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: $424 in Mardan versus $296 in Cox's Bazar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $638 in Mardan versus $512 in Cox's Bazar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $851 in Mardan versus $728 in Cox's Bazar.

Living in Mardan is roughly 44% more expensive than in Cox's Bazar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mardan 68% lower, Cox's Bazar 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 PKR 571

$1.59 ৳197

29.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.31 PKR 3,970

$12.43 ৳1,536

15.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 PKR 1,487

$3.02 ৳373

77.48%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 PKR 479

$5.77 ৳713

-70.02%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,110

$2.43 ৳300

64.61%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 556

$1.66 ৳205

20.48%

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

$0.31 PKR 87.1

$0.38 ৳47.57

-18.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.7

$0.13 ৳16.07

84.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 PKR 214

$0.73 ৳89.9

5.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 171

$0.47 ৳58.1

31.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 233

$0.48 ৳59.8

75.00%

Eggs

$1.19 PKR 331

$1.01 ৳125

17.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.33 PKR 1,756

$8.89 ৳1,098

-28.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.31 PKR 641

$1.69 ৳209

36.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.26 PKR 904

$7.03 ৳869

-53.63%

Apples (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 191

$2.29 ৳283

-69.87%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.96 ৳119

-42.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 PKR 268

$1.62 ৳200

-40.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 92.6

$0.34 ৳42.48

-2.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 PKR 66.6

$0.20 ৳24.42

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.38 ৳47.37

-2.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 91.8

$0.41 ৳50.5

-19.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.13 PKR 35.05

$0.25 ৳30.83

-48.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.43 PKR 396

$7.74 ৳956

-81.52%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 PKR 243

$2.52 ৳311

-65.08%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 PKR 543

$3.39 ৳419

-42.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.43 PKR 398

$1.89 ৳233

-24.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.54

$0.22 ৳27.21

-18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.89 PKR 1,911

$10.19 ৳1,260

-32.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.30 ৳37.16

20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 PKR 94.9

$0.36 ৳44.01

-5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 PKR 502

$2.50 ৳309

-27.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 PKR 248

$1.06 ৳131

-16.04%

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

$21.3K PKR 5.9M

$32.6K ৳4.0M

-34.72%

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

$26.3K PKR 7.3M

$34.3K ৳4.2M

-23.18%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

$12.45 ৳1,539

800.96%

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

$5.55 PKR 1,540

$2.59 ৳320

114.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.45 PKR 5,120

$11.58 ৳1,431

59.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.30 PKR 3,414

$16.15 ৳1,995

-23.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.99 PKR 1,664

$11.93 ৳1,474

-49.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 PKR 1,181

$2.42 ৳299

76.03%

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

$17.48 PKR 4,851

$25.10 ৳3,101

-30.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,112 PKR 308.7K

$1,356 ৳167.6K

-18.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.33 PKR 5,920

$20.51 ৳2,534

4.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.63 PKR 7,669

$18.26 ৳2,256

51.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 PKR 24.8K

$32.61 ৳4,029

173.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.39 PKR 4,827

$33.22 ৳4,105

-47.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.5 PKR 21.0K

$68.9 ৳8,511

9.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.8 PKR 14.4K

$41.82 ৳5,168

23.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 PKR 46.3K

$311 ৳38.4K

-46.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 PKR 29.1K

$98.3 ৳12.1K

6.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$867 PKR 240.6K

$354 ৳43.7K

145.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$511 PKR 141.9K

$264 ৳32.6K

93.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$287 ৳35.4K

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: July 25, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $75.5 in Mardan and $68.9 in Cox's Bazar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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 44% in total monthly costs ($424 vs $296 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 $636 in Mardan and $443 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: $75.5 in Mardan versus $68.9 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 48% less than in Mardan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $17.48 in Mardan versus $25.10 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 44% less than in Mardan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.