Amsterdam vs Kabul Cost of Living Comparison
Executive summary: Kabul leads on CPI (16.2 vs 75.9, NYC=100), Kabul leads on rent index, and Amsterdam leads on purchasing power. Validate neighbourhood rents before relocating — city-wide winners can reverse at district scale.
Overall Cost Winner
Kabul
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Internet (1358% gap, Amsterdam ahead); Utilities (1342% gap, Amsterdam ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $1,538 lower in Kabul than in Amsterdam (~81% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $1,538 (favoring Kabul).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Kabul | CPI 16.2 vs 75.9 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Kabul | Rent index 9.4 vs 49.6 (lower is better) |
| Food | Kabul | Groceries index 25.9 vs 66.1 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Amsterdam | One-way ticket 1.82 vs 19.69 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Amsterdam | Utilities (85m²) 91.26 vs 1316 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Amsterdam | Internet 58.15 vs 847.7 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Kabul | Restaurant index 16 vs 77 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Kabul | Avg net salary 58156 vs 6131.8 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Amsterdam | PP index 107.5 vs 13.4 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Internet: Amsterdam leads with a 1358% gap.
Internet 58.15 vs 847.7 (lower is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Kabul — Lower housing / rent index (81% gap).
- Families: Kabul — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Kabul; purchasing power favors Amsterdam.
- Remote Workers: Kabul — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Kabul (~79% gap).
- Budget Living: Kabul — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Kabul is the overall cost winner on CPI (~79% lower everyday-cost index than Amsterdam).
- Housing: Kabul leads on rent index (81% gap).
- Food / groceries: Kabul is lower (61% gap).
- Purchasing power: Amsterdam scores higher (88% gap).
- Largest category gap: Internet (1358%), favoring Amsterdam.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$1,538 cheaper in Kabul.
Analysis
Detailed breakdown uses only paired indices: CPI 75.9/16.2, rent 49.6/9.4, purchasing power 107.5/13.4. Category winners can diverge — a city may win rent while losing CPI. No GDP, climate, or industry claims are invented for either city.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-22
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Regional
- Regional
On-page labels for this view: Regional · Regional.
Methodology
Each indexed city is associated with a reference basket of common living costs (for example rent, groceries samples, transport tickets, utilities, restaurant meals, and net salary where available). From those items, the platform derives relative indices such as CPI, rent, groceries, restaurants, and local purchasing power, using New York City = 100 as the familiar baseline convention for relative comparison.