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: $302 in Cox's Bazar versus $433 in Mardan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $515 in Cox's Bazar versus $639 in Mardan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $727 in Cox's Bazar versus $844 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 77% lower, Mardan 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.62 ৳199

$2.13 PKR 593

-23.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.15 ৳1,488

$14.42 PKR 4,010

-15.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.16 ৳388

$5.18 PKR 1,441

-39.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 ৳721

$1.79 PKR 497

229.05%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 ৳307

$3.86 PKR 1,074

-34.97%

Cappuccino

$1.61 ৳198

$2.00 PKR 556

-19.50%

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

$0.36 ৳44.06

$0.31 PKR 86.2

16.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 ৳14.29

$0.22 PKR 60.9

-45.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 ৳88.7

$0.81 PKR 224

-11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ৳58.6

$0.66 PKR 185

-27.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.45 ৳54.8

$0.85 PKR 235

-47.06%

Eggs

$1.05 ৳128

$1.15 PKR 320

-8.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 ৳1,138

$6.23 PKR 1,733

49.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.61 ৳197

$2.38 PKR 661

-32.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.78 ৳831

$3.26 PKR 907

107.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 ৳275

$0.69 PKR 192

226.09%

Banana (1kg)

$0.96 ৳118

$0.55 PKR 154

74.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ৳208

$0.94 PKR 263

80.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.34 ৳42.21

$0.33 PKR 92.2

3.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.16 ৳19.94

$0.24 PKR 66.1

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.39 ৳47.71

$0.33 PKR 92.9

18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 ৳49.55

$0.33 PKR 91.8

21.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 ৳33.32

$0.12 PKR 34.05

125.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$6.20 ৳760

$1.46 PKR 405

324.66%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 ৳310

$0.92 PKR 255

175.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 ৳421

$1.96 PKR 544

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 ৳240

$1.38 PKR 384

42.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ৳24.50

$0.16 PKR 45.73

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.19 ৳1,249

$7.25 PKR 2,016

40.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.28 ৳34.12

$0.37 PKR 102

-24.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ৳47.54

$0.37 PKR 103

5.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.49 ৳305

$1.75 PKR 487

42.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ৳130

$0.95 PKR 265

11.58%

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

$33.3K ৳4.1M

$21.0K PKR 5.8M

58.55%

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

$33.8K ৳4.1M

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

29.33%

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

$12.10 ৳1,483

$112 PKR 31.2K

-89.20%

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

$2.63 ৳322

$5.62 PKR 1,562

-53.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.54 ৳1,414

$18.99 PKR 5,280

-39.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.73 ৳2,050

$12.30 PKR 3,420

36.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.63 ৳1,425

$5.78 PKR 1,607

101.21%

Cinema Ticket

$2.34 ৳287

$4.13 PKR 1,147

-43.34%

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

$24.63 ৳3,018

$17.76 PKR 4,937

38.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,360 ৳166.7K

$1,095 PKR 304.3K

24.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.65 ৳2,530

$21.73 PKR 6,043

-4.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.23 ৳2,234

$28.38 PKR 7,891

-35.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.91 ৳4,033

$87.3 PKR 24.3K

-62.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.61 ৳4,119

$17.89 PKR 4,973

87.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$69.2 ৳8,473

$73.9 PKR 20.5K

-6.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$41.96 ৳5,141

$52.5 PKR 14.6K

-20.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$311 ৳38.1K

$164 PKR 45.5K

89.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.3 ৳11.9K

$108 PKR 29.9K

-9.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$763 ৳93.6K

$774 PKR 215.2K

-1.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$266 ৳32.7K

$424 PKR 118.0K

-37.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$288 ৳35.2K

$268 PKR 74.4K

7.49%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mardan: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $69.2 in Cox's Bazar and $73.9 in Mardan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cox's Bazar pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 43% in total monthly costs ($302 vs $433 including rent). Cox's Bazar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Cox's Bazar pays 7% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $69.2 in Cox's Bazar versus $73.9 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 41% less than in Mardan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $24.63 in Cox's Bazar versus $17.76 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 43% less than in Mardan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.