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: $424 in Mardan versus $431 in Rawalpindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $638 in Mardan versus $665 in Rawalpindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $851 in Mardan versus $899 in Rawalpindi.

Living in Mardan costs roughly 1% less than in Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 PKR 571

$1.79 PKR 497

15.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.31 PKR 3,970

$14.27 PKR 3,959

0.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 PKR 1,487

$5.26 PKR 1,460

1.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 PKR 479

$1.60 PKR 445

8.12%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,110

$3.42 PKR 950

16.96%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 556

$1.66 PKR 460

20.48%

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

$0.31 PKR 87.1

$0.34 PKR 95.5

-8.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.7

$0.21 PKR 58.0

14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 PKR 214

$0.79 PKR 219

-2.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 171

$0.56 PKR 156

10.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 233

$1.30 PKR 361

-35.38%

Eggs

$1.19 PKR 331

$1.14 PKR 316

4.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.33 PKR 1,756

$5.98 PKR 1,660

5.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.31 PKR 641

$3.26 PKR 906

-29.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.26 PKR 904

$4.47 PKR 1,240

-27.07%

Apples (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 191

$1.02 PKR 283

-32.35%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.63 PKR 175

-12.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 PKR 268

$0.84 PKR 233

14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 92.6

$0.50 PKR 139

-34.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 PKR 66.6

$0.37 PKR 102

-35.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.52 PKR 144

-28.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 91.8

$0.26 PKR 72.8

26.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.13 PKR 35.05

$0.40 PKR 110

-67.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.43 PKR 396

$15.96 PKR 4,429

-91.04%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 PKR 243

$1.02 PKR 284

-13.73%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 PKR 543

$2.37 PKR 658

-17.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.43 PKR 398

$1.92 PKR 533

-25.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.54

$0.20 PKR 56.6

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.89 PKR 1,911

$9.59 PKR 2,663

-28.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.85 PKR 235

-57.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 PKR 94.9

$0.32 PKR 90.0

6.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 PKR 502

$3.09 PKR 858

-41.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 PKR 248

$0.95 PKR 264

-6.32%

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

$21.3K PKR 5.9M

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

21.44%

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

$26.3K PKR 7.3M

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

14.96%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

$101 PKR 28.0K

11.33%

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

$5.55 PKR 1,540

$3.96 PKR 1,100

40.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.45 PKR 5,120

$16.35 PKR 4,537

12.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.30 PKR 3,414

$9.86 PKR 2,736

24.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.99 PKR 1,664

$7.42 PKR 2,060

-19.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 PKR 1,181

$3.57 PKR 990

19.33%

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

$17.48 PKR 4,851

$40.97 PKR 11.4K

-57.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,112 PKR 308.7K

$963 PKR 267.2K

15.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.33 PKR 5,920

$11.74 PKR 3,258

81.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.63 PKR 7,669

$18.96 PKR 5,263

45.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 PKR 24.8K

$89.7 PKR 24.9K

-0.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.39 PKR 4,827

$29.12 PKR 8,081

-40.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.5 PKR 21.0K

$133 PKR 36.9K

-43.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.8 PKR 14.4K

$66.5 PKR 18.5K

-22.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 PKR 46.3K

$334 PKR 92.8K

-50.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 PKR 29.1K

$173 PKR 48.1K

-39.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$867 PKR 240.6K

$1,133 PKR 314.6K

-23.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$511 PKR 141.9K

$510 PKR 141.6K

0.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$176 PKR 48.7K

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $75.5 in Mardan and $133 in Rawalpindi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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 $94.0 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

Mardan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $636 in Mardan and $646 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: $75.5 in Mardan versus $133 in Rawalpindi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $17.48 in Mardan versus $40.97 in Rawalpindi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Rawalpindi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Mardan 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 Mardan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.