New Delhi vs Kabul Cost of Living Comparison
Takeaway for New Delhi vs Kabul: everyday costs favor Kabul (~16% CPI gap), housing index favors New Delhi, wage stretch favors New Delhi. Use category winners, not a single headline, when the binding constraint is rent or income.
Overall Cost Winner
Kabul
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Purchasing Power (78% gap, New Delhi ahead); Utilities (59% gap, Kabul ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $47 lower in Kabul than in New Delhi (~11% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $47 (favoring Kabul).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Kabul | CPI 16.2 vs 19.2 (lower is better) |
| Housing | New Delhi | Rent index 9 vs 9.4 (lower is better) |
| Food | New Delhi | Groceries index 23.5 vs 25.9 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Kabul | One-way ticket 19.69 vs 30 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Kabul | Utilities (85m²) 1316 vs 3200 (lower is better) |
| Internet | New Delhi | Internet 750 vs 847.7 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Kabul | Restaurant index 16 vs 17.5 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Kabul | Avg net salary 58156 vs 58000 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | New Delhi | PP index 62 vs 13.4 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Purchasing Power: New Delhi leads with a 78% gap.
PP index 62 vs 13.4 (higher is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: New Delhi — Lower housing / rent index (4% gap).
- Families: New Delhi — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors New Delhi; purchasing power favors New Delhi.
- Remote Workers: Kabul — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Kabul (~16% gap).
- Budget Living: Kabul — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Kabul is the overall cost winner on CPI (~16% lower everyday-cost index than New Delhi).
- Housing: New Delhi leads on rent index (4% gap).
- Food / groceries: New Delhi is lower (10% gap).
- Purchasing power: New Delhi scores higher (78% gap).
- Largest category gap: Purchasing Power (78%), favoring New Delhi.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$47 cheaper in Kabul.
Analysis
New Delhi versus Kabul is not a single number. With a 16% CPI spread, groceries and services tend to move with Kabul, while housing follows New Delhi's rent index. Purchasing power (62 vs 13.4) decides whether local wages offset local prices.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-27
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Real
- Regional
On-page labels for this view: Real · 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.