Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Mazar-i-Sharif: $291 a month against $406 in Khost, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. The total is higher in Khost despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Khost
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Khost Living Index

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Mazar-i-Sharif

🇦🇫 Afghanistan

$291

/mo nomad

Khost

🇦🇫 Afghanistan

$406

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mazar-i-Sharif and in Khost

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mazar-i-Sharif and in Khost actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $291 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $406 in Khost.

Mazar-i-Sharif $291
Khost $406

Estimated couple costs with rent: $459 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $598 in Khost.

Mazar-i-Sharif $459
Khost $598

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $628 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $789 in Khost.

Mazar-i-Sharif $628
Khost $789

Living in Mazar-i-Sharif costs roughly 28% less than in Khost, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mazar-i-Sharif 79% lower, Khost 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.33 ؋152

$2.75 ؋178

-15.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.33 ؋995

$7.61 ؋494

101.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 ؋255

$4.55 ؋295

-13.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 ؋512

$2.36 ؋153

233.90%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.47 ؋485

$1.81 ؋117

312.71%

Cappuccino

$1.23 ؋79.7

$1.12 ؋72.5

9.82%

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

$0.54 ؋34.75

$0.49 ؋31.50

10.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ؋19.44

$0.16 ؋10.08

87.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.60 ؋39.02

$0.86 ؋55.9

-30.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.17 ؋10.77

$0.25 ؋16.35

-32.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 ؋136

$1.81 ؋117

16.02%

Eggs

$1.59 ؋103

$1.51 ؋97.8

5.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.58 ؋492

$4.47 ؋290

69.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.47 ؋226

$4.03 ؋262

-13.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.30 ؋409

$6.85 ؋445

-8.03%

Apples (1kg)

$0.55 ؋35.88

$0.69 ؋44.78

-20.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ؋72.7

$0.84 ؋54.2

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 ؋54.1

$0.90 ؋58.2

-7.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.61 ؋39.69

$0.54 ؋35.20

12.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 ؋30.95

$0.60 ؋39.25

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.41 ؋26.78

$0.51 ؋33.04

-19.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ؋36.47

$0.30 ؋19.69

86.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ؋19.41

$0.40 ؋25.89

-25.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.87 ؋122

$1.87 ؋121

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ؋51.4

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 ؋67.6

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.52 ؋98.8

$2.43 ؋158

-37.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 ؋49.06

$0.48 ؋31.04

58.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 ؋1,212

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ؋48.84

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ؋28.44

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ؋98.3

$2.29 ؋149

-34.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ؋98.7

$1.09 ؋70.9

39.45%

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

$10.1K ؋653.8K

$8,296 ؋538.7K

21.36%

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

$34.1K ؋2.2M

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

$81.5 ؋5,289

$42.62 ؋2,768

91.11%

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

$17.03 ؋1,106

$12.76 ؋829

33.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$95.8 ؋6,223

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.75 ؋763

$7.80 ؋507

50.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ؋246

$6.01 ؋390

-37.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.61 ؋299

$2.27 ؋148

103.08%

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

$76.8 ؋4,988

$20.43 ؋1,327

275.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,054 ؋68.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.11 ؋851

$10.71 ؋696

22.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.69 ؋1,019

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.4 ؋3,795

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$18.61 ؋1,209

$25.17 ؋1,635

-26.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$30.85 ؋2,003

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$15.63 ؋1,015

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.5 ؋4,967

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$46.93 ؋3,048

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$228 ؋14.8K

$188 ؋12.2K

21.68%

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: October 25, 2026

Last update for Khost: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mazar-i-Sharif

–

Khost

$151 37.3%

Groceries & Markets

Mazar-i-Sharif

–

Khost

$102 25.2%

Eating Out

Mazar-i-Sharif

–

Khost

$52 12.7%

Clothing & Footwear

Mazar-i-Sharif

–

Khost

$50 12.2%

Getting Around

Mazar-i-Sharif

–

Khost

$24 5.8%

Accommodation & Living

Mazar-i-Sharif

–

Khost

$16 3.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Mazar-i-Sharif

–

Khost

$12 3%

Cost Breakdown

Mazar-i-Sharif pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $15 in Mazar-i-Sharif vs $8 in Khost for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $105 vs $102 per month, with Khost cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇫 Mazar-i-Sharif

🇦🇫 Khost

🕒 Local time

12:34 12:34 PM

Same time as Mazar-i-Sharif

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

300,600

11,987

💱 Currency

Afghanistan Afghani AFN ؋

📈 Exchange rate

100 AFN = 1.54 USD

100 AFN = 1.38 EUR

100 AFN = 1.54 USD

100 AFN = 1.38 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Mazar-i-Sharif Khost 450 km

From you

Mazar-i-Sharif
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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

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

Mazar-i-Sharif is cheaper overall, especially in utilities, clothing, and transport. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 22% higher in Mazar-i-Sharif, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $77 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $20 in Khost. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Khost – a meal for two runs $8 versus $15 in Mazar-i-Sharif. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Mazar-i-Sharif gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.