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: $303 in Cox's Bazar versus $433 in Mardan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $516 in Cox's Bazar versus $641 in Mardan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $729 in Cox's Bazar versus $848 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

$1.61 ৳198

$2.18 PKR 608

-26.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.33 ৳1,517

$14.39 PKR 4,017

-14.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.00 ৳369

$5.35 PKR 1,493

-43.93%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.78 ৳711

$1.75 PKR 488

230.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 ৳298

$3.93 PKR 1,098

-38.42%

Cappuccino

$1.60 ৳197

$2.06 PKR 575

-22.33%

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

$0.36 ৳44.25

$0.29 PKR 79.9

24.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 ৳15.12

$0.22 PKR 61.1

-45.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 ৳97.0

$0.78 PKR 217

1.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 ৳61.6

$0.65 PKR 183

-23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.48 ৳59.5

$0.84 PKR 234

-42.86%

Eggs

$1.05 ৳129

$1.16 PKR 323

-9.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 ৳1,092

$6.03 PKR 1,682

47.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.62 ৳199

$2.39 PKR 667

-32.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.97 ৳858

$3.10 PKR 867

124.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 ৳280

$0.74 PKR 206

206.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 ৳123

$0.55 PKR 153

81.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ৳201

$0.95 PKR 266

71.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.31 ৳38.70

$0.30 PKR 84.9

3.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.17 ৳20.57

$0.24 PKR 66.9

-29.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.39 ৳47.60

$0.37 PKR 102

5.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 ৳49.42

$0.31 PKR 86.2

29.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 ৳33.40

$0.15 PKR 41.22

80.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$6.44 ৳793

$1.98 PKR 553

225.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 ৳309

$0.87 PKR 243

188.51%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ৳414

$1.99 PKR 555

69.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 ৳232

$1.37 PKR 384

37.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ৳24.55

$0.18 PKR 49.07

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.17 ৳1,251

$7.04 PKR 1,966

44.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.28 ৳34.19

$0.36 PKR 102

-22.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ৳43.90

$0.34 PKR 96.1

5.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 ৳309

$1.81 PKR 506

38.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ৳128

$0.97 PKR 271

7.22%

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

$32.7K ৳4.0M

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

56.98%

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

$33.8K ৳4.2M

$26.2K PKR 7.3M

28.85%

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

$12.14 ৳1,494

$114 PKR 31.9K

-89.37%

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

$2.64 ৳325

$5.37 PKR 1,499

-50.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.27 ৳1,387

$18.43 PKR 5,144

-38.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.16 ৳1,989

$12.43 PKR 3,469

30.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.71 ৳1,441

$5.91 PKR 1,649

98.14%

Cinema Ticket

$2.39 ৳294

$4.18 PKR 1,166

-42.82%

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

$24.31 ৳2,991

$17.36 PKR 4,845

40.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,376 ৳169.3K

$1,128 PKR 314.8K

22.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.19 ৳2,484

$21.42 PKR 5,978

-5.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.10 ৳2,227

$27.91 PKR 7,791

-35.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.00 ৳4,060

$89.5 PKR 25.0K

-63.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.09 ৳4,194

$17.55 PKR 4,899

94.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$68.6 ৳8,439

$75.8 PKR 21.2K

-9.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$41.65 ৳5,125

$51.6 PKR 14.4K

-19.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$305 ৳37.5K

$164 PKR 45.9K

85.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.6 ৳12.0K

$108 PKR 30.2K

-9.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$602 ৳74.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$392 ৳48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$288 ৳35.4K

$270 PKR 75.3K

6.82%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Mardan: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $68.6 in Cox's Bazar and $75.8 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 $78.0, 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 ($303 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: $68.6 in Cox's Bazar versus $75.8 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 44% less than in Mardan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $24.31 in Cox's Bazar versus $17.36 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.