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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $434 per month in Mardan vs $408 in Ernakulam, rent included.

A couple spends around $641 per month in Mardan vs $655 in Ernakulam, rent included.

A family of three spends $849 per month in Mardan vs $903 in Ernakulam, rent included.

Mardan costs about 6% more than Ernakulam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mardan and Ernakulam are more affordable than the global median – Mardan 68% lower, Ernakulam 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 PKR 573

$1.78 ₹172

15.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.95 PKR 3,874

$9.57 ₹923

45.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,511

$4.72 ₹455

15.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 PKR 482

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 PKR 1,087

Cappuccino

$2.06 PKR 573

$1.46 ₹140

41.10%

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

$0.31 PKR 86.7

$0.53 ₹50.7

-41.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.9

$0.19 ₹18.12

26.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 ₹163

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 ₹276

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 PKR 212

$0.70 ₹67.2

8.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 PKR 186

$0.58 ₹55.7

15.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 PKR 229

$0.59 ₹57.3

40.68%

Eggs

$1.14 PKR 316

$0.93 ₹89.8

22.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.31 PKR 1,753

$7.00 ₹675

-9.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.30 PKR 638

$3.64 ₹351

-36.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.15 PKR 876

Apples (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 191

$2.34 ₹225

-70.51%

Banana (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 150

$0.61 ₹58.9

-11.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 PKR 252

$1.09 ₹105

-16.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 92.7

$0.57 ₹55.0

-42.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 PKR 66.6

$0.50 ₹47.96

-52.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 93.2

$0.56 ₹53.7

-39.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.3

$0.68 ₹66.0

-54.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.15 PKR 41.17

$0.33 ₹32.22

-54.55%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.48 PKR 410

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 PKR 254

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 PKR 564

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.39 PKR 385

$3.18 ₹306

-56.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.26 ₹507

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ₹171

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 ₹241

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

$4.24 ₹409

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 47.30

$0.30 ₹29.19

-43.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.20 PKR 1,998

$8.74 ₹843

-17.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 PKR 102

$1.04 ₹99.9

-64.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 PKR 104

$0.30 ₹28.83

26.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 PKR 503

$1.15 ₹111

57.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 270

$1.20 ₹116

-19.17%

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

$21.0K PKR 5.8M

$16.3K ₹1.6M

28.68%

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

$26.5K PKR 7.4M

$22.8K ₹2.2M

16.12%

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

$110 PKR 30.6K

$37.50 ₹3,616

194.13%

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

$5.41 PKR 1,501

$3.14 ₹302

72.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.63 PKR 5,173

$7.02 ₹677

165.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.49 PKR 3,468

$16.86 ₹1,626

-25.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 PKR 1,666

$7.16 ₹690

-16.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,169

$2.35 ₹226

79.15%

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

$17.98 PKR 4,993

$74.8 ₹7,210

-75.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,125 PKR 312.3K

$2,393 ₹230.8K

-53.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.58 PKR 5,991

$26.55 ₹2,560

-18.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.34 PKR 7,869

$21.61 ₹2,084

31.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 PKR 24.8K

$36.92 ₹3,560

141.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.37 PKR 4,824

$25.65 ₹2,473

-32.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$74.8 PKR 20.8K

$162 ₹15.6K

-53.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.6 PKR 14.6K

$102 ₹9,829

-48.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$169 PKR 46.9K

$418 ₹40.3K

-59.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 30.0K

$252 ₹24.3K

-57.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$755 PKR 209.5K

$1,081 ₹104.3K

-30.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$497 PKR 138.0K

$1,185 ₹114.3K

-58.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$338 ₹32.6K

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Ernakulam: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $74.8 in Mardan versus $162 in Ernakulam. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Mardan versus $10.00 in Ernakulam. Groceries tell a different story – $78.0 in Mardan vs $114 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 6%, 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 $651 per month in Mardan and $612 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 $434 in Mardan and $408 in Ernakulam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 21% 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 $434 in Mardan and $408 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.