Cost of Living Comparison Between Mardan and Rawalpindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Mardan and Rawalpindi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $433 in Mardan versus $423 in Rawalpindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $641 in Mardan versus $670 in Rawalpindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $848 in Mardan versus $917 in Rawalpindi.

Living in Mardan is roughly 2% more expensive than Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mardan 68% lower, Rawalpindi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.18 PKR 607

$1.75 PKR 487

24.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.39 PKR 4,012

$14.30 PKR 3,985

0.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 PKR 1,491

$5.38 PKR 1,501

-0.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 488

$1.63 PKR 454

7.36%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 PKR 1,097

$3.53 PKR 985

11.33%

Cappuccino

$2.06 PKR 574

$1.71 PKR 477

20.47%

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

$0.29 PKR 79.8

$0.31 PKR 87.8

-6.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.0

$0.21 PKR 58.3

4.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 PKR 216

$0.85 PKR 238

-8.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 PKR 182

$0.52 PKR 144

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 233

$1.29 PKR 360

-34.88%

Eggs

$1.16 PKR 322

$1.18 PKR 329

-1.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.03 PKR 1,680

$6.18 PKR 1,724

-2.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.39 PKR 666

$3.44 PKR 959

-30.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.10 PKR 866

$4.46 PKR 1,244

-30.49%

Apples (1kg)

$0.74 PKR 205

$1.00 PKR 280

-26.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.64 PKR 177

-14.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 PKR 266

$0.86 PKR 239

10.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.30 PKR 84.8

$0.48 PKR 134

-37.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 PKR 66.8

$0.36 PKR 101

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.49 PKR 136

-24.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 86.1

$0.24 PKR 66.3

29.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.15 PKR 41.17

$0.36 PKR 101

-58.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.98 PKR 552

$15.92 PKR 4,437

-87.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PKR 243

$0.99 PKR 277

-12.12%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 554

$2.30 PKR 643

-13.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.37 PKR 383

$1.94 PKR 541

-29.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.01

$0.18 PKR 50.8

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.04 PKR 1,964

$9.95 PKR 2,774

-29.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 PKR 102

$0.84 PKR 234

-57.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 PKR 96.0

$0.35 PKR 98.2

-2.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 PKR 506

$3.07 PKR 856

-41.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 271

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

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

$17.6K PKR 4.9M

18.42%

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

$26.2K PKR 7.3M

$23.2K PKR 6.5M

13.19%

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

$114 PKR 31.8K

$103 PKR 28.7K

11.07%

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

$5.37 PKR 1,497

$3.95 PKR 1,101

35.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.43 PKR 5,137

$16.31 PKR 4,545

13.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.43 PKR 3,464

$9.99 PKR 2,784

24.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.91 PKR 1,647

$7.52 PKR 2,097

-21.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.18 PKR 1,165

$3.64 PKR 1,015

14.84%

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

$17.36 PKR 4,839

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

-56.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,128 PKR 314.4K

$953 PKR 265.7K

18.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.42 PKR 5,970

$11.64 PKR 3,246

84.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.91 PKR 7,781

$18.40 PKR 5,131

51.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 PKR 25.0K

$88.8 PKR 24.8K

0.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.55 PKR 4,893

$28.47 PKR 7,937

-38.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.8 PKR 21.1K

$130 PKR 36.2K

-41.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.6 PKR 14.4K

$64.5 PKR 18.0K

-20.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 PKR 45.8K

$327 PKR 91.2K

-49.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 30.1K

$174 PKR 48.5K

-37.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,159 PKR 323.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$522 PKR 145.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$270 PKR 75.2K

$174 PKR 48.4K

55.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

20.17

0.15%

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

Last update for Mardan: April 25, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $75.8 in Mardan and $130 in Rawalpindi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mardan pays 55% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $14.00 in Mardan vs $14.00 in Rawalpindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $78.0 vs $95.0 per month, with Mardan cheaper across the board.

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 Rawalpindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawalpindi is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mardan pays 55% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $75.8 in Mardan versus $130 in Rawalpindi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $17.36 in Mardan versus $39.91 in Rawalpindi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Mardan pay roughly 21% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Rawalpindi 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 Rawalpindi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Mardan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.