Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Swabi and Islamabad

For one person, living is cheaper in Swabi: $522 a month against $599 in Islamabad, rent and utilities included – about $920 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

25

Cost of Living Index in Swabi
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Swabi Living Index
29

Cost of Living Index in Islamabad
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Islamabad Living Index

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Swabi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$522

/mo nomad

Islamabad

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$599

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Swabi and in Islamabad

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

A single person spends $522 per month in Swabi vs $599 in Islamabad, rent included.

Swabi $522
Islamabad $599

A couple spends around $796 per month in Swabi vs $930 in Islamabad, rent included.

Swabi $796
Islamabad $930

A family of three spends $1,070 per month in Swabi vs $1,261 in Islamabad, rent included.

Swabi $1,070
Islamabad $1,261

Swabi is about 13% cheaper than Islamabad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Swabi and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Swabi 61% lower, Islamabad 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 PKR 988

$3.63 PKR 1,004

-1.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.34 PKR 6,459

$23.40 PKR 6,478

-0.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.33 PKR 1,474

$5.54 PKR 1,534

-3.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 PKR 1,028

$3.57 PKR 987

3.92%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.89 PKR 1,908

$6.73 PKR 1,864

2.38%

Cappuccino

$2.68 PKR 743

$2.64 PKR 730

1.52%

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

$0.36 PKR 98.3

$0.32 PKR 89.6

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.1

$0.23 PKR 63.7

-8.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 269

$0.94 PKR 259

3.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 PKR 199

$0.72 PKR 200

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 PKR 362

$1.30 PKR 361

0.77%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 335

$1.22 PKR 339

-0.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 PKR 1,677

$6.05 PKR 1,674

0.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 PKR 874

$3.09 PKR 855

2.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.29 PKR 1,463

$5.35 PKR 1,482

-1.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 PKR 369

$1.26 PKR 350

5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 PKR 242

$0.87 PKR 241

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 PKR 294

$1.04 PKR 288

1.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$0.53 PKR 146

-1.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 81.2

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 97.9

$0.36 PKR 99.4

-2.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 PKR 77.0

$0.28 PKR 76.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 PKR 109

$0.39 PKR 108

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.79 PKR 497

$1.95 PKR 539

-8.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 PKR 333

$1.19 PKR 331

0.84%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 PKR 646

$2.68 PKR 743

-13.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 PKR 656

$2.24 PKR 619

5.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.49

$0.16 PKR 43.07

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.78 PKR 2,707

$21.34 PKR 5,905

-54.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 PKR 342

$1.24 PKR 344

-0.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 PKR 205

$0.74 PKR 204

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 PKR 456

$1.60 PKR 442

3.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 PKR 369

$1.37 PKR 378

-2.92%

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

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

$54.5K PKR 15.1M

-60.40%

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

$24.0K PKR 6.6M

$23.9K PKR 6.6M

0.63%

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

$104 PKR 28.8K

$103 PKR 28.6K

0.61%

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

$6.08 PKR 1,682

$5.99 PKR 1,658

1.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.31 PKR 4,791

$17.15 PKR 4,746

0.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.38 PKR 3,704

$28.20 PKR 7,806

-52.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.00 PKR 2,491

$8.47 PKR 2,344

6.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.23 PKR 1,171

$4.43 PKR 1,226

-4.51%

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

$74.5 PKR 20.6K

$75.7 PKR 20.9K

-1.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,031 PKR 285.4K

$5,004 PKR 1.4M

-79.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.58 PKR 7,356

$25.72 PKR 7,118

3.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.97 PKR 9,679

$34.48 PKR 9,543

1.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 PKR 27.1K

$95.5 PKR 26.4K

2.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.24 PKR 11.4K

$41.32 PKR 11.4K

-0.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$131 PKR 36.2K

$276 PKR 76.5K

-52.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$85.5 PKR 23.7K

$139 PKR 38.3K

-38.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 PKR 66.4K

$572 PKR 158.2K

-58.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$127 PKR 35.1K

$270 PKR 74.9K

-53.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$949 PKR 262.7K

$1,629 PKR 450.8K

-41.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$514 PKR 142.4K

$836 PKR 231.5K

-38.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$380 PKR 105.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

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

Last update for Swabi: October 11, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Swabi

$127 24.4%

Islamabad

$126 21.1% 0.7% $0.9

Groceries & Markets

Swabi

$103 19.7%

Islamabad

$102 17% 0.9% $1

Clothing & Footwear

Swabi

$90 17.3%

Islamabad

$89 14.8% 1.8% $1.6

Accommodation & Living

Swabi

$85 16.4%

Islamabad

$139 23.1% 62.1% $53

Eating Out

Swabi

$79 15.1%

Islamabad

$80 13.3% 0.7% $0.5

Sport & Entertainment

Swabi

$22 4.2%

Islamabad

$37 6.2% 69.7% $15

Getting Around

Swabi

$15 3%

Islamabad

$27 4.5% 74.3% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $131 in Swabi versus $276 in Islamabad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Swabi versus $23.00 in Islamabad. Groceries tell a different story – $103 in Swabi vs $102 in Islamabad – so Islamabad wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Swabi

🇵🇰 Islamabad

🕒 Local time

14:17 2:17 PM

Same time as Swabi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

123,412

1,009,832 Capital

💱 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

On the map

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Between locations

Swabi Islamabad 73 km

From you

Swabi
Islamabad

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

Swabi vs Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 15%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $784 per month in Swabi and $899 in Islamabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Swabi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Islamabad – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Swabi and $23.00 in Islamabad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $522 in Swabi and $599 in Islamabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Swabi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Swabi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Islamabad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.