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 $652 per month in Mazar-i-Sharif vs $567 in Herat, rent included.

A couple spends around $827 per month in Mazar-i-Sharif vs $732 in Herat, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,001 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 51% lower, Herat 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.18 ؋139

$2.10 ؋133

3.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.10 ؋895

$8.41 ؋534

67.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.28 ؋208

$3.88 ؋247

-15.46%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 ؋229

$2.14 ؋136

68.69%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.06 ؋448

$7.35 ؋467

-3.95%

Cappuccino

$1.15 ؋73.3

$0.73 ؋46.64

57.53%

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

$0.52 ؋33.20

$0.52 ؋33.01

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ؋15.70

$0.12 ؋7.62

108.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.55 ؋34.95

$0.48 ؋30.44

14.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 ؋12.48

$0.30 ؋19.18

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ؋99.2

$2.86 ؋181

-45.45%

Eggs

$1.55 ؋98.7

$2.01 ؋128

-22.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.11 ؋325

$2.80 ؋178

82.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 ؋235

$2.63 ؋167

40.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.26 ؋334

$5.58 ؋355

-5.73%

Apples (1kg)

$0.56 ؋35.62

$0.73 ؋46.55

-23.29%

Banana (1kg)

$0.94 ؋60.0

$0.69 ؋43.60

36.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.71 ؋45.34

$0.55 ؋34.91

29.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 ؋35.61

$0.60 ؋37.88

-6.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 ؋29.51

$0.60 ؋37.99

-23.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 ؋22.82

$0.35 ؋22.21

2.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 ؋26.05

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ؋17.57

$0.28 ؋17.72

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.87 ؋118

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 ؋28.54

$0.89 ؋56.6

-49.44%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 ؋71.6

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.18 ؋75.0

$1.82 ؋116

-35.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ؋30.42

$0.28 ؋17.73

71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.66 ؋1,375

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 ؋46.37

$2.12 ؋135

-65.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 ؋84.3

$1.37 ؋87.1

-2.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.40 ؋88.9

$4.41 ؋280

-68.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ؋70.7

$1.04 ؋66.1

6.73%

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

$9,996 ؋634.8K

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

$41.0K ؋2.6M

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

$110 ؋7,012

$183 ؋11.6K

-39.71%

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

$15.56 ؋988

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$290 ؋18.4K

$145 ؋9,184

100.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.90 ؋692

$14.34 ؋911

-23.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.52 ؋224

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 ؋269

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

$28.98 ؋1,840

$14.54 ؋923

99.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.20 ؋775

$21.37 ؋1,357

-42.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.81 ؋1,385

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$28.50 ؋1,810

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.29 ؋1,098

$36.23 ؋2,301

-52.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$85.0 ؋5,396

$70.7 ؋4,492

20.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$43.37 ؋2,754

$42.90 ؋2,725

1.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$146 ؋9,245

$114 ؋7,259

27.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.5 ؋4,478

$70.7 ؋4,487

-0.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$242 ؋15.4K

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Herat: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $85.0 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $70.7 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 $8.00 in Herat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $91.0 vs $84.0 – 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 $978 per month in Mazar-i-Sharif and $850 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 $652 in Mazar-i-Sharif and $567 in Herat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $28.98 per month in Mazar-i-Sharif and $14.54 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 $652 in Mazar-i-Sharif and $567 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.