Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mardan and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Mardan: $502 a month against $943 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mardan, Pakistan
Cebu, Philippines
Mardan
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$502
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$943
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mardan and in Cebu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mardan and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $502 in Mardan versus $943 in Cebu.

  • Mardan $502
  • Cebu $943

Estimated couple costs with rent: $788 in Mardan versus $1,437 in Cebu.

  • Mardan $788
  • Cebu $1,437

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,075 in Mardan versus $1,930 in Cebu.

  • Mardan $1,075
  • Cebu $1,930

Living in Mardan costs roughly 47% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mardan 63% lower, Cebu 30% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mardan
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.55 PKR 981
$3.88 ₱244
-8.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.04 PKR 6,643
$23.22 ₱1,462
3.53%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.30 PKR 1,465
$3.90 ₱246
35.90%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.68 PKR 1,017
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.96 PKR 1,923
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.65 PKR 731
$2.56 ₱161
3.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34 PKR 94.1
$1.60 ₱101
-78.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.22 PKR 60.6
$0.51 ₱32.03
-56.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.76 ₱111
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.15 ₱136
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mardan
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.89 PKR 245
$1.99 ₱125
-55.28%
White Bread (500g)
$0.74 PKR 205
$1.37 ₱86.3
-45.99%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.24 PKR 343
$0.95 ₱59.9
30.53%
Eggs
$1.15 PKR 319
$2.02 ₱127
-43.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$2.88 PKR 795
$9.63 ₱606
-70.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.98 PKR 823
$4.35 ₱274
-31.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$3.74 PKR 1,033
$7.70 ₱485
-51.43%
Apples (1kg)
$0.91 PKR 253
$3.30 ₱207
-72.42%
Banana (1kg)
$0.73 PKR 202
$1.27 ₱79.7
-42.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.03 PKR 286
$2.34 ₱148
-55.98%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.38 PKR 104
$1.51 ₱95.4
-74.83%
Potato (1kg)
$0.30 PKR 83.3
$2.23 ₱141
-86.55%
Onion (1kg)
$0.37 PKR 101
$1.93 ₱122
-80.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.30 PKR 83.7
$1.18 ₱74.4
-74.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.34 PKR 95.3
$0.65 ₱40.93
-47.69%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$1.80 PKR 497
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 PKR 332
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41 PKR 666
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.77 PKR 490
$2.89 ₱182
-38.75%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$6.35 ₱400
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.27 ₱80.1
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.64 ₱103
-
🚌 Getting Around
Mardan
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.16 PKR 45.44
$0.23 ₱14.42
-30.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.28 PKR 2,565
$12.24 ₱771
-24.18%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.24 PKR 344
$0.82 ₱51.5
51.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.69 PKR 190
$0.20 ₱12.56
245.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.65 PKR 457
$4.32 ₱272
-61.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.01 PKR 279
$1.38 ₱86.7
-26.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K PKR 6.0M
$21.2K ₱1.3M
1.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.1K PKR 6.4M
$19.3K ₱1.2M
19.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mardan
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$102 PKR 28.3K
$124 ₱7,816
-17.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.95 PKR 1,645
$15.93 ₱1,003
-62.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.03 PKR 4,706
$28.07 ₱1,768
-39.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mardan
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$16.14 PKR 4,460
$33.41 ₱2,104
-51.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.66 PKR 2,118
$6.40 ₱403
19.69%
Cinema Ticket
$5.02 PKR 1,387
$5.85 ₱368
-14.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mardan
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$41.83 PKR 11.6K
$271 ₱17.0K
-84.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,045 PKR 288.8K
$8,060 ₱507.5K
-87.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mardan
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.92 PKR 7,162
$48.31 ₱3,042
-46.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.23 PKR 9,735
$24.56 ₱1,546
43.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.2 PKR 26.6K
$77.1 ₱4,856
24.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$40.90 PKR 11.3K
$56.5 ₱3,558
-27.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mardan
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$138 PKR 38.0K
$495 ₱31.2K
-72.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$85.4 PKR 23.6K
$322 ₱20.3K
-73.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$265 PKR 73.3K
$990 ₱62.4K
-73.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$179 PKR 49.5K
$628 ₱39.6K
-71.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$896 PKR 247.5K
$4,459 ₱280.7K
-79.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$432 PKR 119.4K
$3,030 ₱190.8K
-85.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mardan
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$343 ₱21.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.08
7.2
81.67%

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

Last update for Mardan: November 1, 2026

Last update for Cebu: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mardan
$125
Cebu
$168 34.2% $43
Clothing & Footwear
Mardan
$89
Cebu
$93 4.1% $3.7
Accommodation & Living
Mardan
$85
Cebu
$322 277% $236
Groceries & Markets
Mardan
$83
Cebu
$206 149% $123
Eating Out
Mardan
$78
Cebu
$95 21.3% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Mardan
$26
Cebu
$45 72.3% $19
Getting Around
Mardan
$15
Cebu
$15 2.3% $0.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $138 in Mardan and $495 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24 in Mardan vs $23 in Cebu. Groceries flip the comparison at $83 vs $206, with Mardan cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇵🇰 Mardan
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
07:16 7:16 AM
10:16 10:16 AM
3 h ahead of Mardan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
358,604
964,169
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 276 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD). 1 EUR = 310 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 62.97 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.68 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mardan Cebu 5,880 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mardan
  • Cebu

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Mardan vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mardan cheaper than Cebu?
Mardan is about 47% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, utilities, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $752 in Mardan and $1,415 in Cebu to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Mardan and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $138 in Mardan versus $495 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Mardan and in Cebu?
All in, you’ll spend $502 per month in Mardan versus $943 in Cebu – Mardan is about 47% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Mardan runs roughly 24% less than in Cebu. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Is it better to live in Mardan or in Cebu?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Mardan vs other spots: cost of living compared

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