Moving to Afghanistan from China

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from China to Afghanistan — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from China to Afghanistan, and you’d need to navigate life in Dari, Pashto and Turkmen.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How China and Afghanistan stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

CN
0.5
AF
4.0
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

CN
17.4
AF
24.1

China performs better than Afghanistan across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

CN
$1,487
AF
$330
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

CN
25.2
AF
2.5

Afghanistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though China leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

CN
64.0
AF
143.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CN
9.3t
AF
0.3t

China generally does better on environment, though Afghanistan leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

CN
41.4
AF
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CN
41.5%
AF
54.8%

China performs better than Afghanistan across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

CN
4.7%
AF
14.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

CN
$22,100
AF
$2,000

China generally does better on employment & economy, though Afghanistan leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

CN
76.1 yrs
AF
53.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CN
6.8
AF
104.9

China performs better than Afghanistan across all family life metrics.

Data: State Administration of Taxation, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Beijing Rain: 22.8 in/yr (578 mm)
64° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Kabul Rain: 12.3 in/yr (312 mm)
67° / 40°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Beijing Kabul
Jan–Mar 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C) 45°/25°F (8°/-4°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) 76°/48°F (25°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) 88°/56°F (31°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/32°F (11°/0°C) 59°/31°F (15°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Beijing Kabul
Jan 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C) 40°/19°F (4.5°/-7.1°C)
Feb 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C) 42°/22°F (5.5°/-5.7°C)
Mar 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C) 54°/33°F (12.5°/0.7°C)
Apr 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C) 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C)
May 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C) 76°/48°F (24.4°/8.8°C)
Jun 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C) 86°/54°F (30.2°/12.4°C)
Jul 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C) 90°/60°F (32.1°/15.3°C)
Aug 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C) 90°/58°F (32.0°/14.3°C)
Sep 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) 83°/49°F (28.5°/9.4°C)
Oct 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C) 72°/39°F (22.4°/3.9°C)
Nov 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C) 59°/30°F (15.0°/-1.2°C)
Dec 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C) 47°/24°F (8.3°/-4.7°C)

Data: China Meteorological Administration China Meteorological Administration

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between China and Afghanistan. To live, work, or study long-term in Afghanistan, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Afghanistan's immigration authority.

China passport

China passport holder visiting Afghanistan

Visa Required
China passport holders need a visa to enter Afghanistan.
Afghanistan passport

Afghanistan passport holder visiting China

Visa Required
Afghanistan passport holders need a visa to enter China.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Afghanistan?

With 0.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Afghanistan can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in China and Afghanistan.

Is Afghanistan safe for expats?

China performs better than Afghanistan across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Afghanistan is 4.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in China.

How is healthcare in Afghanistan compared to China?

Afghanistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though China leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 2.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Afghanistan, compared to 25.2 in China. Afghanistan scores 41 on the WHO universal health coverage index (China: 81).

What's the weather like in Afghanistan compared to China?

The average high temperature in Kabul is 67°F, compared to 64°F in Beijing. Kabul receives around 12.3 in of rainfall per year, while Beijing gets 22.8 in.

What language do they speak in Afghanistan?

The official languages in Afghanistan are Dari, Pashto and Turkmen. In China, the official language is Chinese.

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At a Glance

CN AF
Population 1,410,539,758 38,346,720
Currency Chinese Yuan (CN¥) Afghan Afghani (AFN)
Languages Chinese Dari, Pashto, Turkmen
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +86 +93
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 110