Pakistan vs Afghanistan
Pakistan costs roughly 12% less than Afghanistan. Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.
Pakistan is approximately 12% less expensive than Afghanistan based on cost of living including rent. This makes Pakistan a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.
Pakistan has a FIRE Score of 100/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The country's safety index is 56.3, suggesting moderate safety levels.
Recommended profile: Pakistan is ideal for GeoArbitragers and remote workers looking to maximize savings.
About Pakistan
Safety is the dealbreaker here: a Level 3 US travel advisory, negative political stability score, and no retirement visa, though a digital nomad visa is available. Only extreme-budget FIRE seekers should push past that, since $354.50/mo covers living costs and a 1BR in the center runs just $135.85. Everyone else should treat the 4/10 ease-of-access score as a hard stop.
$2,510/mo
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About Afghanistan
Afghanistan is not suitable for any expat profile due to a US Travel Advisory Level 4 and nonexistent digital nomad or retirement visas. Its strongest advantage is extreme low cost: a one-bedroom apartment in the city center averages just $104.82/month, roughly 95% less than a typical US city. However, the key trade-off is severe political instability (score -2.21), a safety index of just 11.4 out of 100, and limited English-speaking doctors, making it unsafe and impractical for long-term residence.
$2,479/mo
Not sure which Afghanistan visa you qualify for?
Answer 11 questions and get a personalized match in under 2 minutes.
Living Costs (excl. rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness Scores
Country Details →Battle of Lifestyles
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| Metric | Pakistan | Afghanistan |
|---|---|---|
| Travel Advisory | Level 3: Reconsider Travel | Level 4: Do Not Travel |
| Quality of Life Index | 104.2 +75.8 | 28.4 |
| Healthcare Index | 59.3 +36.8 | 22.5 |
| Safety Index | 56.3 +44.9 | 11.4 |
| Cost of Living Index | 17.8 +2.1 | 19.9 |
| Living Costs (Single, excl. rent) | $354.5 +61.3 | $415.8 |
| Living Costs (Family, excl. rent) | $1,191.1 +123.4 | $1,314.5 |
| 1BR Apartment (Center) | $135.85 | $104.82 +31.03 |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside) | $75.93 +2.67 | $78.6 |
| 3BR Apartment (Center) | $309 | $194.69 +114.31 |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside) | $176.97 | $104.96 +72.01 |
| Avg Internet Speed | 15 Mbps | 17.38 Mbps +2.4 |
Expat taxes filed by specialists
Greenback Expat Tax handles US taxes for Americans living in Afghanistan. File confidently from abroad.
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Get a quote →Explore Afghanistan
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