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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $427 in Rawalpindi versus $433 in Mardan.

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

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

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.75 PKR 485

$2.13 PKR 593

-17.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.18 PKR 3,942

$14.42 PKR 4,010

-1.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 PKR 1,441

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 PKR 435

$1.79 PKR 497

-12.85%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 PKR 951

$3.86 PKR 1,074

-11.40%

Cappuccino

$1.67 PKR 464

$2.00 PKR 556

-16.50%

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

$0.34 PKR 95.4

$0.31 PKR 86.2

9.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.1

$0.22 PKR 60.9

-4.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 PKR 221

$0.81 PKR 224

-1.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.66 PKR 185

-15.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PKR 358

$0.85 PKR 235

51.76%

Eggs

$1.17 PKR 326

$1.15 PKR 320

1.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.08 PKR 1,690

$6.23 PKR 1,733

-2.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 PKR 926

$2.38 PKR 661

39.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.52 PKR 1,256

$3.26 PKR 907

38.65%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 PKR 275

$0.69 PKR 192

43.48%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 PKR 178

$0.55 PKR 154

16.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 PKR 256

$0.94 PKR 263

-2.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 141

$0.33 PKR 92.2

54.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 100

$0.24 PKR 66.1

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 136

$0.33 PKR 92.9

48.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 PKR 66.7

$0.33 PKR 91.8

-27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.12 PKR 34.05

233.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.38 PKR 4,554

$1.46 PKR 405

1021.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 285

$0.92 PKR 255

10.87%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 PKR 635

$1.96 PKR 544

16.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 PKR 530

$1.38 PKR 384

37.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 55.9

$0.16 PKR 45.73

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.52 PKR 2,646

$7.25 PKR 2,016

31.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 PKR 234

$0.37 PKR 102

127.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 PKR 91.0

$0.37 PKR 103

-10.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 PKR 854

$1.75 PKR 487

75.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 254

$0.95 PKR 265

-4.21%

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

$17.4K PKR 4.9M

$21.0K PKR 5.8M

-16.86%

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

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

-12.43%

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

$100 PKR 27.9K

$112 PKR 31.2K

-10.52%

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

$4.12 PKR 1,146

$5.62 PKR 1,562

-26.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.38 PKR 4,555

$18.99 PKR 5,280

-13.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.15 PKR 2,821

$12.30 PKR 3,420

-17.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.73 PKR 2,150

$5.78 PKR 1,607

33.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.61 PKR 1,005

$4.13 PKR 1,147

-12.59%

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

$40.70 PKR 11.3K

$17.76 PKR 4,937

129.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$965 PKR 268.4K

$1,095 PKR 304.3K

-11.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.77 PKR 3,273

$21.73 PKR 6,043

-45.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.65 PKR 5,184

$28.38 PKR 7,891

-34.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 PKR 25.0K

$87.3 PKR 24.3K

2.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.17 PKR 7,832

$17.89 PKR 4,973

57.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 PKR 37.0K

$73.9 PKR 20.5K

80.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.5 PKR 18.2K

$52.5 PKR 14.6K

24.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 PKR 92.6K

$164 PKR 45.5K

103.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 PKR 47.9K

$108 PKR 29.9K

60.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,130 PKR 314.2K

$774 PKR 215.2K

45.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$511 PKR 142.1K

$424 PKR 118.0K

20.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 PKR 48.2K

$268 PKR 74.4K

-35.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.17

20.2

-0.15%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: June 6, 2026

Last update for Mardan: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $133 in Rawalpindi and $73.9 in Mardan. 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 Rawalpindi vs $14.00 in Mardan. Groceries flip the comparison at $95.0 vs $79.0, 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

Rawalpindi vs Mardan: 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.

On paper, Mardan earns 54% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $133 in Rawalpindi versus $73.9 in Mardan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $40.70 in Rawalpindi versus $17.76 in Mardan. 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.