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: $500 in Mardan versus $353 in Cox's Bazar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $767 in Mardan versus $567 in Cox's Bazar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,033 in Mardan versus $782 in Cox's Bazar.

Living in Mardan is roughly 42% more expensive than in Cox's Bazar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mardan 63% lower, Cox's Bazar 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 PKR 994

$1.59 ৳195

125.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.00 PKR 6,371

$12.20 ৳1,497

88.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 PKR 1,531

$3.00 ৳368

84.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 PKR 994

$2.65 ৳326

35.47%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 PKR 1,918

$2.51 ৳308

175.70%

Cappuccino

$2.62 PKR 725

$2.01 ৳247

30.35%

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

$0.36 PKR 98.5

$0.40 ৳48.49

-10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.0

$0.12 ৳15.17

91.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 252

$0.76 ৳93.0

19.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 PKR 220

$0.47 ৳58.2

68.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PKR 357

$0.64 ৳78.0

101.56%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 336

$1.04 ৳128

16.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.97 PKR 823

$7.23 ৳887

-58.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 PKR 864

$2.13 ৳262

46.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.74 PKR 1,035

$7.29 ৳895

-48.70%

Apples (1kg)

$0.94 PKR 260

$2.34 ৳287

-59.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 PKR 205

$0.83 ৳102

-10.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 PKR 295

$1.60 ৳197

-33.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.49 ৳59.5

-24.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.28 PKR 78.3

$0.47 ৳57.7

-40.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 98.2

$0.54 ৳66.4

-35.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 PKR 76.4

$0.45 ৳54.8

-37.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.30 ৳36.30

23.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.77 PKR 489

$7.98 ৳979

-77.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 PKR 326

$2.61 ৳320

-54.79%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 PKR 746

$4.47 ৳548

-39.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.78 PKR 493

$1.84 ৳225

-3.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.23

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.72 PKR 2,970

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 PKR 359

$0.29 ৳35.73

348.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 PKR 205

$0.36 ৳43.65

105.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 PKR 460

$3.96 ৳486

-58.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 PKR 283

$1.11 ৳136

-8.11%

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

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

$32.6K ৳4.0M

-34.20%

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

$24.0K PKR 6.7M

$34.4K ৳4.2M

-30.23%

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

$104 PKR 28.9K

$12.27 ৳1,506

748.90%

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

$5.69 PKR 1,575

$2.59 ৳318

119.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.72 PKR 4,353

$11.52 ৳1,413

36.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.73 PKR 4,079

$16.14 ৳1,981

-8.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.14 ৳508

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 PKR 1,203

$2.31 ৳283

87.88%

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

$75.2 PKR 20.8K

$24.74 ৳3,036

204.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,028 PKR 284.9K

$1,440 ৳176.7K

-28.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.74 PKR 6,852

$22.92 ৳2,812

7.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.30 PKR 9,501

$18.27 ৳2,242

87.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 PKR 27.2K

$33.08 ৳4,059

196.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.71 PKR 11.3K

$34.76 ৳4,265

17.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$128 PKR 35.4K

$160 ৳19.7K

-20.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.1 PKR 21.6K

$98.2 ৳12.0K

-20.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$250 PKR 69.4K

$310 ৳38.0K

-19.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 PKR 41.7K

$160 ৳19.6K

-5.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$994 PKR 275.4K

$352 ৳43.2K

182.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$591 PKR 163.8K

$259 ৳31.8K

128.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$280 ৳34.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

11.5

13.74%

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

Last update for Mardan: September 13, 2026

Last update for Cox's Bazar: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $128 in Mardan and $160 in Cox's Bazar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Mardan vs $12.00 in Cox's Bazar. Groceries flip the comparison at $85.0 vs $107, 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 42% in total monthly costs ($500 vs $353 including rent). Cox's Bazar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $750 in Mardan and $529 in Cox's Bazar 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $128 in Mardan versus $160 in Cox's Bazar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Mardan pay roughly 25% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $500 per month in Mardan versus $353 in Cox's Bazar – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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 42% less than in Mardan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.