Cost of Living Comparison Between Ernakulam and Mardan Cost of Living Comparison Between Ernakulam and Mardan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $351 per month in Ernakulam vs $485 in Mardan, rent included.

A couple spends around $560 per month in Ernakulam vs $761 in Mardan, rent included.

A family of three spends $770 per month in Ernakulam vs $1,036 in Mardan, rent included.

Ernakulam is about 28% cheaper than Mardan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ernakulam and Mardan are more affordable than the global median – Ernakulam 75% lower, Mardan 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.60 ₹153

$3.50 PKR 969

-54.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.27 ₹790

$23.09 PKR 6,398

-64.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.80 ₹363

$5.34 PKR 1,480

-28.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 PKR 975

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 PKR 1,914

Cappuccino

$1.31 ₹125

$2.60 PKR 719

-49.62%

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

$0.39 ₹37.60

$0.35 PKR 98.1

11.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 ₹12.39

$0.21 PKR 58.1

-38.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 ₹161

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₹197

Milk (1 liter)

$0.63 ₹60.4

$0.83 PKR 230

-24.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 ₹47.87

$0.75 PKR 207

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.65 ₹61.8

$1.24 PKR 343

-47.58%

Eggs

$0.86 ₹82.6

$1.16 PKR 323

-25.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.12 ₹680

$2.85 PKR 790

149.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.11 ₹202

$3.20 PKR 886

-34.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.81 PKR 1,054

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 ₹150

$0.87 PKR 240

80.46%

Banana (1kg)

$0.73 ₹69.7

$0.74 PKR 205

-1.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 ₹95.2

$1.02 PKR 283

-1.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.39 ₹37.36

$0.37 PKR 103

5.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.11

$0.28 PKR 77.9

42.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 ₹44.47

$0.35 PKR 97.1

34.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ₹54.4

$0.28 PKR 76.7

103.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.10

$0.38 PKR 104

-13.16%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.76 PKR 488

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 PKR 329

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 PKR 754

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.67 ₹446

$1.82 PKR 505

156.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.43 ₹519

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₹160

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₹224

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$3.71 ₹354

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 ₹13.60

$0.18 PKR 49.97

-22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.56 PKR 2,650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 ₹67.2

$1.24 PKR 343

-43.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ₹29.28

$0.75 PKR 209

-58.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ₹123

$1.60 PKR 444

-20.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ₹104

$1.05 PKR 292

2.86%

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

$12.4K ₹1.2M

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

-42.28%

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

$19.8K ₹1.9M

$24.2K PKR 6.7M

-18.01%

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

$33.33 ₹3,184

$102 PKR 28.2K

-67.20%

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

$2.53 ₹241

$5.74 PKR 1,590

-55.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.28 ₹504

$16.13 PKR 4,470

-67.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.91 ₹1,043

$16.62 PKR 4,605

-34.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.12 ₹872

Cinema Ticket

$1.86 ₹178

$4.27 PKR 1,182

-56.44%

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

$56.4 ₹5,388

$74.3 PKR 20.6K

-24.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,915 ₹183.0K

$990 PKR 274.2K

93.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.54 ₹1,580

$24.55 PKR 6,803

-32.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.83 ₹1,322

$34.45 PKR 9,545

-59.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.16 ₹3,168

$97.6 PKR 27.0K

-66.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.59 ₹2,541

$40.17 PKR 11.1K

-33.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$149 ₹14.2K

$126 PKR 34.8K

18.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$90.1 ₹8,606

$78.1 PKR 21.6K

15.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 ₹35.4K

$253 PKR 70.2K

46.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 ₹21.5K

$147 PKR 40.6K

53.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,091 ₹104.2K

$903 PKR 250.0K

20.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,186 ₹113.3K

$475 PKR 131.5K

149.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$347 ₹33.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.6

13.08

-34.25%

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

Last update for Ernakulam: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mardan: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $149 in Ernakulam versus $126 in Mardan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $8.00 in Ernakulam versus $23.00 in Mardan. Groceries tell a different story – $100 in Ernakulam vs $83.0 in Mardan – so Mardan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Ernakulam vs Mardan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mardan is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $526 per month in Ernakulam and $727 in Mardan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ernakulam, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $8.00 in Ernakulam and $23.00 in Mardan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in Mardan – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $351 in Ernakulam and $485 in Mardan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ernakulam – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ernakulam. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mardan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.