How Much Does It Cost to Travel in Afghanistan?

These are not guaranteed budgets. Visa fees, permits, long-distance transport and private car costs can change the total quickly, especially on multi-province routes.

In my experience, a guide usually starts around 30 USD/day with nothing or very little included. The real price depends on:

• City
• Language
• Route
• Group size
• Whether hotel or food is included
• Whether private car, driver and fuel are included
• Whether permits are handled

With a group, guide and private car costs are easier to split. Solo travellers usually pay much more per person if using a car.

If you book a guide with a car, make sure the car is decent and has working AC. Roads in Afghanistan can be rough, bumpy and uncomfortable, and driving can feel chaotic. A bad car or no AC can make long travel days much harder.

Hotels are one of the hardest costs to predict. Very cheap hotels can start around 500 AFN, but at that price you should expect low quality:

• Basic rooms
• Shared bathroom
• No hot water
• Weak water pressure
• Poor shower

More comfortable basic hotels can be around 1000-2000 AFN. Prices depend on city, quality, timing and negotiation.

Rule number one: negotiate. Never immediately accept the first hotel price. If a hotel asks for a high price, make a lower counteroffer. In my experience, hotel prices are often negotiable, especially in basic local hotels.

Eating local is cheap. A practical daily food budget is around 200-400 AFN/day if eating simple local meals.

• Kebab: around 100 AFN.
• Kabuli pulao / palaw: around 200 AFN.
• In very local spots, kebabs can sometimes be found for around 30-50 AFN.

Prices depend on whether you eat where locals eat or in more comfortable restaurants. Drinks and water can be cheap, but prices vary. Travelling with a local or guide can make it easier to find cheaper local places.

Long-distance transport

• Kabul to Mazar-i-Sharif shared taxi: around 1300 AFN.
• Kunduz to Kabul big bus: around 1100 AFN.
• Prices can change depending on road conditions, timing, vehicle and negotiation.

City transport

• Shared taxis inside cities are usually around 20-40 AFN.
• Many shared taxis are not easy to understand without local help because routes are not obvious.
• Cities like Mazar-i-Sharif and Kunduz also have tuk-tuks, which can be cheap for short taxi rides.
• If using shared taxis, having small notes ready helps avoid confusion.

Shared taxis are the cheapest way to move around, but can be confusing for foreigners.

Permits or local permissions can be required depending on province, route and current rules. In my experience and recent traveller notes, around 1000 AFN per province is a useful estimate for some places.

This can add up quickly if visiting multiple provinces. Costs may vary by city or province and can change. Some places may be free or cheaper at certain times, but do not assume this everywhere.

Permits are one reason a good local contact or guide can be helpful. Do not treat 1000 AFN as an official national fixed price.

Local SIM cards can cost around 400-1000 AFN depending on package and data. Some shops require documents, while others may be more relaxed, but travellers should be ready to show a passport or ID.

Internet works okay in cities, but do not expect amazing speed or reliable coverage everywhere. Coverage can drop on roads and in remote areas.

Visa cost depends on where and how you enter. Reported costs as of June 2026 include:

• Shir Khan border visa on arrival: reported around 100 USD.
• Termez urgent/express visa: reported around 130 USD.

Verify before travelling. For more detail, read the Shir Khan border guide and the Termez visa guide.

Bring enough cash. USD is useful for visas, guides and bigger costs, while AFN is needed for hotels, food, taxis and daily spending.

Small notes are important. Do not rely on card payments or easy ATM access. If crossing by land, bring enough money before entering Afghanistan.

Yes and no.

Food and public or shared transport can be cheap. Hotels can be cheap if you accept low comfort and negotiate.

But Afghanistan gets expensive when you add permits, guides, private cars, fuel, better hotels, visa fees and multi-province trips. The biggest cost difference is guide/private car vs public transport.

• Not negotiating hotel prices.
• Underestimating permit costs.
• Assuming the guide price includes car, hotel or food.
• Booking a car without checking if it has AC.
• Not bringing enough cash.
• Expecting strong internet everywhere.
• Assuming shared taxis are easy to navigate without local help.
• Forgetting that solo private car travel is much more expensive than group travel.