Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Swat Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Swat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $534 per month in Islamabad vs $419 in Swat, rent included.

A couple spends around $847 per month in Islamabad vs $626 in Swat, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,160 per month in Islamabad vs $834 in Swat, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 28% more than Swat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Islamabad and Swat are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 60% lower, Swat 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 PKR 791

$2.86 PKR 793

-0.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.26 PKR 3,960

$14.41 PKR 4,001

-1.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,511

$5.43 PKR 1,508

0.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 477

$1.73 PKR 482

-0.58%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,061

$3.78 PKR 1,050

1.06%

Cappuccino

$1.97 PKR 547

$2.01 PKR 557

-1.99%

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

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.42 PKR 117

-4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 67.0

$0.22 PKR 60.9

9.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 268

$0.70 PKR 193

37.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.61 PKR 171

8.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 355

$1.26 PKR 350

1.59%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 334

$1.23 PKR 340

-2.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,687

$6.33 PKR 1,759

-4.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 PKR 937

$1.30 PKR 362

159.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 PKR 1,209

$1.37 PKR 380

217.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 289

$0.86 PKR 238

20.93%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 234

$0.34 PKR 93.2

147.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.50 PKR 140

82.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.40 PKR 112

40.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.42 PKR 116

-2.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.52 PKR 144

9.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.4

$0.31 PKR 85.3

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.37 PKR 104

10.81%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 555

$1.43 PKR 396

39.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 258

$0.91 PKR 254

2.20%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 567

$1.95 PKR 541

4.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 595

$2.15 PKR 597

-0.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.51

$0.20 PKR 56.0

-15.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.22 PKR 2,005

$7.17 PKR 1,991

0.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 236

$0.34 PKR 93.7

150.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.44 PKR 121

-2.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PKR 775

$2.88 PKR 799

-3.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 271

$0.97 PKR 269

1.03%

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

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

$21.1K PKR 5.8M

-0.77%

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

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

$26.3K PKR 7.3M

-1.33%

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

$114 PKR 31.6K

$113 PKR 31.4K

0.58%

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

$5.41 PKR 1,501

$5.25 PKR 1,457

3.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 PKR 5,190

$12.57 PKR 3,491

48.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.13 PKR 6,144

$6.17 PKR 1,714

258.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 PKR 1,698

$5.76 PKR 1,600

6.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 PKR 1,150

$4.29 PKR 1,191

-3.50%

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

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

$19.08 PKR 5,298

215.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,753 PKR 764.4K

$1,117 PKR 310.2K

146.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.08 PKR 5,854

$21.47 PKR 5,962

-1.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.64 PKR 7,674

$27.49 PKR 7,634

0.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

$87.6 PKR 24.3K

0.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.94 PKR 11.4K

$40.71 PKR 11.3K

0.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 PKR 55.3K

$75.1 PKR 20.9K

165.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 PKR 30.5K

$52.3 PKR 14.5K

110.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 PKR 140.1K

$165 PKR 45.7K

206.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 PKR 83.0K

$107 PKR 29.8K

178.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,513 PKR 420.1K

$985 PKR 273.4K

53.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 PKR 179.8K

$451 PKR 125.2K

43.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$385 PKR 106.9K

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 12, 2026

Last update for Swat: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $199 in Islamabad versus $75.1 in Swat. 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 Swat. Groceries tell a different story – $100 in Islamabad vs $71.0 in Swat – so Swat 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 Swat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 28%, 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 $628 in Swat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 40% 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 Swat. 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 $419 in Swat, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Swat – 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 Swat. 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.