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: $345 in Swabi versus $484 in Lahore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $541 in Swabi versus $727 in Lahore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $737 in Swabi versus $970 in Lahore.

Living in Swabi costs roughly 29% less than in Lahore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Swabi 74% lower, Lahore 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.87 PKR 796

$2.09 PKR 580

37.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.34 PKR 3,981

$14.06 PKR 3,903

1.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.77 PKR 770

$4.35 PKR 1,207

-36.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 503

$2.75 PKR 765

-34.18%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 PKR 500

$3.66 PKR 1,018

-50.82%

Cappuccino

$0.55 PKR 153

$2.39 PKR 663

-76.99%

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

$0.29 PKR 81.5

$0.36 PKR 98.7

-19.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 PKR 42.78

$0.21 PKR 58.3

-28.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.61 PKR 170

$0.94 PKR 260

-35.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.31 PKR 85.4

$0.57 PKR 158

-45.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 PKR 237

$1.21 PKR 337

-29.75%

Eggs

$1.08 PKR 301

$1.21 PKR 337

-10.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.28 PKR 1,744

$6.18 PKR 1,717

1.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.34 PKR 648

$3.02 PKR 839

-22.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.71 PKR 754

$4.55 PKR 1,263

-40.44%

Apples (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 154

$1.06 PKR 293

-48.11%

Banana (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 93.9

$0.63 PKR 175

-46.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 140

$0.61 PKR 169

-18.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 81.4

$0.47 PKR 131

-38.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.19 PKR 54.1

$0.36 PKR 98.8

-47.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 143

$0.48 PKR 132

8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 93.1

$0.47 PKR 131

-27.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 PKR 81.1

$0.35 PKR 98.3

-17.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.47 PKR 409

$1.11 PKR 308

32.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 PKR 192

$0.51 PKR 143

35.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 PKR 558

$1.10 PKR 306

82.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 PKR 578

$1.97 PKR 546

5.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 45.58

$0.18 PKR 51.2

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.25 PKR 2,013

$6.92 PKR 1,922

4.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 PKR 188

$0.73 PKR 202

-6.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 PKR 57.2

$0.49 PKR 137

-57.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 PKR 483

$1.80 PKR 501

-3.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 PKR 251

$0.96 PKR 266

-6.25%

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

$10.7K PKR 3.0M

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

-38.94%

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

$12.2K PKR 3.4M

$23.4K PKR 6.5M

-47.79%

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

$54.1 PKR 15.0K

$141 PKR 39.2K

-61.67%

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

$3.62 PKR 1,004

$5.31 PKR 1,473

-31.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.35 PKR 5,096

$17.33 PKR 4,811

5.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.58 PKR 3,494

$13.73 PKR 3,813

-8.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 PKR 1,665

$5.94 PKR 1,649

1.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 PKR 1,149

$4.29 PKR 1,191

-3.50%

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

$17.34 PKR 4,814

$34.60 PKR 9,608

-49.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,097 PKR 304.7K

$1,253 PKR 347.9K

-12.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$3.57 PKR 990

$15.40 PKR 4,276

-76.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.82 PKR 7,726

$23.27 PKR 6,462

19.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 PKR 24.4K

$71.8 PKR 19.9K

22.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.25 PKR 11.2K

$30.56 PKR 8,486

31.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.6 PKR 21.3K

$120 PKR 33.3K

-36.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.7 PKR 14.6K

$75.9 PKR 21.1K

-30.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 PKR 45.6K

$291 PKR 80.9K

-43.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 30.0K

$188 PKR 52.2K

-42.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$967 PKR 268.6K

$844 PKR 234.5K

14.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$511 PKR 141.8K

$590 PKR 163.7K

-13.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$162 PKR 44.9K

$185 PKR 51.5K

-12.72%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lahore: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $76.6 in Swabi and $120 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: $14.00 in Swabi vs $14.00 in Lahore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $70.0 vs $94.0 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 40% in total monthly costs ($345 vs $484 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: $76.6 in Swabi versus $120 in Lahore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% 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 40% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.