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 $427 in Rawalpindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $639 in Mardan versus $665 in Rawalpindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $844 in Mardan versus $902 in Rawalpindi.

Living in Mardan is roughly 1% 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

$2.13 PKR 593

$1.75 PKR 485

21.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.42 PKR 4,010

$14.18 PKR 3,942

1.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 PKR 1,441

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 PKR 497

$1.56 PKR 435

14.74%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 PKR 1,074

$3.42 PKR 951

12.87%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 556

$1.67 PKR 464

19.76%

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

$0.31 PKR 86.2

$0.34 PKR 95.4

-8.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.9

$0.21 PKR 58.1

4.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 PKR 224

$0.80 PKR 221

1.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 185

$0.56 PKR 156

17.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 PKR 235

$1.29 PKR 358

-34.11%

Eggs

$1.15 PKR 320

$1.17 PKR 326

-1.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.23 PKR 1,733

$6.08 PKR 1,690

2.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.38 PKR 661

$3.33 PKR 926

-28.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.26 PKR 907

$4.52 PKR 1,256

-27.88%

Apples (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 192

$0.99 PKR 275

-30.30%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 154

$0.64 PKR 178

-14.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 PKR 263

$0.92 PKR 256

2.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 92.2

$0.51 PKR 141

-35.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 PKR 66.1

$0.36 PKR 100

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 92.9

$0.49 PKR 136

-32.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 91.8

$0.24 PKR 66.7

37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.12 PKR 34.05

$0.40 PKR 110

-70.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.46 PKR 405

$16.38 PKR 4,554

-91.09%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PKR 255

$1.02 PKR 285

-9.80%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 PKR 544

$2.28 PKR 635

-14.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.38 PKR 384

$1.90 PKR 530

-27.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 45.73

$0.20 PKR 55.9

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.25 PKR 2,016

$9.52 PKR 2,646

-23.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.84 PKR 234

-55.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.33 PKR 91.0

12.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 PKR 487

$3.07 PKR 854

-43.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 PKR 265

$0.91 PKR 254

4.40%

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

$21.0K PKR 5.8M

$17.4K PKR 4.9M

20.28%

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

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

14.20%

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

$112 PKR 31.2K

$100 PKR 27.9K

11.76%

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

$5.62 PKR 1,562

$4.12 PKR 1,146

36.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 PKR 5,280

$16.38 PKR 4,555

15.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.30 PKR 3,420

$10.15 PKR 2,821

21.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.78 PKR 1,607

$7.73 PKR 2,150

-25.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 PKR 1,147

$3.61 PKR 1,005

14.40%

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

$17.76 PKR 4,937

$40.70 PKR 11.3K

-56.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,095 PKR 304.3K

$965 PKR 268.4K

13.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.73 PKR 6,043

$11.77 PKR 3,273

84.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.38 PKR 7,891

$18.65 PKR 5,184

52.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 PKR 24.3K

$89.8 PKR 25.0K

-2.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.89 PKR 4,973

$28.17 PKR 7,832

-36.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$73.9 PKR 20.5K

$133 PKR 37.0K

-44.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.5 PKR 14.6K

$65.5 PKR 18.2K

-19.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 PKR 45.5K

$333 PKR 92.6K

-50.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 29.9K

$172 PKR 47.9K

-37.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$774 PKR 215.2K

$1,130 PKR 314.2K

-31.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$424 PKR 118.0K

$511 PKR 142.1K

-16.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$268 PKR 74.4K

$173 PKR 48.2K

54.25%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $73.9 in Mardan and $133 in Rawalpindi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mardan pays 54% 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 $79.0 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 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mardan pays 54% 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: $73.9 in Mardan versus $133 in Rawalpindi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $17.76 in Mardan versus $40.70 in Rawalpindi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Mardan pay roughly 19% 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 1% less than in Mardan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.