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: $376 in Swabi versus $500 in Lahore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $606 in Swabi versus $765 in Lahore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $837 in Swabi versus $1,030 in Lahore.

Living in Swabi costs roughly 25% less than in Lahore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Swabi 73% lower, Lahore 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.69 PKR 1,024

$2.59 PKR 719

42.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.59 PKR 6,264

$14.55 PKR 4,034

55.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.83 PKR 786

$5.66 PKR 1,569

-50.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 PKR 1,009

$3.56 PKR 988

2.25%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 PKR 492

$5.54 PKR 1,536

-68.05%

Cappuccino

$0.57 PKR 157

$2.51 PKR 697

-77.29%

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

$0.28 PKR 77.5

$0.43 PKR 119

-34.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 PKR 36.56

$0.26 PKR 72.7

-50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.67 PKR 186

$0.85 PKR 237

-21.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.33 PKR 92.3

$0.72 PKR 199

-54.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 PKR 253

$1.17 PKR 325

-22.22%

Eggs

$1.10 PKR 305

$1.25 PKR 346

-12.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.80 PKR 1,609

$6.41 PKR 1,778

-9.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.41 PKR 668

$2.45 PKR 678

-1.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.83 PKR 783

$4.72 PKR 1,310

-40.04%

Apples (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 154

$1.17 PKR 323

-52.99%

Banana (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 95.5

$0.66 PKR 182

-48.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$0.85 PKR 235

-38.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.30 PKR 84.1

$0.60 PKR 167

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.16 PKR 43.65

$0.30 PKR 83.9

-46.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 98.8

$0.33 PKR 90.9

9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.27 PKR 74.2

$0.45 PKR 124

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 PKR 84.4

$0.36 PKR 101

-16.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.75 PKR 485

$1.09 PKR 303

60.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 PKR 195

$0.65 PKR 180

7.69%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 PKR 656

$1.71 PKR 475

38.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.27 PKR 630

$2.15 PKR 596

5.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.93

$0.18 PKR 49.73

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.77 PKR 2,985

$5.27 PKR 1,461

104.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 PKR 196

$0.88 PKR 243

-19.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 PKR 55.9

$0.69 PKR 192

-71.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 PKR 441

$1.77 PKR 490

-10.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 272

$1.26 PKR 350

-22.22%

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

$10.9K PKR 3.0M

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

-39.19%

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

$12.7K PKR 3.5M

$26.6K PKR 7.4M

-52.11%

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

$54.5 PKR 15.1K

$124 PKR 34.3K

-55.92%

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

$3.57 PKR 989

$5.17 PKR 1,432

-30.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.23 PKR 4,501

$16.25 PKR 4,507

-0.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.76 PKR 4,091

$19.21 PKR 5,325

-23.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.62 PKR 2,944

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 PKR 1,378

$4.30 PKR 1,191

15.58%

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

$17.75 PKR 4,922

$44.27 PKR 12.3K

-59.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,011 PKR 280.2K

$1,982 PKR 549.5K

-49.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$3.72 PKR 1,030

$16.83 PKR 4,665

-77.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.47 PKR 9,003

$25.65 PKR 7,111

26.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.5 PKR 23.1K

$75.3 PKR 20.9K

10.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.20 PKR 11.1K

$29.41 PKR 8,153

36.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$128 PKR 35.4K

$151 PKR 42.0K

-15.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$75.8 PKR 21.0K

$80.3 PKR 22.3K

-5.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$248 PKR 68.7K

$317 PKR 87.9K

-21.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$147 PKR 40.6K

$191 PKR 53.1K

-23.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$983 PKR 272.5K

$840 PKR 232.9K

16.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$580 PKR 160.8K

$594 PKR 164.6K

-2.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$160 PKR 44.3K

$183 PKR 50.8K

-12.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

14.22

-8.02%

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

Last update for Swabi: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lahore: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $128 in Swabi and $151 in Lahore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lahore pays 15% 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: $23.00 in Swabi vs $15.00 in Lahore. Groceries flip the comparison at $70.0 vs $95.0, with Swabi 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

Swabi vs Lahore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Swabi and Lahore differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($376 vs $500 including rent). Swabi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Lahore. 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: $128 in Swabi versus $151 in Lahore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% 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 $23.00 versus $15.00 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 33% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.