Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kolkata (Calcutta) and Kabul

For one person, living is cheaper in Kolkata (Calcutta): $434 a month against $504 in Kabul, rent and utilities included – about $840 less a year. The total is higher in Kabul despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Kolkata (Calcutta)
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Kolkata (Calcutta) Living Index
24

Cost of Living Index in Kabul
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Kabul Living Index

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Kolkata (Calcutta)

🇮🇳 India

$434

/mo nomad

Kabul

🇦🇫 Afghanistan

$504

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kolkata (Calcutta) and in Kabul

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kolkata (Calcutta) and in Kabul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $434 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $504 in Kabul.

Kolkata (Calcutta) $434
Kabul $504

Estimated couple costs with rent: $691 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $683 in Kabul.

Kolkata (Calcutta) $691
Kabul $683

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $948 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $862 in Kabul.

Kolkata (Calcutta) $948
Kabul $862

Living in Kolkata (Calcutta) costs roughly 14% less than in Kabul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kolkata (Calcutta) 68% lower, Kabul 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ₹198

$2.70 ؋175

-22.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.98 ₹1,331

$7.75 ؋503

80.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.15 ₹396

$4.68 ؋304

-11.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 ؋151

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ؋123

Cappuccino

$1.66 ₹158

$1.12 ؋72.4

48.21%

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

$0.45 ₹42.81

$0.48 ؋31.20

-6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 ₹11.15

$0.13 ؋8.66

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 ₹185

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 ₹286

Milk (1 liter)

$0.67 ₹63.6

$0.82 ؋53.3

-18.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 ₹47.66

$0.25 ؋16.30

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 ₹70.4

$1.79 ؋116

-58.66%

Eggs

$1.08 ₹103

$1.57 ؋102

-31.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.20 ₹495

$4.39 ؋285

18.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.00 ₹286

$3.89 ؋252

-22.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.68 ؋434

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 ₹230

$0.68 ؋44.41

255.88%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.2

$0.84 ؋54.7

-3.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 ₹130

$0.94 ؋61.3

44.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 ₹62.7

$0.55 ؋35.88

20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 ₹28.74

$0.61 ؋39.33

-50.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 ₹44.96

$0.48 ؋30.95

-2.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 ₹29.09

$0.30 ؋19.61

3.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₹26.90

$0.39 ؋25.52

-28.21%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.81 ؋117

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ؋48.44

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 ؋68.7

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.10 ₹485

$2.43 ؋158

109.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.36 ₹986

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₹168

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₹268

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

$7.01 ₹668

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 ₹16.71

$0.16 ؋10.14

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.12 ₹297

$20.62 ؋1,339

-84.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₹76.9

$2.04 ؋132

-60.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ₹29.28

$0.48 ؋31.24

-35.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 ₹153

$2.75 ؋178

-41.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₹105

$1.08 ؋70.1

1.85%

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

$13.1K ₹1.3M

$8,581 ؋557.2K

53.17%

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

$23.3K ₹2.2M

$33.9K ؋2.2M

-31.42%

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

$52.5 ₹5,001

$42.52 ؋2,761

23.52%

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

$5.16 ₹492

$13.17 ؋855

-60.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.36 ₹701

$95.5 ؋6,201

-92.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.76 ₹1,500

$11.01 ؋715

43.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.45 ₹1,091

$4.01 ؋260

185.54%

Cinema Ticket

$3.19 ₹304

$2.29 ؋149

39.30%

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

$43.26 ₹4,119

$19.86 ؋1,290

117.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,997 ₹190.2K

$1,052 ؋68.3K

89.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.19 ₹2,589

$10.53 ؋684

158.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.01 ₹2,477

$16.26 ؋1,056

59.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.95 ₹3,423

$58.5 ؋3,798

-38.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.01 ₹2,762

$24.87 ؋1,615

16.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 ₹15.9K

$122 ؋7,935

36.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$103 ₹9,830

$110 ؋7,173

-6.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 ₹37.3K

$220 ؋14.3K

77.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ₹22.9K

$114 ؋7,434

110.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,097 ₹104.5K

$669 ؋43.5K

63.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$612 ₹58.2K

$355 ؋23.0K

72.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$379 ₹36.1K

$339 ؋22.0K

11.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.08

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

Last update for Kolkata (Calcutta): October 26, 2026

Last update for Kabul: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$117 27%

Kabul

$101 19.9% 14% $16

Accommodation & Living

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$103 23.8%

Kabul

$110 21.9% 7% $7.2

Eating Out

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$67 15.5%

Kabul

$51 10.2% 23.3% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$65 15%

Kabul

$151 30% 133% $86

Clothing & Footwear

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$53 12.3%

Kabul

$50 9.8% 6.8% $3.6

Sport & Entertainment

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$22 5.1%

Kabul

$16 3.1% 29.6% $6.6

Getting Around

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$6.2 1.4%

Kabul

$26 5.1% 316% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $167 in Kolkata (Calcutta) and $122 in Kabul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kolkata (Calcutta) pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $14 in Kolkata (Calcutta) vs $8 in Kabul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $117 vs $101 per month, with Kabul cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇳 Kolkata (Calcutta)

🇦🇫 Kabul

🕒 Local time

01:58 1:58 AM

00:58 12:58 AM

1 h behind Kolkata (Calcutta)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,486,679

3,289,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Indian Rupee INR ₹

Afghanistan Afghani AFN ؋

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 INR = 10.5 USD

1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR

100 AFN = 1.54 USD

100 AFN = 1.38 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AFN, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇳 Indian Rupee (₹)

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 95.22 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR).

Afghanistan Afghani exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 64.94 AFN (100 AFN = 1.54 USD). 1 EUR = 72.29 AFN (100 AFN = 1.38 EUR).

USD to INR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Kolkata (Calcutta) Kabul 2,290 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Kolkata (Calcutta)
Kabul

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Total monthly costs including rent come to $434 in Kolkata (Calcutta) and $504 in Kabul, so Kolkata (Calcutta) is about 14% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 12% 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: $167 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $122 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 85% less than in Kabul. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $43 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $19.86 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.