Afghanistan Travel Costs

What's in this guide?

1. Tourist Visa Prices and Permit Fees: Costs for visas and permits.

2. Changing Money: Afghanistan currency exchange rates and money-handling tips.

3. Detailed Afghanistan Travel Costs: Breakdown of expenses for food, accommodation, transport, and vehicles.

4. Afghanistan Tour Costs: Costs for private guides and group tour options.

5. Travel Tips to Save Money: Insider advice on bargaining and finding low-cost alternatives.

6. Local Insight: Using social groups for travel advice.

Visiting Afghanistan starts with a visa, which typically costs $100-$150 USD, depending on your nationality and where you apply. Additional charges will apply if you need a Road Pass for bringing in a motorbike, car or campervan. For more info check our post on How to Get a Visa to visit Afghanistan.

Travel permits are needed by all travellers. These are usually free though some travellers have reported being charged up to 1,000 AFN for permits, particularly in Mazar-i-Sharif.

For more details on how to get Visas and travel permits check out our travel preparation guide ebook: Afghan Compass.

1. Afghanistan Tourist Visa Cost

2. Changing Money

Currency: Afghanistan uses the Afghani (AFN). Here’s how it stacks up against other currencies:

• 1 USD = 75 AFN

• 1 EUR = 81 AFN

• 1 GBP = 97 AFN

• 1 AUD = 47 AFN

• 1 AED = 20 AFN

• 10 PKR = 25 AFN

• 10 RUS = 7.7AFN

Tips:

• Bring new, crisp banknotes if you can—older notes will get a slightly lower exchange rate.

• Money changers are plentiful, usually easy to find and offer fair rates, accepting a range of currencies.

• Most ATMs do not accept international cards. For those that do, fees range from 4-7%, with relatively low withdrawal limits.

• Consider international money transfer services like Western Union or RIA for emergencies.

3. Detailed Afghanistan Travel Costs

How much any individual traveller spends is always going to vary depending on their budget, interests and comfort levels. It's unrealistic for us to tell you how much it will cost for you to travel to Afghanistan, but here we've listed a variety of prices for the things most travellers will need to spend money on, so you can work out what a realistic budget is for your trip.

Food

• Street Food: 30-100 AFN

• Bottle of Water: 10 AFN

• Glass of fresh juice on the street: 50-100AF

• Fresh Bread: 10-20 AFN

• Simple Restaurant Meal: 100-400 AFN

• Upmarket Restaurant Meal: 400-3,000 AFN

Accommodation

Accommodation in Afghanistan is likely to be the biggest expense in your budget. It is relatively expensive for what you get and hotels don't always have the standards of cleanliness you might expect.

Hotels will also often show you their most expensive rooms first. If you like the hotel but not the price, ask if they have anything cheaper. Most hotels have a variety of rooms at different price points.

• Restaurant Accommodation: 100-700 AFN/night - No security, usually no furniture, except perhaps a floor mat, may not accept foreigners.

• Budget Hotel - Single Room: 800-1 500 AFN/night - Minimal security, shared or private bathrooms, may or may not have wifi, will usually accept foreigners.

• Mid-Range Hotel Single Room: 1 500-3 500 AFN/night - Reasonable security, including armed guards and secure parking, usually includes private bathroom, wifi and breakfast, will accept foreigners.

• Luxury Hotel Single Room: 3 500-12 000 AFN/night - Highest level security, including armed guards and searches on entry. Usually includes private bathrooms, bottled water, wifi and breakfast. Mostly aimed at wealthy foreigners.

Transport

• Taxi Hire (Day): 1,500 AFN (plus fuel and driver's meal)

• Taxi Ride within Kabul: 50-200 AFN

• Taxi Ride Across Kabul: 200-400 AFN

• Flight Kabul to Kandahar: $110 USD

• Minibus from Kabul to Bamiyan: 400AFN

• Share Taxi from Kabul to Bamiyan: 500-600 AFN

Tourist Sites

Most of Afghanistan's best sites and experiences have free entry. Some, mostly those that have been recently restored, charge an entry fee. This fee varies between 100 AFN and 1000 AFN.

• Bach-e-Babur: 350 AFN

• National Museum in Kabul: 100 AFN

• Minaret of Jam: 1000 AFN

• Herat Citadel: 500 AFN

Vehicle Costs for Overlanders

• Road Permit: $30 -$50 USD, depending on vehicle type and embassy. You need to get this when applying for your visa. For more details check out our post on How to Get A Visa to Visit Afghanistan.

