Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Swabi

For one person, living costs are similar in Rawalpindi and in Swabi: $500 and $511 a month, rent and utilities included.

24

Cost of Living Index in Rawalpindi
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Rawalpindi Living Index
25

Cost of Living Index in Swabi
Learn more

Swabi Living Index

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Rawalpindi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$500

/mo nomad

Swabi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$511

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rawalpindi and in Swabi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rawalpindi and in Swabi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $500 in Rawalpindi versus $511 in Swabi.

Rawalpindi $500
Swabi $511

Estimated couple costs with rent: $786 in Rawalpindi versus $801 in Swabi.

Rawalpindi $786
Swabi $801

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,073 in Rawalpindi versus $1,091 in Swabi.

Rawalpindi $1,073
Swabi $1,091

Living in Rawalpindi costs roughly 2% less than in Swabi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 63% lower, Swabi 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 PKR 588

$3.51 PKR 971

-39.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.46 PKR 4,556

$23.47 PKR 6,497

-29.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 PKR 1,695

$5.53 PKR 1,531

10.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 PKR 493

$3.65 PKR 1,010

-51.23%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 PKR 938

$7.02 PKR 1,942

-51.71%

Cappuccino

$1.93 PKR 534

$2.69 PKR 745

-28.25%

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

$0.43 PKR 119

$0.36 PKR 98.6

19.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 63.5

$0.23 PKR 63.8

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 PKR 235

$0.93 PKR 258

-8.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 PKR 163

$0.72 PKR 200

-18.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 338

$1.26 PKR 348

-3.17%

Eggs

$1.11 PKR 308

$1.20 PKR 333

-7.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.08 PKR 1,684

$6.05 PKR 1,674

0.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 PKR 981

$3.13 PKR 866

13.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.24 PKR 1,451

$5.39 PKR 1,491

-2.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 333

$1.28 PKR 354

-6.25%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 PKR 240

$0.83 PKR 229

4.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 PKR 349

$1.07 PKR 296

17.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 146

$0.52 PKR 145

1.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 107

$0.29 PKR 80.4

34.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 134

$0.36 PKR 99.2

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 PKR 88.5

$0.28 PKR 76.7

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 118

$0.42 PKR 117

2.38%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.54 PKR 4,577

$1.79 PKR 496

824.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 PKR 337

$1.25 PKR 346

-2.40%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 PKR 696

$2.38 PKR 658

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.01 PKR 555

$2.32 PKR 643

-13.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 55.2

$0.16 PKR 43.30

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.70 PKR 2,685

$9.75 PKR 2,697

-0.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 239

$1.28 PKR 356

-32.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.69 PKR 190

-46.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 PKR 872

$1.60 PKR 442

96.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 PKR 344

$1.39 PKR 384

-10.79%

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

$18.7K PKR 5.2M

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

-13.53%

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

$23.6K PKR 6.5M

$24.0K PKR 6.6M

-1.45%

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

$114 PKR 31.5K

$101 PKR 27.8K

13.05%

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

$5.84 PKR 1,616

$6.11 PKR 1,691

-4.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.80 PKR 5,203

$17.33 PKR 4,796

8.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.23 PKR 3,385

$15.07 PKR 4,171

-18.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.45 PKR 2,063

$7.87 PKR 2,177

-5.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 PKR 1,180

$4.27 PKR 1,183

-0.23%

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

$48.61 PKR 13.5K

$73.6 PKR 20.4K

-33.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,038 PKR 287.4K

$1,021 PKR 282.4K

1.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.45 PKR 4,831

$26.59 PKR 7,360

-34.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.71 PKR 9,054

$35.19 PKR 9,739

-7.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.8 PKR 25.7K

$97.0 PKR 26.9K

-4.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.95 PKR 9,949

$40.28 PKR 11.1K

-10.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 PKR 54.8K

$124 PKR 34.4K

59.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.1 PKR 23.0K

$76.9 PKR 21.3K

8.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$417 PKR 115.3K

$251 PKR 69.5K

66.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$223 PKR 61.8K

$152 PKR 42.0K

47.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,196 PKR 331.0K

$928 PKR 256.9K

28.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$450 PKR 124.5K

$474 PKR 131.1K

-5.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$175 PKR 48.5K

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: October 17, 2026

Last update for Swabi: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rawalpindi

$138 27.7%

Swabi

$124 24.3% 10.3% $14

Groceries & Markets

Rawalpindi

$103 20.6%

Swabi

$102 20% 0.5% $0.5

Accommodation & Living

Rawalpindi

$83 16.6%

Swabi

$77 15.1% 7.5% $6.2

Clothing & Footwear

Rawalpindi

$80 16.1%

Swabi

$90 17.5% 11.3% $9.1

Eating Out

Rawalpindi

$61 12.2%

Swabi

$79 15.5% 29.7% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Rawalpindi

$21 4.2%

Swabi

$24 4.6% 13.8% $2.9

Getting Around

Rawalpindi

$13 2.7%

Swabi

$15 3% 14.1% $1.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $198 in Rawalpindi and $124 in Swabi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $16.00 in Rawalpindi vs $23.00 in Swabi. Groceries flip the comparison at $103 vs $102, with Swabi cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Rawalpindi

🇵🇰 Swabi

🕒 Local time

15:50 3:50 PM

Same time as Rawalpindi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,098,231

123,412

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Rawalpindi Swabi 80 km

From you

Rawalpindi
Swabi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Swabi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawalpindi and Swabi differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($500 vs $511 including rent). Rawalpindi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $750 in Rawalpindi and $766 in Swabi 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: $198 in Rawalpindi versus $124 in Swabi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rawalpindi – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $23.00 in Swabi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $500 per month in Rawalpindi versus $511 in Swabi – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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 2% less than in Swabi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.