Cost of Living Comparison Between Pakistan and Afghanistan Cost of Living Comparison Between Pakistan and Afghanistan

Name: Afghanistan
Address: AF

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $391 per month in Pakistan vs $236 in Afghanistan, rent included.

A couple spends around $592 per month in Pakistan vs $328 in Afghanistan, rent included.

A family of three spends $793 per month in Pakistan vs $419 in Afghanistan, rent included.

The cost of living in Pakistan is about 66% higher than in Afghanistan on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Pakistan and Afghanistan are more affordable than the global median – Pakistan 71% lower, Afghanistan 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.74 PKR 484

$2.20 ؋142

-20.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.35 PKR 3,434

$9.90 ؋637

24.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 PKR 1,145

$3.52 ؋227

17.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 486

$2.82 ؋182

-37.94%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 PKR 1,126

$7.02 ؋452

-42.31%

Cappuccino

$1.73 PKR 480

$0.94 ؋60.6

84.04%

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

$0.34 PKR 94.5

$0.38 ؋24.59

-10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.2

$0.14 ؋8.73

64.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 PKR 225

$0.76 ؋49.06

6.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 PKR 165

$0.21 ؋13.47

180.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 336

$1.73 ؋112

-30.06%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 335

$1.55 ؋99.6

-21.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.75 PKR 1,598

$3.66 ؋235

57.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.97 PKR 827

$3.28 ؋211

-9.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.28 PKR 1,189

$5.81 ؋374

-26.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 PKR 278

$0.60 ؋38.74

66.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.65 PKR 182

$0.84 ؋53.8

-22.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 PKR 214

$0.70 ؋44.92

10.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 137

$0.47 ؋30.21

4.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.43 ؋27.99

-11.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 135

$0.36 ؋23.43

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.32 ؋20.90

18.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 99.7

$0.30 ؋19.22

20.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.97 PKR 547

$1.94 ؋125

1.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 PKR 308

$0.74 ؋47.46

50.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 PKR 574

$1.45 ؋93.4

42.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.04 PKR 568

$2.17 ؋139

-5.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.72

$0.30 ؋19.39

-43.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.03 PKR 1,954

$12.20 ؋785

-42.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 PKR 254

$1.46 ؋93.9

-37.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 PKR 143

$0.68 ؋43.88

-23.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 PKR 486

$1.76 ؋113

-0.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 PKR 251

$0.99 ؋63.7

-9.09%

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

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

$8,575 ؋551.7K

104.44%

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

$23.9K PKR 6.6M

$36.2K ؋2.3M

-33.91%

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

$111 PKR 31.0K

$76.0 ؋4,891

46.53%

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

$4.51 PKR 1,255

$14.45 ؋929

-68.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.47 PKR 4,300

$152 ؋9,751

-89.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.94 PKR 3,596

$9.50 ؋611

36.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.95 PKR 2,487

$3.22 ؋207

177.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 PKR 1,153

$2.51 ؋162

65.34%

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

$39.41 PKR 11.0K

$23.27 ؋1,497

69.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,155 PKR 321.1K

$1,459 ؋93.9K

-20.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.48 PKR 4,302

$14.22 ؋915

8.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.74 PKR 6,600

$20.02 ؋1,288

18.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 PKR 20.2K

$33.11 ؋2,130

119.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.66 PKR 9,080

$29.82 ؋1,919

9.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$112 PKR 31.0K

$82.4 ؋5,303

35.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.7 PKR 18.5K

$51.7 ؋3,328

28.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 PKR 75.6K

$187 ؋12.0K

45.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$166 PKR 46.2K

$102 ؋6,549

63.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$960 PKR 266.9K

$613 ؋39.5K

56.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$515 PKR 143.3K

$342 ؋22.0K

50.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$186 PKR 51.7K

$268 ؋17.3K

-30.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.97

16.22

16.95%

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

Last update for Pakistan: June 15, 2026

Last update for Afghanistan: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $77.0 in Pakistan vs $38.00 in Afghanistan. For reference, capital cities sit at $197 in Islamabad and $86.0 in Kabul.

Average salary: $183 in Pakistan vs $237 in Afghanistan. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 103% higher in Pakistan.

Dining out costs 57% more in Pakistan.

Salaries are 30% higher in Afghanistan, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Afghanistan.

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

Pakistan vs Afghanistan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Afghanistan is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 24% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Pakistan, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Pakistan consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Afghanistan, contributing to the overall 24% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Afghanistan, but in Pakistan it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Afghanistan is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.