Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Afghanistan Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Afghanistan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,642 per month in Spain vs $237 in Afghanistan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,393 per month in Spain vs $329 in Afghanistan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,144 per month in Spain vs $420 in Afghanistan, rent included.

The cost of living in Spain is about 593% higher than in Afghanistan on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Spain sits 23% above the global median, while Afghanistan is 82% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Afghanistan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.46 €14.40
$2.18 ؋143
655.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$58.1 €50.8
$9.84 ؋647
490.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.59 €9.27
$3.53 ؋232
200.00%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.84 ؋187
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$7.13 ؋469
-
Cappuccino
$2.30 €2.01
$0.90 ؋59.0
155.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59 €2.26
$0.38 ؋25.14
581.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88 €1.65
$0.13 ؋8.49
1346.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.41 €2.98
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.97 €3.47
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Afghanistan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.18 €1.03
$0.71 ؋46.89
66.20%
White Bread (500g)
$1.54 €1.35
$0.21 ؋13.79
633.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.59 €1.39
$1.72 ؋113
-7.56%
Eggs
$3.05 €2.67
$1.60 ؋105
90.62%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.38 €12.58
$3.74 ؋246
284.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.46 €7.40
$3.41 ؋224
148.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.94 €13.95
$5.80 ؋381
174.83%
Apples (1kg)
$2.54 €2.22
$0.60 ؋39.74
323.33%
Banana (1kg)
$2.08 €1.82
$0.83 ؋54.4
150.60%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.02 €1.77
$0.75 ؋49.02
169.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.66 €2.32
$0.51 ؋33.64
421.57%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.59
$0.47 ؋30.59
287.23%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 €1.65
$0.40 ؋26.00
370.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.35 €1.18
$0.32 ؋21.24
321.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.75 €0.66
$0.30 ؋19.47
150.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$1.82 ؋120
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.69 ؋45.11
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.50 ؋98.9
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.35 €5.56
$2.19 ؋144
189.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.75 €5.03
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30 €1.14
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.85
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Afghanistan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.72 €1.50
$0.30 ؋19.88
473.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$35.11 €30.71
$12.08 ؋794
190.65%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.56 €3.99
$1.46 ؋95.8
212.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.30 €1.14
$0.64 ؋42.02
103.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.70 €23.36
$1.69 ؋111
1479.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.81 €1.58
$0.99 ؋64.9
82.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.2K €34.3K
$8,783 ؋577.3K
346.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.6K €26.8K
$35.5K ؋2.3M
-13.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Afghanistan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$153 €133
$74.7 ؋4,913
104.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.36 €17.82
$14.65 ؋963
38.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.00 €29.75
$148 ؋9,707
-76.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Afghanistan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.13 €42.11
$9.75 ؋641
393.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.14 €14.12
$3.32 ؋218
386.14%
Cinema Ticket
$9.37 €8.20
$2.43 ؋160
285.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Afghanistan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$520 €455
$23.76 ؋1,562
2088.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.2K €8,900
$1,445 ؋95.0K
604.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Afghanistan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.9 €75.2
$13.90 ؋914
518.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.75 €32.15
$19.40 ؋1,275
89.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.7 €80.2
$33.36 ؋2,193
174.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 €94.8
$29.07 ؋1,911
272.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Afghanistan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,043 €912
$81.9 ؋5,384
1173.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$834 €730
$53.1 ؋3,488
1471.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 €1,464
$182 ؋11.9K
821.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,223 €1,070
$103 ؋6,743
1092.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,158 €3,638
$606 ؋39.8K
586.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,629 €2,301
$341 ؋22.4K
670.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Afghanistan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,965 €1,719
$256 ؋16.8K
668.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.51
16.22
-78.36%

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

Last update for Spain: July 12, 2026

Last update for Afghanistan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $897 in Spain vs $38.00 in Afghanistan. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,607 in Madrid and $85.0 in Kabul.

Average salary: $1,989 in Spain vs $221 in Afghanistan. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 2261% higher in Spain.

Dining out costs 783% more in Spain.

Public transport is 371% more expensive in Spain.

Salaries are 800% higher in Spain, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Spain.

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
Spain vs Afghanistan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Afghanistan or Spain?
Afghanistan is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 545% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Afghanistan or in Spain?
Housing costs more in Spain, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Spain consistently has higher rents.
How do daily expenses compare in Afghanistan vs Spain?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Afghanistan, contributing to the overall 545% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Can you live in both Afghanistan and Spain on $800 per month?
$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Afghanistan, but in Spain it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Which country is better for expats: Afghanistan or Spain?
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.

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