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: $423 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $417 in Kabul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $677 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $604 in Kabul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $932 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $790 in Kabul.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Kolkata (Calcutta) 68% lower, Kabul 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.16 ₹305

$2.66 ؋175

18.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.50 ₹1,107

$10.83 ؋712

6.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.92 ₹474

$4.24 ؋279

16.04%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 ؋153

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ؋110

Cappuccino

$1.84 ₹177

$1.01 ؋66.6

82.18%

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

$0.38 ₹36.28

$0.34 ؋22.04

11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 ₹12.57

$0.15 ؋9.87

-13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₹171

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₹281

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 ₹66.4

$0.71 ؋46.73

-2.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 ₹40.78

$0.17 ؋11.49

147.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.70 ₹67.9

$1.70 ؋112

-58.82%

Eggs

$1.02 ₹98.1

$1.43 ؋94.1

-28.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.33 ₹513

$3.76 ؋247

41.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.92 ₹281

$3.27 ؋215

-10.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.91 ؋389

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 ₹245

$0.57 ؋37.42

345.61%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.6

$0.74 ؋48.77

9.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹121

$0.70 ؋45.92

80.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 ₹57.8

$0.47 ؋30.95

27.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.85

$0.45 ؋29.46

-11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₹57.2

$0.43 ؋28.13

37.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 ₹40.30

$0.25 ؋16.46

68.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₹29.33

$0.36 ؋23.39

-16.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.76 ؋116

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ؋61.9

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ؋101

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 ₹373

$2.55 ؋168

51.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.17 ₹883

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ₹160

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 ₹242

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

$7.55 ₹727

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹21.12

$0.21 ؋13.80

4.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$2.87 ₹277

$9.94 ؋654

-71.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 ₹53.8

$1.69 ؋111

-66.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.54

$0.52 ؋34.44

-42.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 ₹192

$2.50 ؋164

-20.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₹118

$0.98 ؋64.4

25.51%

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

$15.5K ₹1.5M

$7,814 ؋513.6K

98.82%

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

$22.8K ₹2.2M

$31.9K ؋2.1M

-28.61%

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

$41.64 ₹4,009

$50.4 ؋3,310

-17.32%

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

$4.06 ₹391

$14.12 ؋928

-71.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.18 ₹691

$90.5 ؋5,949

-92.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.93 ₹1,534

$9.10 ؋598

75.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.45 ₹1,102

$3.83 ؋252

198.96%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 ₹384

$2.20 ؋145

81.36%

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

$43.39 ₹4,178

$18.59 ؋1,222

133.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,558 ₹150.0K

$1,453 ؋95.5K

7.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.22 ₹2,717

$9.12 ؋600

209.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.66 ₹2,952

$17.07 ؋1,122

79.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.15 ₹4,732

$32.63 ؋2,145

50.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.01 ₹3,082

$27.45 ؋1,805

16.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$160 ₹15.4K

$85.4 ؋5,614

86.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.5 ₹8,619

$57.7 ؋3,795

55.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 ₹37.1K

$198 ؋13.0K

94.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 ₹18.1K

$110 ؋7,199

71.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,161 ₹111.8K

$744 ؋48.9K

56.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$573 ₹55.2K

$407 ؋26.8K

40.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$373 ₹35.9K

$330 ؋21.7K

12.85%

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): July 14, 2026

Last update for Kabul: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $160 in Kolkata (Calcutta) and $85.4 in Kabul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kolkata (Calcutta) pays 13% 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: $11.00 in Kolkata (Calcutta) vs $11.00 in Kabul. Groceries flip the comparison at $114 vs $87.0, with Kabul cheaper for home cooking.

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 ($423 vs $417 including rent). Kabul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 13% 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: $160 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $85.4 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 246% less than in Kolkata (Calcutta). Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $43.39 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $18.59 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.