Cost of Living Comparison Between Kolkata (Calcutta) and Kabul Cost of Living Comparison Between Kolkata (Calcutta) and Kabul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $422 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $416 in Kabul.

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

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

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.26 ₹310

$2.53 ؋161

28.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.67 ₹1,112

$10.74 ؋682

8.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 ₹473

$4.37 ؋278

13.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ؋143

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ؋107

Cappuccino

$1.78 ₹169

$1.01 ؋64.0

76.24%

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

$0.37 ₹35.45

$0.36 ؋22.93

2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 ₹11.91

$0.13 ؋8.10

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₹170

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ₹271

Milk (1 liter)

$0.68 ₹64.5

$0.71 ؋44.85

-4.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.40 ₹37.94

$0.21 ؋13.14

90.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.65 ₹61.9

$1.70 ؋108

-61.76%

Eggs

$1.02 ₹96.9

$1.42 ؋90.0

-28.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.36 ₹510

$3.84 ؋244

39.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ₹270

$3.35 ؋213

-15.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.00 ؋381

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 ₹231

$0.53 ؋33.75

356.60%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 ₹76.6

$0.80 ؋50.8

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₹123

$0.75 ؋47.84

72.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 ₹62.7

$0.46 ؋29.36

43.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 ₹38.79

$0.48 ؋30.44

-14.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ₹57.0

$0.43 ؋26.99

39.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 ₹42.97

$0.23 ؋14.60

95.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₹32.00

$0.33 ؋20.72

3.03%

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)

$3.91 ₹373

$2.64 ؋168

48.11%

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)

$0.22 ₹20.90

$0.21 ؋13.31

4.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$2.93 ₹279

$9.87 ؋627

-70.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 ₹57.4

$1.76 ؋112

-65.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.21

$0.55 ؋35.21

-45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 ₹191

$2.59 ؋164

-22.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₹118

$0.95 ؋60.1

30.53%

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

$16.0K ₹1.5M

$7,763 ؋493.0K

106.03%

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

$23.0K ₹2.2M

$32.1K ؋2.0M

-28.60%

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

$41.72 ₹3,974

$50.3 ؋3,196

-17.09%

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

$3.84 ₹365

$13.77 ؋874

-72.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.12 ₹678

$91.6 ؋5,819

-92.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.01 ₹1,525

$9.06 ؋575

76.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.45 ₹1,091

$3.88 ؋247

195.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 ₹394

$2.21 ؋140

86.88%

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

$43.06 ₹4,102

$18.18 ؋1,155

136.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,560 ₹148.6K

$1,414 ؋89.8K

10.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.84 ₹2,652

$9.57 ؋608

190.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.87 ₹2,846

$17.44 ؋1,108

71.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.50 ₹4,715

$32.79 ؋2,082

50.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.81 ₹3,030

$28.41 ؋1,804

11.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$157 ₹15.0K

$85.0 ؋5,398

84.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$88.0 ₹8,386

$58.5 ؋3,715

50.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 ₹36.0K

$203 ؋12.9K

86.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 ₹18.5K

$111 ؋7,037

75.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,164 ₹110.9K

$732 ؋46.5K

59.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$588 ₹56.0K

$410 ؋26.1K

43.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$426 ₹40.6K

$351 ؋22.3K

21.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.9

18.5

-46.49%

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

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

Last update for Kabul: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $157 in Kolkata (Calcutta) and $85.0 in Kabul. 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: $12.00 in Kolkata (Calcutta) vs $11.00 in Kabul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $112 vs $88.0 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

Kolkata (Calcutta) vs Kabul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kolkata (Calcutta) and Kabul differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($422 vs $416 including rent). Kabul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Kolkata (Calcutta) pays 21% 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: $157 in Kolkata (Calcutta) 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 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 $43.06 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $18.18 in Kabul. 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.