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: $343 in Swabi versus $429 in Rawalpindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $532 in Swabi versus $679 in Rawalpindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $721 in Swabi versus $929 in Rawalpindi.

Living in Swabi costs roughly 20% less than in Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Swabi 74% lower, Rawalpindi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.91 PKR 809

$1.78 PKR 496

63.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.42 PKR 4,011

$14.22 PKR 3,957

1.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.78 PKR 774

$5.29 PKR 1,470

-47.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

$1.54 PKR 429

11.69%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 PKR 498

$3.40 PKR 947

-47.35%

Cappuccino

$0.55 PKR 154

$1.73 PKR 481

-68.21%

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

$0.29 PKR 81.6

$0.32 PKR 88.9

-9.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 PKR 36.91

$0.23 PKR 64.2

-43.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.63 PKR 175

$0.79 PKR 219

-20.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.31 PKR 85.3

$0.57 PKR 158

-45.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 234

$1.23 PKR 343

-31.71%

Eggs

$1.04 PKR 289

$1.12 PKR 311

-7.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.34 PKR 1,763

$6.09 PKR 1,693

4.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.31 PKR 643

$3.39 PKR 944

-31.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.74 PKR 763

$4.57 PKR 1,271

-40.04%

Apples (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 155

$1.02 PKR 283

-45.10%

Banana (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 93.3

$0.67 PKR 186

-49.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 142

$0.92 PKR 257

-44.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.27 PKR 74.7

$0.47 PKR 132

-42.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.17 PKR 47.00

$0.33 PKR 93.2

-48.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 142

$0.52 PKR 144

-1.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.3

$0.26 PKR 72.7

19.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 PKR 74.6

$0.37 PKR 102

-27.03%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 PKR 380

$16.44 PKR 4,573

-91.73%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 PKR 202

$1.04 PKR 288

-29.81%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 PKR 569

$2.41 PKR 669

-14.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 PKR 605

$1.90 PKR 528

14.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.57

$0.18 PKR 49.36

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.88 PKR 1,914

$9.89 PKR 2,751

-30.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 PKR 189

$0.91 PKR 253

-25.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.16 PKR 43.74

$0.35 PKR 97.5

-54.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 PKR 481

$2.97 PKR 826

-41.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 266

$0.96 PKR 267

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

$10.8K PKR 3.0M

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

-40.06%

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

$12.5K PKR 3.5M

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

-44.88%

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

$52.5 PKR 14.6K

$100 PKR 28.0K

-47.75%

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

$3.57 PKR 994

$3.99 PKR 1,111

-10.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.94 PKR 5,269

$16.64 PKR 4,630

13.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.49 PKR 3,474

$10.14 PKR 2,821

23.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.08 PKR 1,691

$7.67 PKR 2,135

-20.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 PKR 1,183

$3.60 PKR 1,003

18.06%

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

$17.75 PKR 4,939

$39.75 PKR 11.1K

-55.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,093 PKR 303.9K

$962 PKR 267.6K

13.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$3.48 PKR 969

$11.80 PKR 3,282

-70.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.04 PKR 7,801

$18.84 PKR 5,242

48.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 PKR 24.7K

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

1.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.54 PKR 11.0K

$28.38 PKR 7,896

39.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$74.2 PKR 20.6K

$130 PKR 36.1K

-42.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.6 PKR 14.3K

$66.4 PKR 18.5K

-22.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$165 PKR 45.8K

$324 PKR 90.1K

-49.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 PKR 29.2K

$173 PKR 48.1K

-39.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,117 PKR 310.7K

$1,173 PKR 326.4K

-4.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$520 PKR 144.5K

$516 PKR 143.6K

0.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$162 PKR 45.2K

$171 PKR 47.6K

-4.98%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $74.2 in Swabi and $130 in Rawalpindi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rawalpindi pays 5% 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 25% in total monthly costs ($343 vs $429 including rent). Swabi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Rawalpindi earns 5% 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 $130 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 $343 per month in Swabi versus $429 in Rawalpindi – a 25% 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 25% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.