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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $400 per month in Ernakulam vs $428 in Mardan, rent included.

A couple spends around $647 per month in Ernakulam vs $643 in Mardan, rent included.

A family of three spends $894 per month in Ernakulam vs $857 in Mardan, rent included.

Ernakulam is about 7% cheaper than Mardan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ernakulam and Mardan are more affordable than the global median – Ernakulam 70% lower, Mardan 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.72 ₹165

$2.17 PKR 603

-20.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.42 ₹902

$14.27 PKR 3,970

-33.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 ₹457

$5.38 PKR 1,497

-11.34%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 488

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,063

Cappuccino

$1.41 ₹135

$2.09 PKR 581

-32.54%

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

$0.50 ₹47.77

$0.29 PKR 79.7

72.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 ₹21.85

$0.22 PKR 60.9

4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 ₹162

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₹275

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 ₹66.4

$0.76 PKR 212

-9.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 ₹51.1

$0.61 PKR 171

-13.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 ₹61.5

$0.80 PKR 222

-20.00%

Eggs

$1.00 ₹95.8

$1.19 PKR 332

-15.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.84 ₹655

$6.07 PKR 1,688

12.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.59 ₹344

$2.36 PKR 657

52.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.17 PKR 881

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 ₹223

$0.68 PKR 189

242.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.62 ₹59.8

$0.51 PKR 141

21.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 ₹98.7

$0.93 PKR 260

10.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 ₹55.2

$0.33 PKR 92.3

75.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 ₹51.0

$0.24 PKR 66.8

120.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₹52.5

$0.37 PKR 102

48.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ₹69.2

$0.30 PKR 84.6

140.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₹35.05

$0.16 PKR 44.49

131.25%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.33 PKR 370

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 PKR 253

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 553

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₹310

$1.45 PKR 402

122.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.13 ₹491

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 ₹164

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 ₹234

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

$4.18 ₹401

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₹26.57

$0.16 PKR 45.86

75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.85 ₹848

$7.10 PKR 1,975

24.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 ₹97.7

$0.36 PKR 101

183.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.66

$0.34 PKR 95.9

-11.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ₹114

$1.75 PKR 488

-32.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₹120

$0.92 PKR 255

35.87%

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

$16.6K ₹1.6M

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

-22.53%

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

$22.7K ₹2.2M

$25.8K PKR 7.2M

-11.66%

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

$37.55 ₹3,596

$110 PKR 30.7K

-65.99%

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

$3.17 ₹303

$5.53 PKR 1,539

-42.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.97 ₹667

$19.00 PKR 5,285

-63.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.96 ₹1,624

$12.17 PKR 3,387

39.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.30 ₹699

$5.85 PKR 1,627

24.79%

Cinema Ticket

$2.30 ₹220

$4.16 PKR 1,157

-44.71%

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

$73.9 ₹7,076

$17.66 PKR 4,914

318.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,395 ₹229.3K

$1,093 PKR 304.2K

118.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.98 ₹2,488

$21.64 PKR 6,019

20.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.48 ₹2,057

$28.48 PKR 7,924

-24.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.72 ₹3,517

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

-58.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.08 ₹2,402

$17.72 PKR 4,930

41.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$163 ₹15.6K

$76.0 PKR 21.1K

113.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$102 ₹9,762

$52.0 PKR 14.5K

96.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ₹40.5K

$168 PKR 46.7K

152.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 ₹24.2K

$107 PKR 29.8K

136.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$925 ₹88.6K

$882 PKR 245.2K

4.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$575 ₹55.1K

$460 PKR 127.8K

25.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$339 ₹32.4K

$267 PKR 74.2K

26.92%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mardan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $163 in Ernakulam versus $76.0 in Mardan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 27% higher in Ernakulam, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Ernakulam versus $14.00 in Mardan. Groceries tell a different story – $113 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 7%, 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 $600 per month in Ernakulam and $643 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 $400 in Ernakulam and $428 in Mardan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 25% 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 $400 in Ernakulam and $428 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.