Cost of Living Comparison Between Swabi and Rawalpindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Swabi and Rawalpindi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $345 in Swabi versus $437 in Rawalpindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $541 in Swabi versus $671 in Rawalpindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $737 in Swabi versus $905 in Rawalpindi.

Living in Swabi costs roughly 21% less than in Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Swabi 74% lower, Rawalpindi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.87 PKR 796

$1.82 PKR 505

57.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.34 PKR 3,981

$13.95 PKR 3,873

2.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.77 PKR 770

$5.40 PKR 1,499

-48.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 503

$1.56 PKR 433

16.03%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 PKR 500

$3.53 PKR 980

-49.01%

Cappuccino

$0.55 PKR 153

$1.71 PKR 474

-67.84%

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

$0.29 PKR 81.5

$0.31 PKR 87.1

-6.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 PKR 42.78

$0.23 PKR 63.9

-34.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.61 PKR 170

$0.86 PKR 239

-29.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.31 PKR 85.4

$0.53 PKR 146

-41.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 PKR 237

$1.30 PKR 361

-34.62%

Eggs

$1.08 PKR 301

$1.12 PKR 312

-3.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.28 PKR 1,744

$6.03 PKR 1,674

4.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.34 PKR 648

$3.43 PKR 953

-31.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.71 PKR 754

$4.40 PKR 1,221

-38.41%

Apples (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 154

$1.01 PKR 280

-45.54%

Banana (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 93.9

$0.69 PKR 191

-50.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 140

$0.85 PKR 236

-41.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 81.4

$0.47 PKR 129

-38.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.19 PKR 54.1

$0.34 PKR 94.1

-44.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 143

$0.52 PKR 145

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 93.1

$0.24 PKR 66.0

41.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 PKR 81.1

$0.39 PKR 109

-25.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.47 PKR 409

$16.04 PKR 4,454

-90.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 PKR 192

$0.99 PKR 274

-30.30%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 PKR 558

$2.40 PKR 666

-16.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 PKR 578

$1.91 PKR 531

8.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 45.58

$0.20 PKR 56.1

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.25 PKR 2,013

$9.52 PKR 2,645

-23.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 PKR 188

$0.86 PKR 240

-20.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 PKR 57.2

$0.32 PKR 89.7

-34.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 PKR 483

$2.92 PKR 811

-40.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 PKR 251

$0.97 PKR 270

-7.22%

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

$10.7K PKR 3.0M

$17.6K PKR 4.9M

-39.49%

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

$12.2K PKR 3.4M

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

-46.27%

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

$54.1 PKR 15.0K

$104 PKR 28.8K

-47.82%

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

$3.62 PKR 1,004

$4.04 PKR 1,121

-10.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.35 PKR 5,096

$16.63 PKR 4,618

10.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.58 PKR 3,494

$9.97 PKR 2,768

26.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 PKR 1,665

$7.43 PKR 2,062

-19.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 PKR 1,149

$3.47 PKR 964

19.31%

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

$17.34 PKR 4,814

$40.20 PKR 11.2K

-56.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,097 PKR 304.7K

$948 PKR 263.3K

15.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$3.57 PKR 990

$11.90 PKR 3,304

-70.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.82 PKR 7,726

$18.45 PKR 5,124

50.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 PKR 24.4K

$89.5 PKR 24.9K

-2.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.25 PKR 11.2K

$29.00 PKR 8,052

38.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.6 PKR 21.3K

$133 PKR 36.8K

-42.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.7 PKR 14.6K

$65.1 PKR 18.1K

-19.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 PKR 45.6K

$330 PKR 91.6K

-50.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 30.0K

$171 PKR 47.4K

-36.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$967 PKR 268.6K

$1,176 PKR 326.5K

-17.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$511 PKR 141.8K

$518 PKR 143.8K

-1.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$162 PKR 44.9K

$175 PKR 48.5K

-7.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.17

-25.63%

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

Last update for Swabi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $76.6 in Swabi and $133 in Rawalpindi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rawalpindi pays 8% 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 Rawalpindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $70.0 vs $95.0 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 Rawalpindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Swabi and Rawalpindi differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($345 vs $437 including rent). Swabi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 8% lower in Rawalpindi. 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 $133 in Rawalpindi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

All in, you'll spend $345 per month in Swabi versus $437 in Rawalpindi – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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 27% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.