Cost of Living Comparison Between Swabi and Lahore Cost of Living Comparison Between Swabi and Lahore

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $343 in Swabi versus $492 in Lahore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $532 in Swabi versus $746 in Lahore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $721 in Swabi versus $1,001 in Lahore.

Living in Swabi costs roughly 30% less than in Lahore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Swabi 74% lower, Lahore 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.91 PKR 809

$2.09 PKR 582

39.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.42 PKR 4,011

$14.24 PKR 3,961

1.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.78 PKR 774

$4.27 PKR 1,189

-34.89%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

$2.78 PKR 774

-38.13%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 PKR 498

$3.62 PKR 1,007

-50.55%

Cappuccino

$0.55 PKR 154

$2.34 PKR 651

-76.50%

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

$0.29 PKR 81.6

$0.36 PKR 99.3

-19.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 PKR 36.91

$0.23 PKR 64.0

-43.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.63 PKR 175

$0.89 PKR 247

-29.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.31 PKR 85.3

$0.57 PKR 157

-45.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 234

$1.17 PKR 324

-28.21%

Eggs

$1.04 PKR 289

$1.20 PKR 335

-13.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.34 PKR 1,763

$6.11 PKR 1,700

3.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.31 PKR 643

$3.05 PKR 849

-24.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.74 PKR 763

$4.44 PKR 1,234

-38.29%

Apples (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 155

$1.02 PKR 283

-45.10%

Banana (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 93.3

$0.60 PKR 166

-43.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 142

$0.60 PKR 168

-15.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.27 PKR 74.7

$0.48 PKR 133

-43.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.17 PKR 47.00

$0.32 PKR 90.2

-46.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 142

$0.48 PKR 133

6.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.3

$0.44 PKR 123

-29.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 PKR 74.6

$0.38 PKR 106

-28.95%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 PKR 380

$0.93 PKR 258

46.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 PKR 202

$0.55 PKR 152

32.73%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 PKR 569

$1.11 PKR 309

84.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 PKR 605

$1.99 PKR 555

9.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.57

$0.19 PKR 52.7

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.88 PKR 1,914

$6.98 PKR 1,941

-1.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 PKR 189

$0.70 PKR 194

-2.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.16 PKR 43.74

$0.49 PKR 138

-67.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 PKR 481

$1.78 PKR 496

-2.81%

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

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

-37.89%

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

$12.5K PKR 3.5M

$23.8K PKR 6.6M

-47.23%

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

$52.5 PKR 14.6K

$138 PKR 38.3K

-61.87%

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

$3.57 PKR 994

$5.59 PKR 1,554

-36.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.94 PKR 5,269

$17.01 PKR 4,733

11.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.49 PKR 3,474

$13.75 PKR 3,824

-9.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.08 PKR 1,691

$5.73 PKR 1,595

6.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 PKR 1,183

$4.34 PKR 1,206

-2.07%

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

$17.75 PKR 4,939

$35.47 PKR 9,869

-49.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,093 PKR 303.9K

$1,238 PKR 344.3K

-11.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$3.48 PKR 969

$14.98 PKR 4,168

-76.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.04 PKR 7,801

$22.69 PKR 6,311

23.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 PKR 24.7K

$72.6 PKR 20.2K

22.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.54 PKR 11.0K

$29.85 PKR 8,304

32.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$74.2 PKR 20.6K

$118 PKR 32.9K

-37.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.6 PKR 14.3K

$76.7 PKR 21.3K

-32.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$165 PKR 45.8K

$286 PKR 79.6K

-42.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 PKR 29.2K

$188 PKR 52.2K

-44.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,117 PKR 310.7K

$843 PKR 234.4K

32.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$520 PKR 144.5K

$615 PKR 171.2K

-15.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$162 PKR 45.2K

$184 PKR 51.3K

-11.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.88

-24.55%

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

Last update for Swabi: May 30, 2026

Last update for Lahore: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $74.2 in Swabi and $118 in Lahore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lahore pays 14% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $14.00 in Swabi vs $14.00 in Lahore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $70.0 vs $93.0 per month, with Swabi cheaper across the board.

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 Lahore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Swabi and Lahore differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($343 vs $492 including rent). Swabi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lahore earns 14% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $74.2 in Swabi versus $118 in Lahore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Lahore. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Swabi – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $14.00 in Lahore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Swabi 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 Swabi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.