Afghanistan

Southern Asia

Asia

Afghanistan is affected by severe security, human-rights, banking, recognition, and mobility constraints. It is not a conventional relocation destination, especially for women and girls.

Overall score

Low · Penalty applied · 88% data coverage

Language

Dari, Pashto

Currency

AFN

Citizenship

5 years under statutory rules

Personal tax

Progressive, up to 20%

Cost of living

$500 / mo (single; availability and security vary)

Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.

Score breakdown

Access

17%

34Residence12%

31Citizenship and passport5%

Earning power

25%

20Salary and work12%

57Buying power13%

Business and wealth

20%

55Taxes7%

15Business8%

36Investment5%

Daily life

25%

37Quality of life18%

38Education7%

Rights and institutions

13%

6Freedom6%

3Rule of law7%

Healthcare collapse (30) cut the overall score from 32 to 28.

Weak rights and institutions (4) cut the overall score from 28 to 13.

Pros

Country-wide comparison coverage
Local residence and work pathways available

Cons

Legal and tax outcomes are case-specific
Costs vary materially by city and lifestyle

Best for

Users comparing regional optionsPeople prepared to verify a specific pathway

Score profile

Access

Residence

Citizenship

Passport

Earning power

Salary & work

Buying power

Cost of living

100

Economy

Business and wealth

Taxes

Personal tax

Corporate tax

Business

Investment

Wealth building

Daily life

Safety

Healthcare

Environment

Infrastructure

Education

HDI

Rights and institutions

Freedom

Rule of law

How the scores are calculated

Access

Residence

Openness to residents

Limited

Migrant stock0.2% of population (2024)

Regulatory quality-1.54 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways

EmploymentStudyFamily reunificationBusiness or investment where eligible

Student	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Work	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Self-employed	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Permanent	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

Citizenship

Citizenship accessibility

Limited

Years required	5 years under statutory rules
Dual allowed	Depends on route and existing nationality
Language	Check the current naturalisation rules for the selected route
Residence	Typical headline route: 5 years under statutory rules; qualifying residence and absence rules apply
Notes	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

Passport

Passport power

Low

28 / 198

Mobility

#104

Global rank

Yes

Biometric

Visa-free6
On arrival22
eTA0
Visa required170

Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work

Labour-market strength

Low

Output per worker$10,810 PPP (2023)

Unemployment13.4% (2025)

Participation37.5% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Mean monthly earnings of employees

Overall$133 · $647 PPP (2020)

Source: ILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)

Tech salary (estimate)	Varies substantially by city, seniority, and employer
Freelance	Market access depends on language, sector, and work authorisation
Job market	Use current local vacancy and salary data for role-specific decisions.

Buying power

Purchasing power score

Moderate

GNI / person$2,250 PPP (2024)

Consumption / person$1,960 PPP (2023)

Price level20 (US = 100) (2024)

Inflation-6.6% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living

Affordability

Excellent

100

Price level20 (US = 100) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Rent	Varies substantially by city and neighbourhood
Monthly	$500 / mo (single; availability and security vary)
Cities	Kabul, Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif

Economy

Economic strength

Limited

Output & income

GDP$17.8B (2024)

GDP / person$417 (2024)

GNI / person$2,250 PPP (2024)

GDP growth2.3% / yr (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour

Inflation-6.6% / yr (2024)

Unemployment13.4% (2025)

Output per worker$10,810 PPP (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition

Agriculture34.3% of GDP (2024)

Industry14.5% of GDP (2024)

Services45.2% of GDP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries

AgricultureMiningCarpets & handicraftsConstruction

Top exports

CarpetsDried fruit & nutsMinerals

Type	Low-income, agriculture-led
Key sectors	Subsistence agriculture, Untapped mineral wealth
Summary	A low-income, aid-dependent economy reliant on agriculture, in deep crisis since 2021 with frozen reserves.
Currency	Afghani

Business and wealth

Taxes

Tax friendliness

Moderate

Personal	Progressive, up to 20%
Corporate	Generally 20%
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit tax	Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence
Foreign companies	Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply

Personal tax

Moderate

Personal	Progressive, up to 20%
Freelance	Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit tax	Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence

Corporate tax

Limited

Corporate	Generally 20%
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Foreign companies	Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply

Business

Business friendliness

Low

Regulation & bureaucracy

Regulatory quality-1.54 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Government effectiveness-1.93 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules

Foreign company	Generally possible, subject to sector, registration, tax, and substance rules
Local company	Available company forms and capital requirements vary
Freelance	Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply

Investment

Investing environment

Limited

Private credit3% of GDP (2020)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, residence, holding period, and treaty position
Dividends	Data not available yet
ETFs & funds	Data not available yet
Wealth tax	Check current national and subnational rules
Brokers	Local and international availability varies by residency and compliance checks
Foreign access	Data not available yet
Tax-advantaged	Data not available yet

Wealth building

Wealth accumulation

Limited

Salary & work

Low

Business

Low

Investment

Limited

Tax friendliness

Moderate

Cost of living

Excellent

100

Daily life

Safety

Safety & stability

Moderate

Personal safety

Homicide rate4.0 per 100,000 (2021)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability

Control of corruption-1.31 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Political stability-2.21 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Healthcare

Healthcare score

Limited

Outcomes

Life expectancy66.3 years (2024)

Under-5 mortality53.0 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing

Physicians0.32 per 1,000 (2023)

Hospital beds0.35 per 1,000 (2023)

Health spending$330 PPP / person (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs

System	Public/private mix varies by eligibility and residence status
Insurance	Check residence-permit and local coverage requirements
Average cost	Depends on eligibility, income, insurer, and chosen coverage

Environment

Environment score

Limited

Environmental pressure

PM2.5 exposure37.9 μg/m³ annually (2023)

Water stress54.8% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure

Infrastructure score

Limited

Digital infrastructure

Internet use16.1% (2024)

Internet resilience34 / 100 (2026)

Fixed speed26 / 100 download index (2026)

Mobile speed41 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities

Electricity access85.3% (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport

Transport quality1.70 / 5 (2022)

Air connectivity147 departures / million people (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education

Education score

Limited

Attainment

Expected schooling10.8 years (2023)

Mean schooling2.5 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment

Tertiary enrolment11% gross (2020)

Education spending4.3% of GDP (2017)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tuition	Access and availability are severely constrained
Public university	Varies by institution, programme, and student nationality
Languages	Dari, Pashto
Student work	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

HDI

Human development score

Moderate

HDI0.496 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life

Life expectancy66.0 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge

Expected schooling10.8 years (2023)

Mean schooling2.5 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025