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 $497 in Kabul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $668 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $680 in Kabul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $915 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $864 in Kabul.

Living in Kolkata (Calcutta) costs roughly 15% less than in Kabul, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kolkata (Calcutta) 69% lower, Kabul 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 ₹199

$2.81 ؋181

-25.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.98 ₹1,240

$7.70 ؋495

68.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.21 ₹402

$4.45 ؋286

-5.39%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ؋144

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ؋119

Cappuccino

$1.63 ₹155

$1.11 ؋71.2

46.85%

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

$0.47 ₹45.04

$0.48 ؋30.89

-2.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₹13.80

$0.13 ؋8.39

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 ₹176

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 ₹312

Milk (1 liter)

$0.67 ₹64.1

$0.88 ؋56.5

-23.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 ₹41.88

$0.23 ؋14.76

91.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 ₹69.4

$1.78 ؋115

-58.99%

Eggs

$1.02 ₹97.1

$1.58 ؋102

-35.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.57 ₹532

$4.23 ؋272

31.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ₹292

$3.99 ؋256

-23.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.55 ؋421

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 ₹233

$0.73 ؋46.78

232.88%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 ₹79.8

$0.90 ؋57.9

-6.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 ₹146

$0.95 ؋61.1

61.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 ₹65.3

$0.54 ؋34.50

25.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 ₹28.75

$0.62 ؋40.17

-51.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 ₹40.87

$0.51 ؋32.83

-15.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.30 ₹28.19

$0.28 ؋17.78

7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₹27.92

$0.36 ؋23.09

-19.44%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.86 ؋119

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ؋47.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 ؋67.2

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.21 ₹497

$2.43 ؋156

114.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.71 ₹1,024

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₹160

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 ₹259

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$6.95 ₹664

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 ₹14.89

$0.13 ؋8.43

23.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$2.58 ₹247

$20.53 ؋1,320

-87.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 ₹57.3

$2.11 ؋136

-71.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 ₹32.01

$0.48 ؋30.93

-29.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 ₹148

$2.66 ؋171

-41.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₹104

$0.99 ؋63.4

10.10%

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

$14.2K ₹1.4M

$8,551 ؋549.8K

65.81%

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

$21.3K ₹2.0M

$33.8K ؋2.2M

-37.04%

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

$57.0 ₹5,447

$42.79 ؋2,751

33.23%

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

$5.04 ₹482

$12.63 ؋812

-60.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.14 ₹682

$97.8 ؋6,289

-92.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.12 ₹1,349

$11.19 ؋720

26.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.06 ₹1,056

$3.97 ؋255

178.59%

Cinema Ticket

$3.79 ₹362

$2.32 ؋149

63.36%

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

$40.03 ₹3,824

$19.89 ؋1,279

101.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,023 ₹193.3K

$1,043 ؋67.0K

94.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.70 ₹2,360

$10.49 ؋675

135.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.83 ₹2,181

$16.10 ؋1,035

41.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.48 ₹3,199

$57.5 ؋3,695

-41.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.83 ₹2,564

$25.12 ؋1,615

6.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 ₹14.9K

$124 ؋7,996

25.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.1 ₹8,801

$108 ؋6,957

-14.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 ₹38.2K

$216 ؋13.9K

84.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 ₹19.6K

$116 ؋7,462

76.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,244 ₹118.9K

$688 ؋44.2K

80.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$629 ₹60.1K

$355 ؋22.8K

77.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$412 ₹39.4K

$333 ؋21.4K

23.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.27

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

Last update for Kolkata (Calcutta): September 5, 2026

Last update for Kabul: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $156 in Kolkata (Calcutta) and $124 in Kabul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kolkata (Calcutta) pays 24% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $13.00 in Kolkata (Calcutta) vs $8.00 in Kabul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $118 vs $101 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 18% in total monthly costs ($422 vs $497 including rent). Kolkata (Calcutta) is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 24% higher in Kolkata (Calcutta), 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: $156 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $124 in Kabul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kolkata (Calcutta) runs roughly 696% less than in Kabul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $40.03 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $19.89 in Kabul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Kolkata (Calcutta) 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 Kolkata (Calcutta) gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Kabul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.