Cost of Living Comparison Between Mardan and Ernakulam Cost of Living Comparison Between Mardan and Ernakulam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $428 per month in Mardan vs $400 in Ernakulam, rent included.

A couple spends around $643 per month in Mardan vs $647 in Ernakulam, rent included.

A family of three spends $857 per month in Mardan vs $894 in Ernakulam, rent included.

Mardan costs about 7% more than Ernakulam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mardan and Ernakulam are more affordable than the global median – Mardan 68% lower, Ernakulam 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.17 PKR 603

$1.72 ₹165

26.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.27 PKR 3,970

$9.42 ₹902

51.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.38 PKR 1,497

$4.77 ₹457

12.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 488

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,063

Cappuccino

$2.09 PKR 581

$1.41 ₹135

48.23%

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

$0.29 PKR 79.7

$0.50 ₹47.77

-42.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.9

$0.23 ₹21.85

-4.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 ₹162

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₹275

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 PKR 212

$0.69 ₹66.4

10.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 PKR 171

$0.53 ₹51.1

15.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 PKR 222

$0.64 ₹61.5

25.00%

Eggs

$1.19 PKR 332

$1.00 ₹95.8

19.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,688

$6.84 ₹655

-11.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.36 PKR 657

$3.59 ₹344

-34.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.17 PKR 881

Apples (1kg)

$0.68 PKR 189

$2.33 ₹223

-70.82%

Banana (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 141

$0.62 ₹59.8

-17.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 260

$1.03 ₹98.7

-9.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 92.3

$0.58 ₹55.2

-43.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 PKR 66.8

$0.53 ₹51.0

-54.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.55 ₹52.5

-32.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.30 PKR 84.6

$0.72 ₹69.2

-58.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.16 PKR 44.49

$0.37 ₹35.05

-56.76%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.33 PKR 370

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 PKR 253

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 553

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.45 PKR 402

$3.23 ₹310

-55.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.13 ₹491

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 ₹164

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 ₹234

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.18 ₹401

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 45.86

$0.28 ₹26.57

-42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.10 PKR 1,975

$8.85 ₹848

-19.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 PKR 101

$1.02 ₹97.7

-64.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 PKR 95.9

$0.30 ₹28.66

13.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 PKR 488

$1.19 ₹114

47.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 PKR 255

$1.25 ₹120

-26.40%

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

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

$16.6K ₹1.6M

29.08%

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

$25.8K PKR 7.2M

$22.7K ₹2.2M

13.20%

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

$110 PKR 30.7K

$37.55 ₹3,596

194.01%

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

$5.53 PKR 1,539

$3.17 ₹303

74.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.00 PKR 5,285

$6.97 ₹667

172.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.17 PKR 3,387

$16.96 ₹1,624

-28.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.85 PKR 1,627

$7.30 ₹699

-19.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 PKR 1,157

$2.30 ₹220

80.87%

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

$17.66 PKR 4,914

$73.9 ₹7,076

-76.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,093 PKR 304.2K

$2,395 ₹229.3K

-54.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.64 PKR 6,019

$25.98 ₹2,488

-16.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.48 PKR 7,924

$21.48 ₹2,057

32.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

$36.72 ₹3,517

139.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.72 PKR 4,930

$25.08 ₹2,402

-29.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.0 PKR 21.1K

$163 ₹15.6K

-53.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.0 PKR 14.5K

$102 ₹9,762

-48.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$168 PKR 46.7K

$423 ₹40.5K

-60.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$107 PKR 29.8K

$253 ₹24.2K

-57.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$882 PKR 245.2K

$925 ₹88.6K

-4.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$460 PKR 127.8K

$575 ₹55.1K

-20.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$267 PKR 74.2K

$339 ₹32.4K

-21.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

9.36

115.81%

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

Last update for Mardan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ernakulam: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $76.0 in Mardan versus $163 in Ernakulam. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 27% higher in Ernakulam, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Mardan versus $9.00 in Ernakulam. Groceries tell a different story – $78.0 in Mardan vs $113 in Ernakulam – so Mardan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Ernakulam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mardan is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $643 per month in Mardan and $600 in Ernakulam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ernakulam, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $428 in Mardan and $400 in Ernakulam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 25% less in Ernakulam. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $428 in Mardan and $400 in Ernakulam, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ernakulam – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ernakulam. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mardan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.