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: $495 in Rawalpindi versus $500 in Mardan.

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

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

Living in Rawalpindi costs roughly 1% less than in Mardan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.05 PKR 569

$3.59 PKR 994

-42.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.07 PKR 4,452

$23.00 PKR 6,371

-30.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 PKR 1,617

$5.53 PKR 1,531

5.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 PKR 487

$3.59 PKR 994

-50.97%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 PKR 971

$6.92 PKR 1,918

-49.42%

Cappuccino

$1.98 PKR 549

$2.62 PKR 725

-24.43%

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

$0.44 PKR 121

$0.36 PKR 98.5

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 PKR 69.4

$0.23 PKR 64.0

8.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 251

$0.91 PKR 252

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 PKR 151

$0.79 PKR 220

-31.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 340

$1.29 PKR 357

-4.65%

Eggs

$1.11 PKR 308

$1.21 PKR 336

-8.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.32 PKR 1,752

$2.97 PKR 823

112.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 PKR 990

$3.12 PKR 864

14.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.05 PKR 1,398

$3.74 PKR 1,035

35.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 331

$0.94 PKR 260

27.66%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 232

$0.74 PKR 205

13.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 338

$1.06 PKR 295

15.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 146

$0.37 PKR 103

43.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 99.5

$0.28 PKR 78.3

28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 PKR 124

$0.35 PKR 98.2

28.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 84.9

$0.28 PKR 76.4

10.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 118

$0.37 PKR 103

16.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.09 PKR 4,458

$1.77 PKR 489

809.04%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 PKR 316

$1.18 PKR 326

-3.39%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 PKR 657

$2.69 PKR 746

-11.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 PKR 535

$1.78 PKR 493

8.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 50.5

$0.16 PKR 43.23

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.99 PKR 2,767

$10.72 PKR 2,970

-6.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 PKR 258

$1.30 PKR 359

-28.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 PKR 96.1

$0.74 PKR 205

-52.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 PKR 861

$1.66 PKR 460

87.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PKR 313

$1.02 PKR 283

10.78%

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

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

-16.52%

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

$24.1K PKR 6.7M

$24.0K PKR 6.7M

0.42%

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

$113 PKR 31.2K

$104 PKR 28.9K

8.28%

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

$5.55 PKR 1,537

$5.69 PKR 1,575

-2.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.88 PKR 5,229

$15.72 PKR 4,353

20.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.11 PKR 3,354

$14.73 PKR 4,079

-17.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.81 PKR 1,886

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 PKR 1,179

$4.34 PKR 1,203

-1.84%

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

$48.70 PKR 13.5K

$75.2 PKR 20.8K

-35.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$833 PKR 230.8K

$1,028 PKR 284.9K

-18.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.41 PKR 5,653

$24.74 PKR 6,852

-17.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.85 PKR 7,993

$34.30 PKR 9,501

-15.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 PKR 26.0K

$98.1 PKR 27.2K

-4.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.19 PKR 10.0K

$40.71 PKR 11.3K

-11.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 PKR 55.6K

$128 PKR 35.4K

57.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.0 PKR 23.0K

$78.1 PKR 21.6K

6.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 PKR 118.6K

$250 PKR 69.4K

70.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 PKR 62.6K

$151 PKR 41.7K

49.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,170 PKR 324.1K

$994 PKR 275.4K

17.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$507 PKR 140.5K

$591 PKR 163.8K

-14.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 PKR 48.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.81

13.08

74.39%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mardan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $16.00 in Rawalpindi vs $23.00 in Mardan. Groceries flip the comparison at $103 vs $85.0, 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $742 in Rawalpindi and $750 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: $201 in Rawalpindi versus $128 in Mardan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $48.70 in Rawalpindi versus $75.2 in Mardan. 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.