Cost of Living Comparison Between Khost and Kabul Cost of Living Comparison Between Khost and Kabul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $51 in Khost versus $423 in Kabul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $86 in Khost versus $614 in Kabul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $121 in Khost versus $805 in Kabul.

Living in Khost costs roughly 88% less than in Kabul, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Khost 96% lower, Kabul 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.54 ؋163

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.87 ؋698

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.40 ؋283

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 ؋149

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 ؋113

Cappuccino

$1.05 ؋67.4

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

$0.36 ؋23.26

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ؋10.03

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 ؋45.65

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 ؋12.61

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 ؋113

Eggs

$1.41 ؋90.4

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.71 ؋239

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.28 ؋211

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.86 ؋377

Apples (1kg)

$0.54 ؋34.52

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 ؋47.89

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 ؋48.29

Tomato (1kg)

$0.43 ؋27.69

Potato (1kg)

$0.45 ؋28.87

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 ؋27.04

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.23 ؋14.71

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ؋22.90

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.89 ؋121

$1.85 ؋119

2.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ؋60.5

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ؋94.8

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.65 ؋170

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 ؋26.75

$0.21 ؋13.46

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.29 ؋1,111

$10.22 ؋657

69.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 ؋44.09

$1.69 ؋109

-59.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ؋43.81

$0.53 ؋33.94

28.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 ؋143

$2.50 ؋161

-11.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ؋72.8

$0.93 ؋59.6

21.51%

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

$7,841 ؋503.8K

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

$32.6K ؋2.1M

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

$50.8 ؋3,263

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

$13.96 ؋897

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.8 ؋5,770

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$7.33 ؋471

$9.00 ؋578

-18.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.61 ؋361

$3.87 ؋249

44.96%

Cinema Ticket

$2.93 ؋188

$2.21 ؋142

32.58%

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

$18.05 ؋1,159

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,429 ؋91.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.19 ؋591

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.06 ؋1,096

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.60 ؋2,094

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.00 ؋1,799

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$28.95 ؋1,860

$85.0 ؋5,462

-65.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$14.19 ؋911

$57.0 ؋3,663

-75.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$71.1 ؋4,568

$198 ؋12.8K

-64.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$42.38 ؋2,723

$112 ؋7,176

-62.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$736 ؋47.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$407 ؋26.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$188 ؋12.1K

$341 ؋21.9K

-45.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

-45.95%

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

Last update for Khost: April 21, 2026

Last update for Kabul: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $29 in Khost and $85 in Kabul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kabul pays 82% 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: $0 in Khost vs $11 in Kabul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $0 vs $87 per month, with Khost 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

Khost vs Kabul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Khost and Kabul differ by about 732% in total monthly costs ($50.8 vs $423 including rent). Khost is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Kabul earns 82% 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: $28.95 in Khost versus $85.0 in Kabul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Khost runs roughly 69% less than in Kabul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

All in, you'll spend $50.8 per month in Khost versus $423 in Kabul – a 732% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Khost 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 Khost gentler on the wallet – expenses run 732% less than in Kabul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.