Costs in Afghanistan

Official cost measurement in Afghanistan is fragmented. There is no documented national body that publishes a general household-cost flat rate or a complete current price list. For comparisons, the minimum expenditure basket (MEB), price data from the National Statistics and Information Authority (NSIA), market observations by WFP and FAO, and information from local providers can be combined. The available price benchmarks were assessed on September 4, 2026, using data through July 2026. For October 2025, the MEB for a seven-person household consisted of approximately USD 86 for food, USD 56 for health, USD 71 for housing and basic utilities, USD 25 for water, sanitation and hygiene, USD 14 for education, USD 10 for transport and USD 6 for communication. Including a buffer of USD 27, this produced a reference value of USD 295 per month. Assumed household income was USD 125, leaving a calculated gap of USD 170. This humanitarian reference value is not a general national household standard and does not establish a legal entitlement. Prices vary by type of good and location. In July 2026, overall consumer prices changed by 0 percent from the previous month and by 7.5 percent from the same month of the previous year. Food prices rose by 7.0 percent year on year, housing by 13.1 percent, health by 19.2 percent and transport by 8.2 percent. The exchange rate was approximately AFN 65.9 per USD. AFN amounts therefore always need a location and date; converting them into USD does not replace a comparison of local purchasing power. Housing costs include rent, deposits, repairs, fuel, housing quality, climate, security and occupancy. In Kabul and other larger cities, the arrival of returning people increases pressure on rents and affordability. In rural areas, households may live in their own homes, with relatives or under an informal arrangement. The actual burden depends on the property, location, household size and time of negotiation. Electricity costs depend, among other things, on the tariff of the electricity utility (Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat), consumption and grid availability. DABS may require an identity document and proof of ownership or right of use for a new connection. DABS is responsible up to the meter box; from there, the customer is responsible for the household installation. After more than two outstanding meter-reading periods, disconnection may occur. Because the electricity grid is not reliably available everywhere, additional costs arise for generators, solar systems, fuel or seasonal heating. Water, wastewater, waste and hygiene are organized differently depending on the location. The MEB allowed USD 25 per month for these items. In systems measured collectively, a local council (Shura) or a local community often manages the system. Local examples are AFN 15 per 1,000 liters in Sorobi and AFN 100 to 150 per household per month in Nuristan; these figures cannot be used to derive a nationwide tariff. In 2025, approximately 31 percent of the population lacked access to basic drinking-water services, and about 25 percent of households used an unimproved water source. In addition to the monetary amount, there may be time, transport and consequential health costs. Food is the largest ongoing need for almost all households. The price of wheat flour and other staple foods depends, among other things, on imports, exchange rates, border and trade routes, harvests, drought and the season. In July 2026, bread and cereal prices rose by 1.4 percent month on month and by 12.6 percent year on year; the overall food group fell by 0.3 percent from the previous month. Market access, own cultivation, rationing and food assistance change actual needs. Mobility costs depend on the route and access and may include shared taxis, taxis, buses, motorcycles or necessary walking. The MEB allowed USD 10 per month for this. In July 2026, transport prices rose by 6.4 percent from the previous month and by 8.2 percent from the previous year. Trips to a market, school or health facility can become significantly more expensive in rural areas and in bad weather, security problems or situations involving gender-related access restrictions. Health expenses include not only treatment but also diagnostics, medicines, medical devices, transport, an accompanying person, accommodation and time. According to the National Health Account, households paid approximately 78 percent of health expenditure themselves in 2022; more than 80 percent of these household expenditures went to diagnostics and medical products. Public facilities, private providers, pharmacies and traditional healers differ in price, availability and regional access. Grades 1 through 9 are considered free and compulsory under the national education law (Education Law 1387/2008). Nevertheless, expenses arise for writing materials, uniforms, snacks, transport, certificates, examinations or private tutoring. The MEB allowed USD 14 per month for education and included snacks and writing materials. According to the UNICEF education management information system (UNICEF-EMIS) 2024, 81 percent of public schools had no electricity. Distance, poverty, displacement and restricted access for girls from grade 6 onward can create additional transport, care, learning and opportunity costs. Other household expenses include childcare, pregnancy and childbirth, care for people with disabilities or older relatives, weddings, funerals, and money or in-kind support within the family. In Afghanistan, this support is often organized within families or communities and does not follow a uniform national cost plan. Hawala and other transfer fees are concrete payment costs that belong in the budget, while banks, debt and taxes are relevant only insofar as they change expenditure. Communication includes prepaid SIM cards, calls, mobile data, fixed-line services and top-ups. Current provider examples included 1 GB for AFN 95 and 35 GB for AFN 1,499 per 30 days from Atoma; Roshan Tez-Net cost AFN 5,000 per month for 4 Mbit/s and AFN 9,000 for 10 Mbit/s. Prices, network coverage and outages depend on the provider and location. Women and girls may have less access to phones or the internet, which can increase information and access costs. Leisure generally has lower priority in particularly vulnerable households than food, housing, energy and health. Social visits, weddings, sport, media and local outings nevertheless remain possible expenses and depend on security, norms, gender and the season. For household planning, fixed, variable, seasonal and unexpected expenses should be separated: rent and deposits, electricity and fuel, water, food, mobility, medicines, education, communication, family obligations, and repair and emergency reserves. The financial burden of a service consists of money, time, distance, security, availability, documents and possible community contributions; free or subsidized therefore does not automatically mean cost-free.