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: $500 in Mardan versus $495 in Rawalpindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $767 in Mardan versus $781 in Rawalpindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,033 in Mardan versus $1,067 in Rawalpindi.

Living in Mardan is roughly 1% more expensive than in Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mardan 63% lower, Rawalpindi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 PKR 994

$2.05 PKR 569

75.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.00 PKR 6,371

$16.07 PKR 4,452

43.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 PKR 1,531

$5.84 PKR 1,617

-5.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 PKR 994

$1.76 PKR 487

103.98%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 PKR 1,918

$3.50 PKR 971

97.71%

Cappuccino

$2.62 PKR 725

$1.98 PKR 549

32.32%

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

$0.36 PKR 98.5

$0.44 PKR 121

-18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.0

$0.25 PKR 69.4

-8.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 252

$0.91 PKR 251

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 PKR 220

$0.54 PKR 151

46.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PKR 357

$1.23 PKR 340

4.88%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 336

$1.11 PKR 308

9.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.97 PKR 823

$6.32 PKR 1,752

-53.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 PKR 864

$3.57 PKR 990

-12.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.74 PKR 1,035

$5.05 PKR 1,398

-25.94%

Apples (1kg)

$0.94 PKR 260

$1.20 PKR 331

-21.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 PKR 205

$0.84 PKR 232

-11.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 PKR 295

$1.22 PKR 338

-13.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.53 PKR 146

-30.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.28 PKR 78.3

$0.36 PKR 99.5

-22.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 98.2

$0.45 PKR 124

-22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 PKR 76.4

$0.31 PKR 84.9

-9.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.43 PKR 118

-13.95%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.77 PKR 489

$16.09 PKR 4,458

-89.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 PKR 326

$1.14 PKR 316

3.51%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 PKR 746

$2.37 PKR 657

13.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.78 PKR 493

$1.93 PKR 535

-7.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.23

$0.18 PKR 50.5

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.72 PKR 2,970

$9.99 PKR 2,767

7.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 PKR 359

$0.93 PKR 258

39.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 PKR 205

$0.35 PKR 96.1

111.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 PKR 460

$3.11 PKR 861

-46.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 PKR 283

$1.13 PKR 313

-9.73%

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

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

19.79%

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

$24.0K PKR 6.7M

$24.1K PKR 6.7M

-0.42%

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

$104 PKR 28.9K

$113 PKR 31.2K

-7.64%

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

$5.69 PKR 1,575

$5.55 PKR 1,537

2.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.72 PKR 4,353

$18.88 PKR 5,229

-16.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.73 PKR 4,079

$12.11 PKR 3,354

21.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.81 PKR 1,886

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 PKR 1,203

$4.26 PKR 1,179

1.88%

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

$75.2 PKR 20.8K

$48.70 PKR 13.5K

54.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,028 PKR 284.9K

$833 PKR 230.8K

23.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.74 PKR 6,852

$20.41 PKR 5,653

21.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.30 PKR 9,501

$28.85 PKR 7,993

18.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 PKR 27.2K

$93.7 PKR 26.0K

4.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.71 PKR 11.3K

$36.19 PKR 10.0K

12.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$128 PKR 35.4K

$201 PKR 55.6K

-36.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.1 PKR 21.6K

$83.0 PKR 23.0K

-5.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$250 PKR 69.4K

$428 PKR 118.6K

-41.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 PKR 41.7K

$226 PKR 62.6K

-33.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$994 PKR 275.4K

$1,170 PKR 324.1K

-15.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$591 PKR 163.8K

$507 PKR 140.5K

16.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 PKR 48.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

22.81

-42.66%

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

Last update for Mardan: September 13, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $128 in Mardan and $201 in Rawalpindi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Mardan vs $16.00 in Rawalpindi. Groceries flip the comparison at $85.0 vs $103, with Mardan cheaper for home cooking.

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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $750 in Mardan and $742 in Rawalpindi to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $128 in Mardan versus $201 in Rawalpindi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $75.2 in Mardan versus $48.70 in Rawalpindi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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