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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $408 per month in Ernakulam vs $434 in Mardan, rent included.

A couple spends around $655 per month in Ernakulam vs $641 in Mardan, rent included.

A family of three spends $903 per month in Ernakulam vs $849 in Mardan, rent included.

Ernakulam is about 6% cheaper than Mardan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ernakulam and Mardan are more affordable than the global median – Ernakulam 69% lower, Mardan 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.78 ₹172

$2.06 PKR 573

-13.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.57 ₹921

$13.95 PKR 3,875

-31.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.72 ₹454

$5.44 PKR 1,511

-13.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 PKR 482

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 PKR 1,087

Cappuccino

$1.46 ₹140

$2.06 PKR 573

-29.13%

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

$0.53 ₹50.6

$0.31 PKR 86.7

70.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.09

$0.24 PKR 66.9

-20.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 ₹163

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 ₹275

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 ₹67.1

$0.76 PKR 212

-7.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 ₹55.6

$0.67 PKR 186

-13.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.59 ₹57.2

$0.83 PKR 229

-28.92%

Eggs

$0.93 ₹89.6

$1.14 PKR 316

-18.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.00 ₹674

$6.31 PKR 1,754

10.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ₹351

$2.30 PKR 638

58.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.15 PKR 876

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 ₹225

$0.69 PKR 191

239.13%

Banana (1kg)

$0.61 ₹58.8

$0.54 PKR 150

12.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 ₹104

$0.91 PKR 252

19.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 ₹54.9

$0.33 PKR 92.7

72.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 ₹47.87

$0.24 PKR 66.6

108.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 ₹53.6

$0.34 PKR 93.2

64.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ₹65.9

$0.31 PKR 85.3

119.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹32.16

$0.15 PKR 41.17

120.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.48 PKR 410

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 PKR 254

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 PKR 564

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ₹306

$1.39 PKR 385

128.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.26 ₹506

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ₹170

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 ₹240

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

$4.24 ₹408

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ₹29.14

$0.17 PKR 47.30

76.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.74 ₹841

$7.20 PKR 1,998

21.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 ₹99.7

$0.37 PKR 102

181.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.78

$0.38 PKR 104

-21.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 ₹110

$1.81 PKR 503

-36.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₹116

$0.97 PKR 270

23.71%

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

$16.3K ₹1.6M

$21.0K PKR 5.8M

-22.29%

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

$22.8K ₹2.2M

$26.5K PKR 7.4M

-13.88%

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

$37.50 ₹3,610

$110 PKR 30.6K

-66.00%

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

$3.14 ₹302

$5.41 PKR 1,501

-41.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.02 ₹675

$18.63 PKR 5,173

-62.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.86 ₹1,623

$12.49 PKR 3,468

34.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.16 ₹689

$6.00 PKR 1,666

19.33%

Cinema Ticket

$2.35 ₹226

$4.21 PKR 1,169

-44.18%

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

$74.8 ₹7,198

$17.98 PKR 4,993

315.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,393 ₹230.4K

$1,125 PKR 312.3K

112.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.55 ₹2,556

$21.58 PKR 5,992

23.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.61 ₹2,080

$28.34 PKR 7,869

-23.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.92 ₹3,554

$89.3 PKR 24.8K

-58.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.65 ₹2,469

$17.37 PKR 4,824

47.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$162 ₹15.6K

$74.8 PKR 20.8K

117.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$102 ₹9,812

$52.6 PKR 14.6K

93.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$418 ₹40.2K

$169 PKR 46.9K

147.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 ₹24.2K

$108 PKR 30.0K

132.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,081 ₹104.1K

$755 PKR 209.5K

43.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,185 ₹114.1K

$497 PKR 138.0K

138.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$338 ₹32.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.36

20.2

-53.66%

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

Last update for Ernakulam: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mardan: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $162 in Ernakulam versus $74.8 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 $10.00 in Ernakulam versus $14.00 in Mardan. Groceries tell a different story – $114 in Ernakulam vs $78.0 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 6%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $612 per month in Ernakulam and $651 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $408 in Ernakulam and $434 in Mardan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 21% less in Ernakulam. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $408 in Ernakulam and $434 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.