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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $404 in Khost versus $291 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $595 in Khost versus $454 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $787 in Khost versus $617 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Living in Khost is roughly 39% more expensive than in Mazar-i-Sharif, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Khost 71% lower, Mazar-i-Sharif 79% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.69 ؋173

$2.24 ؋144

20.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.54 ؋485

$14.93 ؋960

-49.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.47 ؋287

$3.85 ؋248

16.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ؋143

$7.64 ؋491

-70.81%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ؋118

$7.63 ؋491

-75.88%

Cappuccino

$1.09 ؋70.3

$1.22 ؋78.7

-10.66%

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

$0.48 ؋31.01

$0.57 ؋36.81

-15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 ؋8.57

$0.31 ؋20.11

-58.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 ؋52.3

$0.62 ؋39.98

30.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 ؋14.69

$0.16 ؋10.57

43.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 ؋114

$2.01 ؋129

-11.44%

Eggs

$1.56 ؋100

$1.63 ؋105

-4.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.30 ؋276

$7.78 ؋501

-44.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.02 ؋259

$3.38 ؋217

18.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.50 ؋418

$6.15 ؋395

5.69%

Apples (1kg)

$0.67 ؋42.94

$0.55 ؋35.44

21.82%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 ؋56.8

$1.15 ؋74.1

-23.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.89 ؋57.3

$0.79 ؋50.7

12.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 ؋34.88

$0.60 ؋38.85

-10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ؋40.39

$0.47 ؋30.00

34.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 ؋31.88

$0.41 ؋26.38

21.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.30 ؋19.34

$0.56 ؋35.71

-46.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 ؋24.47

$0.29 ؋18.59

31.03%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.83 ؋118

$1.79 ؋115

2.23%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ؋47.84

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 ؋63.2

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 ؋148

$1.54 ؋99.1

49.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ؋27.61

$0.79 ؋51.0

-45.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.00 ؋1,157

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 ؋46.52

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ؋28.28

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 ؋148

$1.54 ؋99.1

50.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ؋66.7

$1.46 ؋93.7

-28.77%

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

$8,418 ؋541.2K

$9,816 ؋631.2K

-14.25%

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

$34.0K ؋2.2M

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

$42.46 ؋2,730

$79.7 ؋5,125

-46.73%

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

$12.98 ؋834

$16.74 ؋1,077

-22.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$97.1 ؋6,243

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$7.69 ؋495

$11.38 ؋732

-32.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.02 ؋387

$3.68 ؋237

63.59%

Cinema Ticket

$2.22 ؋143

$4.51 ؋290

-50.78%

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

$20.05 ؋1,289

$76.0 ؋4,889

-73.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,039 ؋66.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.61 ؋682

$12.83 ؋825

-17.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.75 ؋1,012

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.4 ؋3,691

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$24.86 ؋1,598

$17.94 ؋1,154

38.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$30.06 ؋1,933

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$15.11 ؋971

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.6 ؋4,926

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$45.19 ؋2,906

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$180 ؋11.6K

$231 ؋14.9K

-22.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Khost: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mazar-i-Sharif: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mazar-i-Sharif pays 28% 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 Khost vs $15.00 in Mazar-i-Sharif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $100 vs $105 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 Mazar-i-Sharif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mazar-i-Sharif is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 28% lower in Mazar-i-Sharif. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $20.05 in Khost 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 Khost. 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 39% less than in Khost. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.