Cost of Living Comparison Between Mardan and Islamabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Mardan and Islamabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $424 per month in Mardan vs $532 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $638 per month in Mardan vs $834 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $851 per month in Mardan vs $1,136 in Islamabad, rent included.

Mardan is about 20% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mardan and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Mardan 68% lower, Islamabad 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 PKR 571

$2.89 PKR 803

-28.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.31 PKR 3,970

$14.11 PKR 3,916

1.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 PKR 1,487

$5.43 PKR 1,508

-1.29%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 PKR 479

$1.76 PKR 488

-1.70%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,110

$3.79 PKR 1,051

5.54%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 556

$1.98 PKR 550

1.01%

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

$0.31 PKR 87.1

$0.39 PKR 108

-20.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.7

$0.22 PKR 60.8

9.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 PKR 214

$1.02 PKR 284

-24.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 171

$0.62 PKR 172

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 233

$1.22 PKR 339

-31.15%

Eggs

$1.19 PKR 331

$1.22 PKR 338

-2.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.33 PKR 1,756

$6.04 PKR 1,677

4.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.31 PKR 641

$3.37 PKR 936

-31.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.26 PKR 904

$4.47 PKR 1,239

-27.07%

Apples (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 191

$1.00 PKR 278

-31.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.84 PKR 233

-34.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 PKR 268

$0.93 PKR 259

3.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 92.6

$0.57 PKR 157

-42.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 PKR 66.6

$0.41 PKR 115

-41.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.58 PKR 160

-36.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 91.8

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.13 PKR 35.05

$0.37 PKR 104

-64.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.43 PKR 396

$1.90 PKR 528

-24.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 PKR 243

$0.85 PKR 236

3.53%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 PKR 543

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.43 PKR 398

$2.10 PKR 584

-31.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.54

$0.16 PKR 43.35

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.89 PKR 1,911

$7.18 PKR 1,993

-4.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.84 PKR 233

-57.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 PKR 94.9

$0.44 PKR 122

-22.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 PKR 502

$2.87 PKR 796

-36.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 PKR 248

$0.93 PKR 257

-4.30%

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

$21.3K PKR 5.9M

$21.1K PKR 5.9M

0.84%

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

$26.3K PKR 7.3M

-0.04%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

$113 PKR 31.4K

-0.73%

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

$5.55 PKR 1,540

$5.39 PKR 1,495

2.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.45 PKR 5,120

$18.61 PKR 5,165

-0.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.30 PKR 3,414

$22.80 PKR 6,329

-46.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.99 PKR 1,664

$6.02 PKR 1,671

-0.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 PKR 1,181

$4.35 PKR 1,209

-2.07%

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

$17.48 PKR 4,851

$60.5 PKR 16.8K

-71.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,112 PKR 308.7K

$2,790 PKR 774.2K

-60.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.33 PKR 5,920

$21.18 PKR 5,878

0.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.63 PKR 7,669

$28.13 PKR 7,806

-1.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 PKR 24.8K

$90.0 PKR 25.0K

-0.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.39 PKR 4,827

$40.15 PKR 11.1K

-56.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.5 PKR 21.0K

$197 PKR 54.8K

-61.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.8 PKR 14.4K

$110 PKR 30.5K

-52.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 PKR 46.3K

$513 PKR 142.4K

-67.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 PKR 29.1K

$299 PKR 83.1K

-64.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$867 PKR 240.6K

$1,569 PKR 435.5K

-44.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$511 PKR 141.9K

$647 PKR 179.5K

-20.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 PKR 107.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

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

Last update for Mardan: July 25, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $75.5 in Mardan versus $197 in Islamabad. 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 $14.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $79.0 vs $99.0 – making Mardan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 25%, 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 $636 per month in Mardan and $798 in Islamabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 26% more in Islamabad, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Mardan and $14.00 in Islamabad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $424 in Mardan and $532 in Islamabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Mardan – 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 Mardan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Islamabad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.