Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Afghanistan

For one person, living is cheaper in Afghanistan: $551 a month against $1,822 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $15,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Seoul
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,822
/mo nomad
🇦🇫 Afghanistan
$551
/mo nomad
😐 Solo nomad: Seoul is 136.5% more expensive than Afghanistan without rent, and 230.4% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Seoul is 224.5% more expensive than Afghanistan without rent, and 316.3% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Seoul
Afghanistan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.10 ₩12.2K
$2.35 ؋152
287.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.0 ₩89.8K
$10.67 ؋691
528.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.42 ₩9,941
$3.86 ؋250
92.23%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.11 ؋137
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$7.74 ؋501
-
Cappuccino
$4.08 ₩5,470
$1.02 ؋66.4
300.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 ₩2,141
$0.45 ؋28.93
255.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80 ₩1,078
$0.19 ؋12.01
321.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.65 ₩4,886
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.94 ₩7,956
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seoul
Afghanistan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.05 ₩2,742
$0.79 ؋51.3
159.49%
White Bread (500g)
$3.08 ₩4,130
$0.28 ؋18.17
1000.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.21 ₩5,646
$1.94 ؋126
117.01%
Eggs
$3.57 ₩4,784
$1.59 ؋103
124.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.95 ₩24.1K
$4.73 ؋306
279.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.64 ₩14.3K
$3.85 ؋249
176.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$26.44 ₩35.4K
$6.72 ؋435
293.45%
Apples (1kg)
$7.42 ₩9,946
$0.69 ؋44.50
975.36%
Banana (1kg)
$3.53 ₩4,732
$0.93 ؋60.0
279.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.87 ₩7,866
$1.03 ؋66.5
469.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.37 ₩8,534
$0.53 ؋34.53
1101.89%
Potato (1kg)
$3.75 ₩5,028
$0.55 ؋35.89
581.82%
Onion (1kg)
$2.49 ₩3,337
$0.41 ؋26.32
507.32%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.92 ₩3,911
$0.40 ؋25.72
630.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 ₩1,542
$0.34 ؋22.25
238.24%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$1.82 ؋118
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.74 ؋47.89
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.02 ؋66.3
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.29 ₩4,408
$2.29 ؋148
43.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.49 ₩24.8K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.28 ₩3,057
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.28 ₩4,398
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Seoul
Afghanistan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.14 ₩1,526
$0.30 ؋19.34
280.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$45.47 ₩60.9K
$14.43 ؋934
215.11%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.48 ₩4,663
$1.49 ؋96.8
133.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.60 ₩803
$0.48 ؋31.04
25.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.70 ₩11.7K
$1.73 ؋112
402.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.50 ₩2,004
$1.11 ؋71.6
35.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.1K ₩39.0M
$8,439 ؋546.5K
245.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K ₩37.8M
$34.2K ؋2.2M
-17.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seoul
Afghanistan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$209 ₩279.9K
$57.5 ؋3,724
263.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.13 ₩47.1K
$13.64 ؋884
157.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.18 ₩28.4K
$163 ؋10.6K
-87.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seoul
Afghanistan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.3 ₩76.8K
$10.68 ؋692
436.80%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.89 ₩21.3K
$4.03 ؋261
294.29%
Cinema Ticket
$11.33 ₩15.2K
$2.57 ؋166
340.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seoul
Afghanistan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,902 ₩2.5M
$20.21 ؋1,309
9312.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.5K ₩30.2M
$1,302 ؋84.3K
1629.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seoul
Afghanistan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.9 ₩78.9K
$13.25 ؋858
344.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.12 ₩43.0K
$18.30 ؋1,185
75.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$70.1 ₩94.0K
$43.65 ؋2,827
60.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$82.5 ₩110.5K
$32.51 ؋2,105
153.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seoul
Afghanistan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$885 ₩1.2M
$115 ؋7,464
667.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$624 ₩835.5K
$89.7 ؋5,810
595.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,494 ₩3.3M
$196 ؋12.7K
1170.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,275 ₩1.7M
$111 ؋7,217
1043.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$29.8K ₩40.0M
$652 ؋42.2K
4479.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$11.8K ₩15.9M
$351 ؋22.7K
3277.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seoul
Afghanistan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,649 ₩4.9M
$259 ؋16.8K
1308.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.08
18.22
-77.61%

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

Last update for Seoul: October 4, 2026

Last update for Afghanistan: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Seoul
$624
Afghanistan
$90 85.6% $534
Groceries & Markets
Seoul
$479
Afghanistan
$102 78.6% $377
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seoul
$265
Afghanistan
$235 11.6% $31
Eating Out
Seoul
$184
Afghanistan
$45 75.4% $139
Clothing & Footwear
Seoul
$110
Afghanistan
$48 55.8% $61
Sport & Entertainment
Seoul
$80
Afghanistan
$16 80.2% $64
Getting Around
Seoul
$57
Afghanistan
$20 65.5% $37
Good to know
🇰🇷 Seoul
🇦🇫 Afghanistan
🕒 Local time
17:45 5:45 PM
13:15 1:15 PM
4 h 30 min behind Seoul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,509,458 Capital
41,454,761
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

AFN, USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,340 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,503 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.65 EUR).

Afghanistan Afghani exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 64.76 AFN (100 AFN = 1.54 USD). 1 EUR = 72.64 AFN (100 AFN = 1.38 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Seoul Afghanistan 5,120 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Seoul
  • Afghanistan

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.
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