Cost of Living Comparison Between Swat and Islamabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Swat and Islamabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $426 per month in Swat vs $529 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $632 per month in Swat vs $835 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $838 per month in Swat vs $1,141 in Islamabad, rent included.

Swat is about 20% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Swat and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Swat 68% lower, Islamabad 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.89 PKR 804

$2.80 PKR 779

3.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.04 PKR 3,904

$14.22 PKR 3,955

-1.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 PKR 1,518

$5.44 PKR 1,512

0.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 PKR 489

$1.72 PKR 478

2.33%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,062

$4.00 PKR 1,112

-4.50%

Cappuccino

$1.97 PKR 549

$2.00 PKR 557

-1.50%

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

$0.43 PKR 119

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 67.1

$0.22 PKR 61.1

9.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 PKR 201

$0.94 PKR 260

-23.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 PKR 175

$0.62 PKR 173

1.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 355

$1.21 PKR 338

5.79%

Eggs

$1.23 PKR 342

$1.20 PKR 335

2.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,688

$6.07 PKR 1,689

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.37 PKR 382

$3.39 PKR 942

-59.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.43 PKR 399

$4.38 PKR 1,218

-67.35%

Apples (1kg)

$0.89 PKR 249

$1.03 PKR 287

-13.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.78 PKR 216

-53.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 142

$0.93 PKR 260

-45.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.44 PKR 121

$0.60 PKR 166

-26.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 108

$0.41 PKR 115

-4.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$0.54 PKR 149

-3.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 93.4

$0.34 PKR 93.3

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.37 PKR 103

2.70%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.38 PKR 385

$1.93 PKR 537

-28.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 PKR 547

$1.99 PKR 552

-1.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.06 PKR 574

$2.14 PKR 596

-3.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 45.94

$0.19 PKR 52.2

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.16 PKR 1,991

$6.90 PKR 1,921

3.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.34 PKR 93.6

$0.86 PKR 238

-60.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 PKR 114

$0.44 PKR 122

-6.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 PKR 773

$2.81 PKR 782

-1.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 254

$0.91 PKR 253

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

$21.3K PKR 5.9M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

-1.03%

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

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

-0.76%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

0.17%

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

$5.35 PKR 1,488

$5.44 PKR 1,512

-1.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.50 PKR 3,477

$18.81 PKR 5,234

-33.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$6.23 PKR 1,734

$22.19 PKR 6,174

-71.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.95 PKR 1,654

$6.04 PKR 1,679

-1.49%

Cinema Ticket

$4.18 PKR 1,162

$4.21 PKR 1,171

-0.71%

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

$19.62 PKR 5,457

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

-67.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,088 PKR 302.7K

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

-61.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.26 PKR 5,915

$21.57 PKR 5,999

-1.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.76 PKR 7,723

$27.63 PKR 7,686

0.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 PKR 24.9K

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

1.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.59 PKR 11.3K

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

1.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$74.9 PKR 20.8K

$198 PKR 55.1K

-62.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.5 PKR 14.3K

$112 PKR 31.1K

-53.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 PKR 45.7K

$513 PKR 142.6K

-67.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 PKR 29.2K

$296 PKR 82.3K

-64.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$939 PKR 261.2K

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

-39.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$538 PKR 149.5K

$657 PKR 182.9K

-18.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 PKR 107.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

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

Last update for Swat: June 1, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $74.9 in Swat versus $198 in Islamabad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Swat versus $14.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $72.0 vs $98.0 – making Swat the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Swat vs Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 24%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $638 per month in Swat and $794 in Islamabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Swat, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% more in Islamabad, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Swat and $14.00 in Islamabad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $426 in Swat and $529 in Islamabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Swat – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Swat. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Islamabad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.