Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Swabi Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Swabi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $534 per month in Islamabad vs $345 in Swabi, rent included.

A couple spends around $847 per month in Islamabad vs $541 in Swabi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,160 per month in Islamabad vs $737 in Swabi, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 55% more than Swabi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Islamabad and Swabi are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 60% lower, Swabi 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 PKR 791

$2.87 PKR 796

-0.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.26 PKR 3,960

$14.34 PKR 3,981

-0.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,511

$2.77 PKR 770

96.39%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 477

$1.81 PKR 503

-4.97%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,061

$1.80 PKR 500

112.22%

Cappuccino

$1.97 PKR 547

$0.55 PKR 153

258.18%

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

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.29 PKR 81.5

37.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 67.0

$0.15 PKR 42.78

60.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 268

$0.61 PKR 170

57.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.31 PKR 85.4

112.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 355

$0.85 PKR 237

50.59%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 334

$1.08 PKR 301

11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,687

$6.28 PKR 1,744

-3.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 PKR 937

$2.34 PKR 648

44.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 PKR 1,209

$2.71 PKR 754

60.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 289

$0.55 PKR 154

89.09%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 234

$0.34 PKR 93.9

147.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.50 PKR 140

82.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.29 PKR 81.4

93.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.19 PKR 54.1

115.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.52 PKR 143

9.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.4

$0.34 PKR 93.1

-8.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.29 PKR 81.1

41.38%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 555

$1.47 PKR 409

36.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 258

$0.69 PKR 192

34.78%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 567

$2.01 PKR 558

1.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 595

$2.08 PKR 578

2.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.51

$0.16 PKR 45.58

6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.22 PKR 2,005

$7.25 PKR 2,013

-0.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 236

$0.68 PKR 188

25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.21 PKR 57.2

104.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PKR 775

$1.74 PKR 483

60.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 271

$0.90 PKR 251

8.89%

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

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

$10.7K PKR 3.0M

95.77%

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

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

$12.2K PKR 3.4M

112.00%

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

$114 PKR 31.6K

$54.1 PKR 15.0K

110.13%

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

$5.41 PKR 1,501

$3.62 PKR 1,004

49.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 PKR 5,190

$18.35 PKR 5,096

1.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.13 PKR 6,144

$12.58 PKR 3,494

75.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 PKR 1,698

$6.00 PKR 1,665

2.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 PKR 1,150

$4.14 PKR 1,149

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

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

$17.34 PKR 4,814

247.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,753 PKR 764.4K

$1,097 PKR 304.7K

150.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.08 PKR 5,854

$3.57 PKR 990

490.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.64 PKR 7,674

$27.82 PKR 7,726

-0.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

$87.7 PKR 24.4K

0.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.94 PKR 11.4K

$40.25 PKR 11.2K

1.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 PKR 55.3K

$76.6 PKR 21.3K

159.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 PKR 30.5K

$52.7 PKR 14.6K

108.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 PKR 140.1K

$164 PKR 45.6K

207.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 PKR 83.0K

$108 PKR 30.0K

176.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,513 PKR 420.1K

$967 PKR 268.6K

56.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 PKR 179.8K

$511 PKR 141.8K

26.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$385 PKR 106.9K

$162 PKR 44.9K

138.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

34.67%

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

Last update for Islamabad: July 12, 2026

Last update for Swabi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $199 in Islamabad versus $76.6 in Swabi. 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 138% higher in Islamabad, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Islamabad versus $14.00 in Swabi. Groceries tell a different story – $100 in Islamabad vs $70.0 in Swabi – so Swabi 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 Swabi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 55%, 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 $801 per month in Islamabad and $517 in Swabi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 41% 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 Swabi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $534 in Islamabad and $345 in Swabi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Swabi – 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 Swabi. 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.