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 $303 in Cox's Bazar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $641 in Mardan versus $516 in Cox's Bazar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $848 in Mardan versus $729 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

$2.18 PKR 607

$1.61 ৳197

35.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.39 PKR 4,012

$12.33 ৳1,513

16.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 PKR 1,491

$3.00 ৳368

78.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 488

$5.78 ৳709

-69.72%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 PKR 1,097

$2.42 ৳298

62.40%

Cappuccino

$2.06 PKR 574

$1.60 ৳196

28.75%

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

$0.29 PKR 79.8

$0.36 ৳44.14

-19.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.0

$0.12 ৳15.08

83.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 PKR 216

$0.79 ৳96.8

-1.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 PKR 182

$0.50 ৳61.5

30.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 233

$0.48 ৳59.4

75.00%

Eggs

$1.16 PKR 322

$1.05 ৳129

10.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.03 PKR 1,680

$8.87 ৳1,089

-32.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.39 PKR 666

$1.62 ৳198

47.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.10 PKR 866

$6.97 ৳856

-55.52%

Apples (1kg)

$0.74 PKR 205

$2.27 ৳279

-67.40%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 152

$1.00 ৳122

-45.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 PKR 266

$1.63 ৳200

-41.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.30 PKR 84.8

$0.31 ৳38.61

-3.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 PKR 66.8

$0.17 ৳20.52

41.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.39 ৳47.49

-5.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 86.1

$0.40 ৳49.31

-22.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.15 PKR 41.17

$0.27 ৳33.32

-44.44%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.98 PKR 552

$6.44 ৳791

-69.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PKR 243

$2.51 ৳308

-65.34%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 554

$3.37 ৳413

-40.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.37 PKR 383

$1.89 ৳232

-27.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.01

$0.20 ৳24.49

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.04 PKR 1,964

$10.17 ৳1,248

-30.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 PKR 102

$0.28 ৳34.11

28.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 PKR 96.0

$0.36 ৳43.80

-5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 PKR 506

$2.51 ৳308

-27.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 271

$1.04 ৳128

-6.73%

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

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

$32.7K ৳4.0M

-36.30%

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

$26.2K PKR 7.3M

$33.8K ৳4.1M

-22.39%

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

$114 PKR 31.8K

$12.14 ৳1,491

840.36%

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

$5.37 PKR 1,497

$2.64 ৳325

103.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.43 PKR 5,137

$11.27 ৳1,384

63.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.43 PKR 3,464

$16.16 ৳1,984

-23.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.91 PKR 1,647

$11.71 ৳1,438

-49.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.18 PKR 1,165

$2.39 ৳294

74.90%

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

$17.36 PKR 4,839

$24.31 ৳2,984

-28.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,128 PKR 314.4K

$1,376 ৳168.9K

-18.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.42 PKR 5,970

$20.19 ৳2,479

6.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.91 PKR 7,781

$18.10 ৳2,222

54.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 PKR 25.0K

$33.00 ৳4,051

171.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.55 PKR 4,893

$34.09 ৳4,185

-48.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.8 PKR 21.1K

$68.6 ৳8,420

10.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.6 PKR 14.4K

$41.65 ৳5,113

23.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 PKR 45.8K

$305 ৳37.4K

-46.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 30.1K

$97.6 ৳12.0K

10.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$602 ৳74.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$392 ৳48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$270 PKR 75.2K

$288 ৳35.4K

-6.38%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Cox's Bazar: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $75.8 in Mardan and $68.6 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 $78.0 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 $303 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: $75.8 in Mardan versus $68.6 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 44% less than in Mardan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $17.36 in Mardan versus $24.31 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.