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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $668 per month in Mazar-i-Sharif vs $579 in Herat, rent included.

A couple spends around $844 per month in Mazar-i-Sharif vs $738 in Herat, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,020 per month in Mazar-i-Sharif vs $898 in Herat, rent included.

Mazar-i-Sharif costs about 15% more than Herat, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Mazar-i-Sharif and Herat are more affordable than the global median – Mazar-i-Sharif 50% lower, Herat 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.22 ؋146

$2.12 ؋140

4.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.21 ؋934

$8.82 ؋580

61.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.32 ؋218

$3.93 ؋258

-15.52%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 ؋236

$2.11 ؋138

70.14%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 ؋470

$7.29 ؋479

-1.92%

Cappuccino

$1.11 ؋73.2

$0.69 ؋45.39

60.87%

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

$0.52 ؋34.48

$0.52 ؋34.30

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ؋17.88

$0.14 ؋9.52

92.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.55 ؋36.05

$0.48 ؋31.71

14.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 ؋13.08

$0.30 ؋19.88

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ؋107

$2.93 ؋192

-44.71%

Eggs

$1.60 ؋105

$2.05 ؋135

-21.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.05 ؋332

$2.88 ؋190

75.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 ؋242

$2.64 ؋174

39.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.45 ؋359

$5.79 ؋381

-5.87%

Apples (1kg)

$0.54 ؋35.44

$0.70 ؋45.85

-22.86%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 ؋61.0

$0.69 ؋45.41

34.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 ؋48.39

$0.59 ؋38.62

25.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 ؋37.45

$0.54 ؋35.76

5.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 ؋30.48

$0.59 ؋38.48

-22.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.39 ؋25.34

$0.34 ؋22.55

14.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 ؋25.35

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ؋18.31

$0.30 ؋19.94

-6.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.78 ؋117

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 ؋26.91

$0.91 ؋59.7

-54.95%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 ؋77.5

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.17 ؋76.7

$1.84 ؋121

-36.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ؋34.47

$0.28 ؋18.25

85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.27 ؋1,398

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 ؋46.12

$2.11 ؋138

-66.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 ؋90.2

$1.32 ؋86.7

3.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ؋92.5

$4.36 ؋286

-67.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ؋75.3

$1.00 ؋65.6

15.00%

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

$10.0K ؋660.6K

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

$40.0K ؋2.6M

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

$109 ؋7,151

$187 ؋12.3K

-41.70%

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

$15.86 ؋1,042

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$282 ؋18.5K

$146 ؋9,580

93.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.88 ؋715

$14.48 ؋952

-24.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.53 ؋232

Cinema Ticket

$4.38 ؋288

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

$28.45 ؋1,870

$14.14 ؋929

101.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.03 ؋791

$21.30 ؋1,400

-43.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.58 ؋1,418

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.22 ؋1,921

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.09 ؋1,123

$35.49 ؋2,333

-51.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$85.2 ؋5,600

$72.1 ؋4,736

18.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$43.01 ؋2,827

$42.44 ؋2,790

1.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$145 ؋9,558

$117 ؋7,674

24.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.8 ؋4,652

$72.2 ؋4,745

-1.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$229 ؋15.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Mazar-i-Sharif: July 12, 2026

Last update for Herat: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $85.2 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $72.1 in Herat. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $9.00 in Herat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $91.0 vs $86.0 – making Herat the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Mazar-i-Sharif vs Herat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mazar-i-Sharif is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,002 per month in Mazar-i-Sharif and $869 in Herat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Herat, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $668 in Mazar-i-Sharif and $579 in Herat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $28.45 per month in Mazar-i-Sharif and $14.14 in Herat. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $668 in Mazar-i-Sharif and $579 in Herat, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Herat – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Herat. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mazar-i-Sharif makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.