ATM Fees in Afghanistan
Afghan Afghani (AFN) • Updated April 2026
Afghanistan's banking system is severely limited due to ongoing instability. International sanctions have restricted most foreign banking operations. ATMs are extremely rare and unreliable. Cash in USD is essential.
Tips for Afghanistan
- • Bring sufficient USD cash - ATMs are nearly non-existent and unreliable
- • Western Union money transfers may work in major cities
- • Afghan Afghani is difficult to obtain outside the country
- • Hawala (informal money transfer) is widely used by locals
- • Credit/debit cards are not accepted anywhere
Airport tips
- • Kabul Airport has very limited services
- • No reliable currency exchange at airport
- • Bring all cash needed in USD before arrival
- • Airport transfers require cash payment
Don't forget your home bank fees
The fees shown above are charged by local ATMs. Your home bank may also charge additional fees for international withdrawals (typically 1-3% + a flat fee). Check with your bank before traveling.
Estimated daily expenses
How much cash you might need per day in Afghanistan, per person.
Backpacker
Hostels, street food, public transport
AFN/day
≈ $38.49-78.53 USD
Mid-range
Hotels, restaurants, mix of transport
AFN/day
≈ $120-239 USD
Luxury
Premium hotels, fine dining, private transport
AFN/day
≈ $346-677 USD
Cash vs card acceptance
Where you'll need cash and where cards work in Afghanistan.
Credit card acceptance
Non-existentAfghanistan is a 100% cash economy for visitors. Credit and debit cards are not accepted anywhere. International banking sanctions have severely limited financial services.
You'll need cash for
- • Everything - hotels, food, transport, all services
Cards usually accepted
- • Cards are not accepted anywhere in Afghanistan
💰 Cheapest banks for foreign cards
These banks charge the lowest fees for withdrawals with foreign cards.
| Bank | ATM Fee | Est. Cost | Branches | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azizi Bank | N/A | N/A | N/A | ATMs non-functional for foreign cards | 50 | Foreign cards not accepted |
| Afghanistan International Bank | N/A | N/A | N/A | ATMs non-functional for foreign cards | 30 | Limited operations |
📍 Most widely available ATMs
Sorted by number of ATM locations. More branches means easier access, but fees may be higher.
| Bank | ATM Fee | Est. Cost | Branches | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azizi Bank | N/A | N/A | N/A | ATMs non-functional for foreign cards | 50 | Foreign cards not accepted |
| Afghanistan International Bank | N/A | N/A | N/A | ATMs non-functional for foreign cards | 30 | Limited operations |