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: $431 in Rawalpindi versus $424 in Mardan.

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

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

Living in Rawalpindi is roughly 1% more expensive 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

$1.79 PKR 497

$2.06 PKR 571

-13.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.27 PKR 3,959

$14.31 PKR 3,970

-0.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 PKR 1,460

$5.36 PKR 1,487

-1.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 PKR 445

$1.73 PKR 479

-7.51%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 PKR 950

$4.00 PKR 1,110

-14.50%

Cappuccino

$1.66 PKR 460

$2.00 PKR 556

-17.00%

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

$0.34 PKR 95.5

$0.31 PKR 87.1

9.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.0

$0.24 PKR 66.7

-12.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 PKR 219

$0.77 PKR 214

2.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.62 PKR 171

-9.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PKR 361

$0.84 PKR 233

54.76%

Eggs

$1.14 PKR 316

$1.19 PKR 331

-4.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.98 PKR 1,660

$6.33 PKR 1,756

-5.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 PKR 906

$2.31 PKR 641

41.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.47 PKR 1,240

$3.26 PKR 904

37.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 283

$0.69 PKR 191

47.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 PKR 175

$0.55 PKR 152

14.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 233

$0.96 PKR 268

-12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 139

$0.33 PKR 92.6

51.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.24 PKR 66.6

54.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$0.37 PKR 102

40.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.26 PKR 72.8

$0.33 PKR 91.8

-21.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.13 PKR 35.05

207.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.96 PKR 4,429

$1.43 PKR 396

1016.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 284

$0.88 PKR 243

15.91%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 PKR 658

$1.96 PKR 543

20.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 PKR 533

$1.43 PKR 398

34.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 56.6

$0.18 PKR 49.54

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.59 PKR 2,663

$6.89 PKR 1,911

39.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 235

$0.36 PKR 101

136.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 PKR 90.0

$0.34 PKR 94.9

-5.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 PKR 858

$1.81 PKR 502

70.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 PKR 264

$0.89 PKR 248

6.74%

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

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

$21.3K PKR 5.9M

-17.66%

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

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

$26.3K PKR 7.3M

-13.01%

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

$101 PKR 28.0K

$112 PKR 31.1K

-10.18%

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

$3.96 PKR 1,100

$5.55 PKR 1,540

-28.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.35 PKR 4,537

$18.45 PKR 5,120

-11.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.86 PKR 2,736

$12.30 PKR 3,414

-19.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.42 PKR 2,060

$5.99 PKR 1,664

23.87%

Cinema Ticket

$3.57 PKR 990

$4.26 PKR 1,181

-16.20%

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

$40.97 PKR 11.4K

$17.48 PKR 4,851

134.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$963 PKR 267.2K

$1,112 PKR 308.7K

-13.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.74 PKR 3,258

$21.33 PKR 5,920

-44.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.96 PKR 5,263

$27.63 PKR 7,669

-31.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 PKR 24.9K

$89.2 PKR 24.8K

0.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.12 PKR 8,081

$17.39 PKR 4,827

67.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 PKR 36.9K

$75.5 PKR 21.0K

76.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.5 PKR 18.5K

$51.8 PKR 14.4K

28.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$334 PKR 92.8K

$167 PKR 46.3K

100.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 PKR 48.1K

$105 PKR 29.1K

65.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,133 PKR 314.6K

$867 PKR 240.6K

30.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$510 PKR 141.6K

$511 PKR 141.9K

-0.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$176 PKR 48.7K

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mardan: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $14.00 in Rawalpindi vs $14.00 in Mardan. Groceries flip the comparison at $94.0 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

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

Childcare runs $40.97 in Rawalpindi versus $17.48 in Mardan. 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.