Cost of Living Comparison Between Mardan and Cox's Bazar Cost of Living Comparison Between Mardan and Cox's Bazar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $433 in Mardan versus $302 in Cox's Bazar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $639 in Mardan versus $515 in Cox's Bazar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $844 in Mardan versus $727 in Cox's Bazar.

Living in Mardan is roughly 43% more expensive than Cox's Bazar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mardan 68% lower, Cox's Bazar 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 PKR 593

$1.62 ৳199

31.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.42 PKR 4,010

$12.15 ৳1,488

18.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 PKR 1,441

$3.16 ৳388

63.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 PKR 497

$5.89 ৳721

-69.61%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 PKR 1,074

$2.51 ৳307

53.78%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 556

$1.61 ৳198

24.22%

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

$0.31 PKR 86.2

$0.36 ৳44.06

-13.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.9

$0.12 ৳14.29

83.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 PKR 224

$0.72 ৳88.7

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 185

$0.48 ৳58.6

37.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 PKR 235

$0.45 ৳54.8

88.89%

Eggs

$1.15 PKR 320

$1.05 ৳128

9.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.23 PKR 1,733

$9.29 ৳1,138

-32.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.38 PKR 661

$1.61 ৳197

47.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.26 PKR 907

$6.78 ৳831

-51.92%

Apples (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 192

$2.25 ৳275

-69.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 154

$0.96 ৳118

-42.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 PKR 263

$1.70 ৳208

-44.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 92.2

$0.34 ৳42.21

-2.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 PKR 66.1

$0.16 ৳19.94

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 92.9

$0.39 ৳47.71

-15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 91.8

$0.40 ৳49.55

-17.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.12 PKR 34.05

$0.27 ৳33.32

-55.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.46 PKR 405

$6.20 ৳760

-76.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PKR 255

$2.53 ৳310

-63.64%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 PKR 544

$3.43 ৳421

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.38 PKR 384

$1.96 ৳240

-29.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 45.73

$0.20 ৳24.50

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.25 PKR 2,016

$10.19 ৳1,249

-28.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.28 ৳34.12

32.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.39 ৳47.54

-5.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 PKR 487

$2.49 ৳305

-29.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 PKR 265

$1.06 ৳130

-10.38%

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

$21.0K PKR 5.8M

$33.3K ৳4.1M

-36.93%

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

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

$33.8K ৳4.1M

-22.68%

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

$112 PKR 31.2K

$12.10 ৳1,483

826.20%

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

$5.62 PKR 1,562

$2.63 ৳322

113.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 PKR 5,280

$11.54 ৳1,414

64.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.30 PKR 3,420

$16.73 ৳2,050

-26.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.78 PKR 1,607

$11.63 ৳1,425

-50.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 PKR 1,147

$2.34 ৳287

76.50%

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

$17.76 PKR 4,937

$24.63 ৳3,018

-27.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,095 PKR 304.3K

$1,360 ৳166.7K

-19.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.73 PKR 6,043

$20.65 ৳2,530

5.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.38 PKR 7,891

$18.23 ৳2,234

55.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 PKR 24.3K

$32.91 ৳4,033

165.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.89 PKR 4,973

$33.61 ৳4,119

-46.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$73.9 PKR 20.5K

$69.2 ৳8,473

6.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.5 PKR 14.6K

$41.96 ৳5,141

25.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 PKR 45.5K

$311 ৳38.1K

-47.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 29.9K

$97.3 ৳11.9K

10.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$774 PKR 215.2K

$763 ৳93.6K

1.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$424 PKR 118.0K

$266 ৳32.7K

59.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$268 PKR 74.4K

$288 ৳35.2K

-6.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

11.67

73.09%

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

Last update for Mardan: June 7, 2026

Last update for Cox's Bazar: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $73.9 in Mardan and $69.2 in Cox's Bazar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cox's Bazar pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $14.00 in Mardan vs $12.00 in Cox's Bazar. Groceries flip the comparison at $79.0 vs $106, with Mardan cheaper for home cooking.

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 Cox's Bazar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mardan and Cox's Bazar differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($433 vs $302 including rent). Cox's Bazar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Cox's Bazar earns 7% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $73.9 in Mardan versus $69.2 in Cox's Bazar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cox's Bazar runs roughly 41% less than in Mardan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $17.76 in Mardan versus $24.63 in Cox's Bazar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Cox's Bazar gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

Expats usually find Cox's Bazar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Mardan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.