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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $419 per month in Swat vs $534 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $626 per month in Swat vs $847 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $834 per month in Swat vs $1,160 in Islamabad, rent included.

Swat is about 22% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Swat and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Swat 69% lower, Islamabad 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 PKR 793

$2.85 PKR 791

0.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.41 PKR 4,001

$14.26 PKR 3,960

1.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.43 PKR 1,508

$5.44 PKR 1,511

-0.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 PKR 482

$1.72 PKR 477

0.58%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 PKR 1,050

$3.82 PKR 1,061

-1.05%

Cappuccino

$2.01 PKR 557

$1.97 PKR 547

2.03%

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

$0.42 PKR 117

$0.40 PKR 110

5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.9

$0.24 PKR 67.0

-8.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 PKR 193

$0.96 PKR 268

-27.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 PKR 171

$0.66 PKR 183

-7.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 PKR 350

$1.28 PKR 355

-1.56%

Eggs

$1.23 PKR 340

$1.20 PKR 334

2.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.33 PKR 1,759

$6.07 PKR 1,687

4.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.30 PKR 362

$3.37 PKR 937

-61.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.37 PKR 380

$4.35 PKR 1,209

-68.51%

Apples (1kg)

$0.86 PKR 238

$1.04 PKR 289

-17.31%

Banana (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 93.2

$0.84 PKR 234

-59.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 140

$0.91 PKR 253

-45.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.40 PKR 112

$0.56 PKR 156

-28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.42 PKR 116

$0.41 PKR 115

2.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$0.57 PKR 158

-8.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.3

$0.31 PKR 85.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 104

$0.41 PKR 113

-9.76%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.43 PKR 396

$2.00 PKR 555

-28.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 PKR 254

$0.93 PKR 258

-2.15%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 PKR 541

$2.04 PKR 567

-4.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 PKR 597

$2.14 PKR 595

0.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 56.0

$0.17 PKR 46.51

17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 PKR 1,991

$7.22 PKR 2,005

-0.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.34 PKR 93.7

$0.85 PKR 236

-60.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 121

$0.43 PKR 120

2.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 PKR 799

$2.79 PKR 775

3.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 269

$0.98 PKR 271

-1.02%

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

$21.1K PKR 5.8M

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

0.78%

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

$26.3K PKR 7.3M

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

1.35%

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

$113 PKR 31.4K

$114 PKR 31.6K

-0.58%

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

$5.25 PKR 1,457

$5.41 PKR 1,501

-2.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.57 PKR 3,491

$18.69 PKR 5,190

-32.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$6.17 PKR 1,714

$22.13 PKR 6,144

-72.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.76 PKR 1,600

$6.12 PKR 1,698

-5.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 PKR 1,191

$4.14 PKR 1,150

3.62%

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

$19.08 PKR 5,298

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

-68.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,117 PKR 310.2K

$2,753 PKR 764.4K

-59.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.47 PKR 5,962

$21.08 PKR 5,854

1.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.49 PKR 7,634

$27.64 PKR 7,674

-0.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 PKR 24.3K

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

-0.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.71 PKR 11.3K

$40.94 PKR 11.4K

-0.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.1 PKR 20.9K

$199 PKR 55.3K

-62.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.3 PKR 14.5K

$110 PKR 30.5K

-52.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$165 PKR 45.7K

$505 PKR 140.1K

-67.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$107 PKR 29.8K

$299 PKR 83.0K

-64.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$985 PKR 273.4K

$1,513 PKR 420.1K

-34.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$451 PKR 125.2K

$647 PKR 179.8K

-30.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$385 PKR 106.9K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $75.1 in Swat versus $199 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: $71.0 vs $100 – 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 28%, 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 $628 per month in Swat and $801 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 40% 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 $419 in Swat and $534 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.