Cost of Living Comparison Between Swabi and Islamabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Swabi and Islamabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $343 per month in Swabi vs $529 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $532 per month in Swabi vs $835 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $721 per month in Swabi vs $1,141 in Islamabad, rent included.

Swabi is about 35% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Swabi and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Swabi 74% lower, Islamabad 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.91 PKR 809

$2.80 PKR 779

3.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.42 PKR 4,011

$14.22 PKR 3,955

1.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.78 PKR 774

$5.44 PKR 1,512

-48.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 PKR 498

$4.00 PKR 1,112

-55.25%

Cappuccino

$0.55 PKR 154

$2.00 PKR 557

-72.50%

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

$0.29 PKR 81.6

$0.43 PKR 119

-32.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 PKR 36.91

$0.22 PKR 61.1

-40.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.63 PKR 175

$0.94 PKR 260

-32.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.31 PKR 85.3

$0.62 PKR 173

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 234

$1.21 PKR 338

-30.58%

Eggs

$1.04 PKR 289

$1.20 PKR 335

-13.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.34 PKR 1,763

$6.07 PKR 1,689

4.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.31 PKR 643

$3.39 PKR 942

-31.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.74 PKR 763

$4.38 PKR 1,218

-37.44%

Apples (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 155

$1.03 PKR 287

-45.63%

Banana (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 93.3

$0.78 PKR 216

-56.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 142

$0.93 PKR 260

-45.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.27 PKR 74.7

$0.60 PKR 166

-55.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.17 PKR 47.00

$0.41 PKR 115

-58.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 142

$0.54 PKR 149

-5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.3

$0.34 PKR 93.3

-8.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 PKR 74.6

$0.37 PKR 103

-27.03%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 PKR 380

$1.93 PKR 537

-29.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 PKR 202

$0.90 PKR 251

-18.89%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 PKR 569

$1.99 PKR 552

3.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 PKR 605

$2.14 PKR 596

1.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.57

$0.19 PKR 52.2

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.88 PKR 1,914

$6.90 PKR 1,921

-0.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 PKR 189

$0.86 PKR 238

-20.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.16 PKR 43.74

$0.44 PKR 122

-63.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 PKR 481

$2.81 PKR 782

-38.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 266

$0.91 PKR 253

5.49%

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

$10.8K PKR 3.0M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

-49.87%

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

$12.5K PKR 3.5M

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

-52.02%

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

$52.5 PKR 14.6K

$112 PKR 31.1K

-53.02%

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

$3.57 PKR 994

$5.44 PKR 1,512

-34.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.94 PKR 5,269

$18.81 PKR 5,234

0.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.49 PKR 3,474

$22.19 PKR 6,174

-43.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.08 PKR 1,691

$6.04 PKR 1,679

0.66%

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 PKR 1,183

$4.21 PKR 1,171

0.95%

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

$17.75 PKR 4,939

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

-70.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,093 PKR 303.9K

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

-61.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$3.48 PKR 969

$21.57 PKR 5,999

-83.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.04 PKR 7,801

$27.63 PKR 7,686

1.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 PKR 24.7K

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

0.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.54 PKR 11.0K

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

-0.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$74.2 PKR 20.6K

$198 PKR 55.1K

-62.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.6 PKR 14.3K

$112 PKR 31.1K

-53.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$165 PKR 45.8K

$513 PKR 142.6K

-67.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 PKR 29.2K

$296 PKR 82.3K

-64.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,117 PKR 310.7K

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

-27.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$520 PKR 144.5K

$657 PKR 182.9K

-20.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$162 PKR 45.2K

$387 PKR 107.8K

-58.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

-25.74%

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

Last update for Swabi: May 30, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $74.2 in Swabi versus $198 in Islamabad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 138% higher in Islamabad, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Swabi versus $14.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $70.0 vs $98.0 – making Swabi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 54%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $515 per month in Swabi and $794 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.

Groceries cost about 41% more in Islamabad, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Swabi and $14.00 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 $343 in Swabi and $529 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.