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: $376 in Swabi versus $504 in Rawalpindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $606 in Swabi versus $786 in Rawalpindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $837 in Swabi versus $1,069 in Rawalpindi.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Swabi 73% lower, Rawalpindi 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.69 PKR 1,024

$2.12 PKR 588

74.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.59 PKR 6,264

$15.93 PKR 4,416

41.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.83 PKR 786

$5.89 PKR 1,633

-51.95%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 PKR 1,009

$1.81 PKR 502

101.10%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 PKR 492

$3.52 PKR 976

-49.72%

Cappuccino

$0.57 PKR 157

$1.94 PKR 538

-70.62%

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

$0.28 PKR 77.5

$0.44 PKR 122

-36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 PKR 36.56

$0.25 PKR 69.4

-48.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.67 PKR 186

$0.90 PKR 250

-25.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.33 PKR 92.3

$0.55 PKR 152

-40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 PKR 253

$1.23 PKR 342

-26.02%

Eggs

$1.10 PKR 305

$1.11 PKR 307

-0.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.80 PKR 1,609

$6.16 PKR 1,708

-5.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.41 PKR 668

$3.57 PKR 988

-32.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.83 PKR 783

$5.22 PKR 1,446

-45.79%

Apples (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 154

$1.14 PKR 316

-51.75%

Banana (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 95.5

$0.86 PKR 237

-60.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$1.23 PKR 340

-57.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.30 PKR 84.1

$0.57 PKR 158

-47.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.16 PKR 43.65

$0.36 PKR 99.3

-55.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 98.8

$0.46 PKR 127

-21.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.27 PKR 74.2

$0.33 PKR 92.1

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 PKR 84.4

$0.40 PKR 111

-25.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.75 PKR 485

$16.28 PKR 4,515

-89.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 PKR 195

$1.20 PKR 332

-41.67%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 PKR 656

$2.46 PKR 681

-4.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.27 PKR 630

$1.93 PKR 535

17.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.93

$0.16 PKR 43.62

6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.77 PKR 2,985

$10.12 PKR 2,807

6.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 PKR 196

$0.91 PKR 253

-21.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 PKR 55.9

$0.38 PKR 104

-47.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 PKR 441

$3.16 PKR 876

-49.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 272

$1.13 PKR 312

-13.27%

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

$10.9K PKR 3.0M

$18.2K PKR 5.1M

-40.02%

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

$12.7K PKR 3.5M

$25.0K PKR 6.9M

-49.00%

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

$54.5 PKR 15.1K

$115 PKR 31.9K

-52.61%

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

$3.57 PKR 989

$5.49 PKR 1,522

-34.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.23 PKR 4,501

$18.67 PKR 5,175

-13.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.76 PKR 4,091

$12.12 PKR 3,361

21.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.75 PKR 1,872

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 PKR 1,378

$4.28 PKR 1,187

16.12%

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

$17.75 PKR 4,922

$48.47 PKR 13.4K

-63.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,011 PKR 280.2K

$844 PKR 234.0K

19.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$3.72 PKR 1,030

$20.85 PKR 5,780

-82.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.47 PKR 9,003

$28.03 PKR 7,771

15.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.5 PKR 23.1K

$91.0 PKR 25.2K

-8.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.20 PKR 11.1K

$36.28 PKR 10.1K

10.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$128 PKR 35.4K

$204 PKR 56.7K

-37.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$75.8 PKR 21.0K

$82.0 PKR 22.7K

-7.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$248 PKR 68.7K

$438 PKR 121.5K

-43.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$147 PKR 40.6K

$225 PKR 62.5K

-34.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$983 PKR 272.5K

$1,164 PKR 322.8K

-15.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$580 PKR 160.8K

$512 PKR 142.1K

13.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$160 PKR 44.3K

$175 PKR 48.4K

-8.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

22.81

-42.66%

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

Last update for Swabi: August 30, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $128 in Swabi and $204 in Rawalpindi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rawalpindi pays 9% 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 $16.00 in Rawalpindi. Groceries flip the comparison at $70.0 vs $103, 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 Rawalpindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Swabi and Rawalpindi differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($376 vs $504 including rent). Swabi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 9% 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: $128 in Swabi versus $204 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 $23.00 versus $16.00 in Rawalpindi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $376 per month in Swabi versus $504 in Rawalpindi – a 34% 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 34% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.