Kabul vs Herāt Cost of Living Comparison
Executive summary: Herāt leads on CPI (10.7 vs 16.2, NYC=100), Herāt leads on rent index, and Kabul leads on purchasing power. Validate neighbourhood rents before relocating — city-wide winners can reverse at district scale.
Overall Cost Winner
Herāt
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Housing (66% gap, Herāt ahead); Utilities (66% gap, Herāt ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $232 lower in Herāt than in Kabul (~65% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $232 (favoring Herāt).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Herāt | CPI 10.7 vs 16.2 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Herāt | Rent index 3.2 vs 9.4 (lower is better) |
| Food | Herāt | Groceries index 18.5 vs 25.9 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Herāt | One-way ticket 11.57 vs 19.69 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Herāt | Utilities (85m²) 448 vs 1316 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Herāt | Internet 641.9 vs 847.7 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Herāt | Restaurant index 9.6 vs 16 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Kabul | Avg net salary 58156 vs 43400 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Kabul | PP index 13.4 vs 10 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Housing: Herāt leads with a 66% gap.
Rent index 3.2 vs 9.4 (lower is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Herāt — Lower housing / rent index (66% gap).
- Families: Herāt — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Herāt; purchasing power favors Kabul.
- Remote Workers: Herāt — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Herāt (~34% gap).
- Budget Living: Herāt — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Herāt is the overall cost winner on CPI (~34% lower everyday-cost index than Kabul).
- Housing: Herāt leads on rent index (66% gap).
- Food / groceries: Herāt is lower (29% gap).
- Purchasing power: Kabul scores higher (25% gap).
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$232 cheaper in Herāt.
Analysis
Detailed breakdown uses only paired indices: CPI 16.2/10.7, rent 9.4/3.2, purchasing power 13.4/10. 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: 2026-08-24
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.