• Fuel Prices: Unleaded 60 AFN / litre

• Car Wash: Between 150-300 AFN, depending how dirty your car is.

• Parking Fees: Vary by location, typically 30-100 AFN for secure parking.

• Camping: There are no campgrounds as such in Afghanistan, and free camping is discouraged for travellers' safety, but some hotels will let you sleep in your vehicle in their courtyards for a small fee. Taliban checkpoints will also usually allow free camping nearby.

4. Afghanistan Tour Costs

The prices listed in this section are to give you an idea only. Almost all these guides and companies will arrange custom tours at varying budget levels. This list is intended to give you some sample pricing of popular options.

Hiring a professional and registered Afghan tour guide can also make the visa process easier. They can supply a Letter of Invitation to submit with your visa application, or get approval for you to get a Visa on Arrival at Kabul airport.

Private Tour Guides

Hiring a guide costs $50-$150 USD per day, depending on inclusions. Ensure your guide is registered, well-recommended, and clear about costs upfront.

Tip: Check out our Afghan Compass travel preparation guide for recommended guides.

Afghan Travel Companies

The following local operators come recommended by other travellers and offer package tours for groups or individuals. Many of these are customisable and offer discounts for additional guests.

• Sangin Travels: 8 days: $400 - 2300 USD, 13 days: $650 - 3650 USD. (Custom tours, flexible dates)

• Let’s Go Afghanistan: 7 days: $1200 USD (Custom tours, flexible dates)

• Picture of Afghanistan: 8 days: $2250 USD (Custom tours, flexible dates)

• Kite Travel: 1 day: $95; (Custom tours, flexible dates)

• Unchartered Afghanistan: 9 days: $3000 (Group tours, set dates)

• Afghan Experts Travel: 3-6+ days $400-$1000 (custom, group and flexible tours)

Foreign Travel Companies

International tour companies offer group tours with set dates and can often offer customisable individual tours as well.

• Untamed Borders: 9 days: $2850 USD, 14 days $4500

• Safarat Co: 3 days: $900 USD, 15 days $4500USD

• RJ Travel: 10 days $2200

This is not a comprehensive list of either local Afghan companies or foreign companies that operate in Afghanistan. In collecting first hand traveller accounts we have heard some negative reviews of both individual Afghan guides and international companies running tours in Afghanistan. Those guides and companies are not listed here.

We encourage all potential travellers to thoroughly vet their chosen guide or company, including by asking for reviews and a written policy on what happens if there are unexpected changes, as well as inclusions and exclusions.

The good reviews far outweigh the bad for travelling in Afghanistan, but it’s always better to be prepared.

5. Travel Tips to Save Money

1. Mix and match Itinerary: Afghan tour guides and travel companies will often arrange custom tours, so take advantage of their expertise in more challenging destinations, and take a more DIY approach to other areas.

2. Bargain Strategically: Bargaining is common in Afghanistan, as is quoting a price beyond what people expect you to pay. Restaurants and some stores (with marked prices) have set prices, but bargaining is common in markets, with taxi and rickshaw drivers, and for accommodation.

3. Opt for Local Transport: Take overnight buses, minibuses or shared taxis. These have a set fee, which is usually slightly higher for the front seat.

4. Eat Local: Enjoy street food or basic restaurants for a fraction of the more upmarket restaurant prices.

5. Invest in our travel guides: Our travel guides cover both preparing for your Afghan adventure and detailed city/province guides. We include details of how much specific hotels, transport options and tourist sites cost, meaning you can budget accurately and not get over charged.

6. Get Local Insight

Facebook and WhatsApp groups, often managed by Afghan travel agents and guides are usually good resources for budget-friendly hotel recommendations or taxi cost estimates. Don’t hesitate to ask for advice.

Afghanistan can be either an expensive or a budget destination. It's totally up to you, what kind of accommodation, transport and dining options you are comfortable with and what your intentions and priorities are for your trip. One thing is for sure though, any money spent in Afghanistan will be money well-spent on a trip you'll remember for a lifetime.

Other posts you might like:

• Can I visit Afghanistan as a tourist in 2025?

• How to Visit Afghanistan in 2025

• Kabul City Guide 2025

• How to Get a Visa to visit Afghanistan in 2025

• Packing Essentials for Afghanistan

• Essential Travel Tips for Afghanistan in 2025