

-68.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.06 ؋575

$10.90 ؋692

-16.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.88 ؋247

$3.52 ؋224

10.23%

Cinema Ticket

$2.21 ؋140

$4.24 ؋269

-47.88%

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

$18.18 ؋1,155

$28.98 ؋1,840

-37.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,414 ؋89.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.57 ؋608

$12.20 ؋775

-21.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.44 ؋1,108

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.79 ؋2,082

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.41 ؋1,804

$17.29 ؋1,098

64.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$85.0 ؋5,398

$85.0 ؋5,396

0.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.5 ؋3,715

$43.37 ؋2,754

34.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 ؋12.9K

$146 ؋9,245

39.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$111 ؋7,037

$70.5 ؋4,478

57.12%

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

$242 ؋15.4K

45.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

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

Last update for Kabul: June 2, 2026

Last update for Mazar-i-Sharif: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $85.0 in Kabul and $85.0 in Mazar-i-Sharif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kabul pays 45% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $11.00 in Kabul vs $14.00 in Mazar-i-Sharif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $88.0 vs $91.0 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 Mazar-i-Sharif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kabul and Mazar-i-Sharif differ by about 57% in total monthly costs ($416 vs $652 including rent). Kabul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Kabul pays 45% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $85.0 in Kabul versus $85.0 in Mazar-i-Sharif. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kabul runs roughly 119% less than in Mazar-i-Sharif. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $18.18 in Kabul versus $28.98 in Mazar-i-Sharif. 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 57% less than in Mazar-i-Sharif. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.