Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Mazar-i-Sharif: $297 a month against $2,852 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $30,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

137

Cost of Living Index in Melbourne
Learn more

Melbourne Living Index
33

Cost of Living Index in Mazar-i-Sharif
Learn more

Mazar-i-Sharif Living Index

Jump to prices

Melbourne

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,852

/mo nomad

Mazar-i-Sharif

🇦🇫 Afghanistan

$297

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,852 in Melbourne versus $297 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Melbourne $2,852
Mazar-i-Sharif $297

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,297 in Melbourne versus $470 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Melbourne $4,297
Mazar-i-Sharif $470

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,742 in Melbourne versus $643 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Melbourne $5,742
Mazar-i-Sharif $643

Living in Melbourne is roughly 861% more expensive than in Mazar-i-Sharif, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Melbourne is 113% above, Mazar-i-Sharif is 78% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.75 A$25.40

$2.31 ؋149

668.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.8 A$121

$15.68 ؋1,015

441.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.16 A$17.40

$3.90 ؋252

211.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.53 ؋487

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.76 ؋503

Cappuccino

$3.93 A$5.62

$1.19 ؋77.3

230.25%

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

$3.14 A$4.49

$0.56 ؋36.07

460.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 A$3.47

$0.32 ؋20.97

659.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.90 A$14.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.29 A$11.86

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 A$2.21

$0.60 ؋38.87

158.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 A$4.31

$0.15 ؋9.41

1906.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 A$4.12

$2.15 ؋139

33.95%

Eggs

$5.44 A$7.79

$1.59 ؋103

242.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.59 A$15.16

$7.92 ؋513

33.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 A$13.76

$3.37 ؋218

185.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.99 A$21.46

$6.23 ؋404

140.61%

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 A$5.94

$0.59 ؋38.23

603.39%

Banana (1kg)

$3.05 A$4.37

$1.17 ؋76.0

160.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.72

$0.81 ؋52.6

307.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 A$6.81

$0.61 ؋39.57

680.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.04 A$4.34

$0.51 ؋33.06

496.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.65

$0.40 ؋25.83

537.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 A$3.55

$0.52 ؋33.75

376.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.33

$0.32 ؋20.76

409.37%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.82 ؋118

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$44.07 A$63.1

$1.56 ؋101

2725.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.43 A$17.79

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.63

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 A$7.38

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.84 A$5.50

$0.80 ؋52.0

380.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$203

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.40 A$6.29

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 A$2.01

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.83 A$42.69

$1.52 ؋98.7

1862.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.09

$1.49 ؋96.3

-2.01%

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

$28.1K A$40.3K

$9,933 ؋643.3K

183.35%

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

$25.9K A$37.1K

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

$233 A$333

$83.8 ؋5,425

177.76%

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

$27.28 A$39.04

$16.94 ؋1,097

61.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 A$81.6

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 A$75.4

$11.69 ؋757

350.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.62 A$32.37

$3.91 ؋253

478.52%

Cinema Ticket

$17.10 A$24.48

$4.72 ؋306

262.29%

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

$2,373 A$3,397

$78.1 ؋5,058

2938.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.5K A$43.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.2 A$112

$13.14 ؋851

495.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 A$72.2

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 A$172

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$191

$18.75 ؋1,214

610.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 A$2,451

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,402 A$2,006

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,339 A$4,778

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,529 A$3,619

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,018 A$10.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,767 A$9,685

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,228 A$6,051

$231 ؋15.0K

1731.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

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

Last update for Melbourne: October 6, 2026

Last update for Mazar-i-Sharif: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Melbourne

$1.4K 49.3%

Mazar-i-Sharif

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Melbourne

$385 13.5%

Mazar-i-Sharif

$106 36.2% 72.4% $279

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Melbourne

$317 11.1%

Mazar-i-Sharif

$101 * 34.3% 68.2% $216

Eating Out

Melbourne

$314 11%

Mazar-i-Sharif

$48 16.3% 84.7% $266

Clothing & Footwear

Melbourne

$172 6.1%

Mazar-i-Sharif

$14 * 4.9% 91.7% $158

Getting Around

Melbourne

$168 5.9%

Mazar-i-Sharif

$3.2 * 1.1% 98.1% $165

Sport & Entertainment

Melbourne

$87 3.1%

Mazar-i-Sharif

$21 7.2% 75.7% $66

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Melbourne pays 1731% 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: $85.0 in Melbourne vs $16.00 in Mazar-i-Sharif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $385 vs $106 per month, with Mazar-i-Sharif cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Melbourne

🇦🇫 Mazar-i-Sharif

🕒 Local time

21:42 9:42 PM

15:12 3:12 PM

6 h 30 min behind Melbourne

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,031,195

300,600

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

Afghanistan Afghani AFN ؋

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.699 USD

1 AUD = 0.624 EUR

100 AFN = 1.54 USD

100 AFN = 1.38 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AFN, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇺 Australian Dollar ($)

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.699 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.624 EUR).

Afghanistan Afghani exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 64.76 AFN (100 AFN = 1.54 USD). 1 EUR = 72.57 AFN (100 AFN = 1.38 EUR).

USD to AUD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Melbourne Mazar-i-Sharif 11,510 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Melbourne
Mazar-i-Sharif

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

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

Mazar-i-Sharif is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 861% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 1731% higher in Melbourne, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 262% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,852 per month in Melbourne versus $297 in Mazar-i-Sharif – a 861% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $297 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $2,852 in Melbourne, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mazar-i-Sharif but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Mazar-i-Sharif the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Melbourne and Mazar-i-Sharif are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mazar-i-Sharif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 861% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.