Cost of Living Comparison Between Swat and Rawalpindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Swat and Rawalpindi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $426 in Swat versus $429 in Rawalpindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $632 in Swat versus $679 in Rawalpindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $838 in Swat versus $929 in Rawalpindi.

Living in Swat costs roughly 1% less than in Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.89 PKR 804

$1.78 PKR 496

62.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.04 PKR 3,904

$14.22 PKR 3,957

-1.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 PKR 1,518

$5.29 PKR 1,470

3.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 PKR 489

$1.54 PKR 429

14.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,062

$3.40 PKR 947

12.35%

Cappuccino

$1.97 PKR 549

$1.73 PKR 481

13.87%

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

$0.43 PKR 119

$0.32 PKR 88.9

34.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 67.1

$0.23 PKR 64.2

4.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 PKR 201

$0.79 PKR 219

-8.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 PKR 175

$0.57 PKR 158

10.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 355

$1.23 PKR 343

4.07%

Eggs

$1.23 PKR 342

$1.12 PKR 311

9.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,688

$6.09 PKR 1,693

-0.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.37 PKR 382

$3.39 PKR 944

-59.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.43 PKR 399

$4.57 PKR 1,271

-68.71%

Apples (1kg)

$0.89 PKR 249

$1.02 PKR 283

-12.75%

Banana (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.67 PKR 186

-46.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 142

$0.92 PKR 257

-44.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.44 PKR 121

$0.47 PKR 132

-6.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 108

$0.33 PKR 93.2

18.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 93.4

$0.26 PKR 72.7

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.37 PKR 102

2.70%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.38 PKR 385

$16.44 PKR 4,573

-91.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

$1.04 PKR 288

-13.46%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 PKR 547

$2.41 PKR 669

-18.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.06 PKR 574

$1.90 PKR 528

8.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 45.94

$0.18 PKR 49.36

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.16 PKR 1,991

$9.89 PKR 2,751

-27.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.34 PKR 93.6

$0.91 PKR 253

-62.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 PKR 114

$0.35 PKR 97.5

17.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 PKR 773

$2.97 PKR 826

-6.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 254

$0.96 PKR 267

-5.21%

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

$21.3K PKR 5.9M

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

18.34%

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

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

14.00%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

$100 PKR 28.0K

11.40%

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

$5.35 PKR 1,488

$3.99 PKR 1,111

34.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.50 PKR 3,477

$16.64 PKR 4,630

-24.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$6.23 PKR 1,734

$10.14 PKR 2,821

-38.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.95 PKR 1,654

$7.67 PKR 2,135

-22.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.18 PKR 1,162

$3.60 PKR 1,003

16.11%

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

$19.62 PKR 5,457

$39.75 PKR 11.1K

-50.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,088 PKR 302.7K

$962 PKR 267.6K

13.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.26 PKR 5,915

$11.80 PKR 3,282

80.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.76 PKR 7,723

$18.84 PKR 5,242

47.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 PKR 24.9K

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

2.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.59 PKR 11.3K

$28.38 PKR 7,896

43.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$74.9 PKR 20.8K

$130 PKR 36.1K

-42.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.5 PKR 14.3K

$66.4 PKR 18.5K

-22.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 PKR 45.7K

$324 PKR 90.1K

-49.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 PKR 29.2K

$173 PKR 48.1K

-39.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$939 PKR 261.2K

$1,173 PKR 326.4K

-19.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$538 PKR 149.5K

$516 PKR 143.6K

4.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 PKR 47.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

20.17

0.15%

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

Last update for Swat: June 1, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $74.9 in Swat and $130 in Rawalpindi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Swat vs $14.00 in Rawalpindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $72.0 vs $95.0 per month, with Swat 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

Swat vs Rawalpindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Swat and Rawalpindi differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($426 vs $429 including rent). Swat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $638 in Swat and $644 in Rawalpindi to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $74.9 in Swat versus $130 in Rawalpindi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Swat – 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 $426 per month in Swat versus $429 in Rawalpindi – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Swat 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 Swat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.