Cash
- Bring clean, recent US dollar notes. Torn, marked or very old notes are refused or bought at a worse rate.
- Change them into afghanis with a licensed money changer (sarraf) or a bank. Shops and restaurants are supposed to be paid in afghanis, not dollars.
- See today's rate on the exchange rate page, and work out amounts with the converter.
- Carry what you need for the day in afghanis, and keep the rest of your dollars apart.
Cards and cash machines
Cards are almost never accepted. Some travellers in 2026 withdrew cash with foreign cards at Afghanistan International Bank machines in Kabul; others found none that worked. Bring all the cash you will need for the trip, with a margin.
What things cost
Reported in 2026:
- A meal at a local restaurant: 200 to 300 afghanis; at a mid-range one, 400 to 600.
- A plate of Kabuli palaw: about 350 to 550 afghanis.
- A hotel room: about $30 to $50 a night; simple guest houses less.
- A taxi from Kabul airport into the city: about 500 afghanis.
- Shared taxis between cities: 200 to 400 afghanis.
For food prices across the country, see food and fuel prices.
A SIM card
- AWCC and MTN SIM cards are sold at Kabul airport for about $5, with data.
- You need your passport, and your fingerprints and photo are taken to register the card.
- The other networks are Roshan, Etisalat and Salaam. See phone and internet packages.
- Coverage is mostly 3G, and good only in and around cities. Some travellers used foreign eSIMs.
When the internet goes down
The internet has been cut before: across the whole country for about two days from 29 September 2025, which also disrupted flights, and fibre lines have been cut in some provinces. Download offline maps and this site's pages before you go, tell your family your plans, and agree what they should do if they cannot reach you for a day or two.
Power
Afghanistan uses 220 volts with round two-pin plugs (types C and F). Power cuts are common: bring a power bank. See power cuts.