Cost of Living Comparison Between Cox's Bazar and Mardan Cost of Living Comparison Between Cox's Bazar and Mardan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $296 in Cox's Bazar versus $424 in Mardan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $512 in Cox's Bazar versus $638 in Mardan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $728 in Cox's Bazar versus $851 in Mardan.

Living in Cox's Bazar costs roughly 30% less than in Mardan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cox's Bazar 78% lower, Mardan 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.59 ৳197

$2.06 PKR 571

-22.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.43 ৳1,535

$14.31 PKR 3,971

-13.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.02 ৳373

$5.36 PKR 1,487

-43.66%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 ৳712

$1.73 PKR 480

233.53%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ৳300

$4.00 PKR 1,110

-39.25%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ৳205

$2.00 PKR 556

-17.00%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ৳47.53

$0.31 PKR 87.1

22.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 ৳16.06

$0.24 PKR 66.7

-45.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ৳89.8

$0.77 PKR 214

-5.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 ৳58.0

$0.62 PKR 171

-24.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.48 ৳59.7

$0.84 PKR 233

-42.86%

Eggs

$1.01 ৳125

$1.19 PKR 331

-15.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.89 ৳1,097

$6.33 PKR 1,756

40.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.69 ৳208

$2.31 PKR 641

-26.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.03 ৳868

$3.26 PKR 904

115.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ৳283

$0.69 PKR 191

231.88%

Banana (1kg)

$0.96 ৳119

$0.55 PKR 152

74.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ৳200

$0.96 PKR 268

68.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.34 ৳42.44

$0.33 PKR 92.6

3.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.20 ৳24.40

$0.24 PKR 66.6

-16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 ৳47.33

$0.37 PKR 102

2.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 ৳50.5

$0.33 PKR 91.8

24.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.25 ৳30.80

$0.13 PKR 35.05

92.31%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.74 ৳956

$1.43 PKR 396

441.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 ৳311

$0.88 PKR 243

186.36%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ৳419

$1.96 PKR 543

72.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 ৳233

$1.43 PKR 398

32.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ৳27.18

$0.18 PKR 49.54

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.19 ৳1,259

$6.89 PKR 1,911

47.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.30 ৳37.13

$0.36 PKR 101

-16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ৳43.98

$0.34 PKR 94.9

5.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ৳309

$1.81 PKR 502

38.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ৳130

$0.89 PKR 248

19.10%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$32.6K ৳4.0M

$21.3K PKR 5.9M

53.18%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$34.3K ৳4.2M

$26.3K PKR 7.3M

30.18%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$12.45 ৳1,537

$112 PKR 31.1K

-88.90%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$2.59 ৳320

$5.55 PKR 1,540

-53.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.58 ৳1,430

$18.45 PKR 5,120

-37.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.15 ৳1,994

$12.30 PKR 3,414

31.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.93 ৳1,473

$5.99 PKR 1,664

99.17%

Cinema Ticket

$2.42 ৳299

$4.26 PKR 1,181

-43.19%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$25.10 ৳3,099

$17.48 PKR 4,851

43.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,356 ৳167.5K

$1,112 PKR 308.7K

21.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.51 ৳2,532

$21.33 PKR 5,920

-3.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.26 ৳2,254

$27.63 PKR 7,669

-33.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.61 ৳4,026

$89.2 PKR 24.8K

-63.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.22 ৳4,102

$17.39 PKR 4,827

91.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$68.9 ৳8,504

$75.5 PKR 21.0K

-8.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$41.82 ৳5,164

$51.8 PKR 14.4K

-19.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$311 ৳38.4K

$167 PKR 46.3K

86.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$98.3 ৳12.1K

$105 PKR 29.1K

-6.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$354 ৳43.7K

$867 PKR 240.6K

-59.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$264 ৳32.6K

$511 PKR 142.0K

-48.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$287 ৳35.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.67

20.2

-42.23%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Cox's Bazar: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mardan: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $68.9 in Cox's Bazar and $75.5 in Mardan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Cox's Bazar vs $14.00 in Mardan. Groceries flip the comparison at $106 vs $79.0, with Mardan cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cox's Bazar vs Mardan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cox's Bazar and Mardan differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($296 vs $424 including rent). Cox's Bazar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $443 in Cox's Bazar and $636 in Mardan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $68.9 in Cox's Bazar versus $75.5 in Mardan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cox's Bazar runs roughly 48% less than in Mardan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $25.10 in Cox's Bazar versus $17.48 in Mardan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Cox's Bazar gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Cox's Bazar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Mardan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.