Cairo vs Kabul Cost of Living Comparison
Executive summary: Kabul leads on CPI (16.2 vs 16.5, NYC=100), Cairo leads on rent index, and Cairo 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: Transport (61% gap, Cairo ahead); Utilities (46% gap, Cairo ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $0 lower in Kabul than in Cairo (~0% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $0 (favoring Kabul).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Kabul | CPI 16.2 vs 16.5 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Cairo | Rent index 9.4 vs 9.4 (lower is better) |
| Food | Cairo | Groceries index 24.2 vs 25.9 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Cairo | One-way ticket 12.25 vs 19.69 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Cairo | Utilities (85m²) 902.4 vs 1316 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Cairo | Internet 591.36 vs 847.7 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Kabul | Restaurant index 16 vs 17.1 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Cairo | Avg net salary 66662.4 vs 58156 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Cairo | PP index 22.4 vs 13.4 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Transport: Cairo leads with a 61% gap.
One-way ticket 12.25 vs 19.69 (lower is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Cairo — Lower housing / rent index (0% gap).
- Families: Cairo — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Cairo; purchasing power favors Cairo.
- Remote Workers: Kabul — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Kabul (~2% gap).
- Budget Living: Kabul — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Kabul is the overall cost winner on CPI (~2% lower everyday-cost index than Cairo).
- Housing: Cairo leads on rent index (0% gap).
- Food / groceries: Cairo is lower (7% gap).
- Purchasing power: Cairo scores higher (40% gap).
- Largest category gap: Transport (61%), favoring Cairo.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$0 cheaper in Kabul.
Analysis
Detailed breakdown uses only paired indices: CPI 16.5/16.2, rent 9.4/9.4, purchasing power 22.4/13.4. 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: 2026-08-21
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.