The Cost of Living in Farāh: A Drummer's Dirty Budget Breakdown
so i landed in farah chasing some dusty gig, and now i'm trying to figure out if i can afford to eat more than bread and tea. turns out, this place is a paradox-cheap as hell if you're coming from a western city, but brutal if you're used to kabul's chaos. let's break it down like a bad drum solo.
*The Dusty Bazaar
first, the weather. it’s like the sun’s having a midlife crisis-blistering by 10am, then dropping to freezer temps after sunset. perfect for wearing layers that make you look like a walking tent. neighbors? herat’s a short flight away for decent gear, and kandahar’s a 4-hour drive if you need a vibe check. but farāh’s bazaar? that’s where the real survival happens. you can score a decent meal for 100 afghanis ($1.20), but avoid the meat stall near the blue gate-locals whispered it’s been sitting since last week. true story.
The Karez System*
water’s cheap, thank the ancient karez tunnels-500 afghanis ($6) a month for taps that sometimes work. electricity? forget it. 4 hours a day if you’re lucky. i run my drum kit on a generator that costs 3,000 afghanis ($36) a month. worth it for the gigs. speaking of gigs: weddings pay 500 afghanis ($6) a pop. do 5 a month, and you’re basically a millionaire here. but try finding a drum head? good luck. i’m using goat leather and duct tape-call it avant-garde.
| category | cost (afghanis) | cost (usd) |
|---|---|---|
| rent (1br) | 15,000-25,000 | $180-$300 |
| utilities (water, generator) | 8,000-12,000 | $96-$144 |
| food (monthly) | 20,000-30,000 | $240-$360 |
| transport (fuel) | 5,000-7,000 | $60-$84 |
| gear (drum skins, etc.) | 10,000-15,000 | $120-$180 |
| total | 58,000-89,000 | $696-$1068 |
overheard at a tea stall: ‘farāh’s cheap if you don’t mind eating lentils and living like a ghost.’ another gem: ‘never trust the taxi driver who says ‘i know a shortcut.’ he means ‘i know how to add extra miles.’’ locals also warned me: ‘don’t drink the tap water unless you want to become best friends with a squat toilet.’
links:
- farāh’s underground tunnels
- herat music gear subreddit
- tripadvisor farāh bazaar
- kandahar nightlife forum
so, is it worth it? if you’re a drummer, maybe. if you’re a human? well, it’s raw. it’s real. it’s farāh. and at the end of the day, that beats a ‘vibrant’ city any day.
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