Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Mardan Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Mardan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $532 per month in Islamabad vs $424 in Mardan, rent included.

A couple spends around $834 per month in Islamabad vs $638 in Mardan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,136 per month in Islamabad vs $851 in Mardan, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 25% more than Mardan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Islamabad and Mardan are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 60% lower, Mardan 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.89 PKR 803

$2.06 PKR 571

40.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.11 PKR 3,916

$14.31 PKR 3,970

-1.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.43 PKR 1,508

$5.36 PKR 1,487

1.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 PKR 488

$1.73 PKR 479

1.73%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 PKR 1,051

$4.00 PKR 1,110

-5.25%

Cappuccino

$1.98 PKR 550

$2.00 PKR 556

-1.00%

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

$0.39 PKR 108

$0.31 PKR 87.1

25.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.8

$0.24 PKR 66.7

-8.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 PKR 284

$0.77 PKR 214

32.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 172

$0.62 PKR 171

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 339

$0.84 PKR 233

45.24%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 338

$1.19 PKR 331

2.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.04 PKR 1,677

$6.33 PKR 1,756

-4.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 PKR 936

$2.31 PKR 641

45.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.47 PKR 1,239

$3.26 PKR 904

37.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 PKR 278

$0.69 PKR 191

44.93%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 233

$0.55 PKR 152

52.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 259

$0.96 PKR 268

-3.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 157

$0.33 PKR 92.6

72.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.24 PKR 66.6

70.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 160

$0.37 PKR 102

56.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 91.8

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 104

$0.13 PKR 35.05

184.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.90 PKR 528

$1.43 PKR 396

32.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 PKR 236

$0.88 PKR 243

-3.41%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 PKR 543

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.10 PKR 584

$1.43 PKR 398

46.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.35

$0.18 PKR 49.54

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.18 PKR 1,993

$6.89 PKR 1,911

4.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 PKR 233

$0.36 PKR 101

133.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.34 PKR 94.9

29.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 PKR 796

$1.81 PKR 502

58.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 PKR 257

$0.89 PKR 248

4.49%

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

$21.1K PKR 5.9M

$21.3K PKR 5.9M

-0.84%

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

$26.3K PKR 7.3M

0.04%

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

$113 PKR 31.4K

$112 PKR 31.1K

0.73%

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

$5.39 PKR 1,495

$5.55 PKR 1,540

-2.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.61 PKR 5,165

$18.45 PKR 5,120

0.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.80 PKR 6,329

$12.30 PKR 3,414

85.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.02 PKR 1,671

$5.99 PKR 1,664

0.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 PKR 1,209

$4.26 PKR 1,181

2.11%

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

$60.5 PKR 16.8K

$17.48 PKR 4,851

246.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,790 PKR 774.2K

$1,112 PKR 308.7K

150.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.18 PKR 5,878

$21.33 PKR 5,920

-0.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.13 PKR 7,806

$27.63 PKR 7,669

1.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 PKR 25.0K

$89.2 PKR 24.8K

0.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.15 PKR 11.1K

$17.39 PKR 4,827

130.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 PKR 54.8K

$75.5 PKR 21.0K

161.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 PKR 30.5K

$51.8 PKR 14.4K

111.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 PKR 142.4K

$167 PKR 46.3K

207.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 PKR 83.1K

$105 PKR 29.1K

185.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,569 PKR 435.5K

$867 PKR 240.6K

80.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 PKR 179.5K

$511 PKR 141.9K

26.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 PKR 107.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

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

Last update for Islamabad: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mardan: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $197 in Islamabad versus $75.5 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 $14.00 in Islamabad versus $14.00 in Mardan. Groceries tell a different story – $99.0 in Islamabad vs $79.0 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

Islamabad vs Mardan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 25%, 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 $798 per month in Islamabad and $636 in Mardan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 26% more in Islamabad, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Islamabad and $14.00 in Mardan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $532 in Islamabad and $424 in Mardan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Mardan – 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 Mardan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Islamabad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.