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: $506 in Kabul versus $289 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $680 in Kabul versus $453 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $855 in Kabul versus $617 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Living in Kabul is roughly 75% more expensive than in Mazar-i-Sharif, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kabul 63% lower, Mazar-i-Sharif 79% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 ؋177

$2.32 ؋149

18.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.55 ؋487

$15.11 ؋974

-50.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.60 ؋297

$3.84 ؋247

19.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 ؋150

$7.50 ؋484

-68.93%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ؋118

$7.57 ؋488

-75.69%

Cappuccino

$1.06 ؋68.1

$1.17 ؋75.6

-9.40%

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

$0.45 ؋28.90

$0.54 ؋34.68

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ؋9.04

$0.29 ؋18.68

-51.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 ؋55.3

$0.59 ؋38.21

45.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.25 ؋16.13

$0.16 ؋10.16

56.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ؋119

$2.02 ؋130

-8.91%

Eggs

$1.49 ؋96.0

$1.61 ؋104

-7.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.24 ؋273

$7.76 ؋500

-45.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.91 ؋252

$3.37 ؋217

16.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.55 ؋422

$6.16 ؋397

6.33%

Apples (1kg)

$0.68 ؋43.75

$0.56 ؋35.89

21.43%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 ؋53.9

$1.11 ؋71.5

-24.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.89 ؋57.1

$0.81 ؋52.3

9.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 ؋32.18

$0.64 ؋40.97

-21.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 ؋38.40

$0.49 ؋31.89

22.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 ؋32.29

$0.38 ؋24.54

31.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 ؋17.82

$0.51 ؋32.77

-45.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ؋22.95

$0.31 ؋20.00

16.13%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.80 ؋116

$1.81 ؋117

-0.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ؋48.25

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 ؋66.3

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 ؋147

$1.56 ؋101

46.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 ؋10.26

$0.78 ؋50.3

-79.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.71 ؋1,335

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 ؋130

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ؋27.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 ؋170

$1.50 ؋96.8

76.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 ؋66.1

$1.46 ؋94.1

-30.14%

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

$8,405 ؋541.9K

$10.1K ؋650.8K

-16.75%

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

$33.6K ؋2.2M

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

$41.87 ؋2,699

$79.4 ؋5,120

-47.28%

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

$12.64 ؋815

$16.71 ؋1,077

-24.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$97.2 ؋6,263

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.98 ؋708

$11.48 ؋740

-4.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.90 ؋251

$3.71 ؋239

5.12%

Cinema Ticket

$2.30 ؋148

$4.59 ؋296

-49.89%

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

$20.23 ؋1,304

$76.0 ؋4,902

-73.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,023 ؋65.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.62 ؋684

$13.04 ؋840

-18.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.80 ؋1,019

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 ؋3,652

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$24.52 ؋1,581

$18.26 ؋1,178

34.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$121 ؋7,794

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ؋7,046

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$216 ؋13.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 ؋7,427

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$675 ؋43.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$357 ؋23.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$327 ؋21.1K

$226 ؋14.5K

45.10%

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

Last update for Kabul: September 1, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

Kabul pays 45% 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: $8.00 in Kabul vs $15.00 in Mazar-i-Sharif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $99.0 vs $105 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 75% in total monthly costs ($506 vs $289 including rent). Mazar-i-Sharif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

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

Childcare runs $20.23 in Kabul versus $76.0 in Mazar-i-Sharif. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mazar-i-Sharif – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $8.00 in Kabul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Mazar-i-Sharif 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 Mazar-i-Sharif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Kabul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.