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: $431 in Swat versus $504 in Rawalpindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $666 in Swat versus $786 in Rawalpindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $901 in Swat versus $1,069 in Rawalpindi.

Living in Swat costs roughly 14% less than in Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Swat 69% lower, Rawalpindi 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 PKR 1,006

$2.12 PKR 588

71.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.46 PKR 6,505

$15.93 PKR 4,416

47.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.68 PKR 1,020

$5.89 PKR 1,633

-37.52%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 PKR 993

$1.81 PKR 502

97.79%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.01 PKR 1,943

$3.52 PKR 976

99.15%

Cappuccino

$2.40 PKR 665

$1.94 PKR 538

23.71%

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

$0.32 PKR 89.6

$0.44 PKR 122

-27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.6

$0.25 PKR 69.4

-4.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 PKR 256

$0.90 PKR 250

3.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 PKR 116

$0.55 PKR 152

-23.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 334

$1.23 PKR 342

-1.63%

Eggs

$1.28 PKR 355

$1.11 PKR 307

15.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.83 PKR 1,618

$6.16 PKR 1,708

-5.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.36 PKR 377

$3.57 PKR 988

-61.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.48 PKR 411

$5.22 PKR 1,446

-71.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 PKR 291

$1.14 PKR 316

-7.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 PKR 228

$0.86 PKR 237

-4.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 142

$1.23 PKR 340

-58.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 137

$0.57 PKR 158

-14.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 80.9

$0.36 PKR 99.3

-19.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 97.8

$0.46 PKR 127

-23.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.27 PKR 74.4

$0.33 PKR 92.1

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.40 PKR 111

2.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.81 PKR 502

$16.28 PKR 4,515

-88.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 PKR 378

$1.20 PKR 332

13.33%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 PKR 685

$2.46 PKR 681

0.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.38 PKR 661

$1.93 PKR 535

23.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.31

$0.16 PKR 43.62

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.86 PKR 2,457

$10.12 PKR 2,807

-12.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 PKR 356

$0.91 PKR 253

40.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 PKR 192

$0.38 PKR 104

81.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 PKR 460

$3.16 PKR 876

-47.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 PKR 286

$1.13 PKR 312

-8.85%

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

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

$18.2K PKR 5.1M

18.38%

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

$24.8K PKR 6.9M

$25.0K PKR 6.9M

-0.61%

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

$103 PKR 28.5K

$115 PKR 31.9K

-10.57%

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

$5.81 PKR 1,610

$5.49 PKR 1,522

5.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.47 PKR 4,566

$18.67 PKR 5,175

-11.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.02 PKR 3,056

$12.12 PKR 3,361

-9.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.75 PKR 1,872

Cinema Ticket

$4.75 PKR 1,317

$4.28 PKR 1,187

10.98%

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

$42.58 PKR 11.8K

$48.47 PKR 13.4K

-12.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,009 PKR 279.9K

$844 PKR 234.0K

19.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.37 PKR 6,757

$20.85 PKR 5,780

16.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.05 PKR 9,163

$28.03 PKR 7,771

17.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.07 PKR 6,952

$91.0 PKR 25.2K

-72.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.04 PKR 10.8K

$36.28 PKR 10.1K

7.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$127 PKR 35.3K

$204 PKR 56.7K

-37.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.4 PKR 21.4K

$82.0 PKR 22.7K

-5.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 PKR 70.7K

$438 PKR 121.5K

-41.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 PKR 42.9K

$225 PKR 62.5K

-31.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$802 PKR 222.3K

$1,164 PKR 322.8K

-31.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$443 PKR 122.9K

$512 PKR 142.1K

-13.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$175 PKR 48.4K

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 Swat: August 31, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $127 in Swat and $204 in Rawalpindi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Swat vs $16.00 in Rawalpindi. Groceries flip the comparison at $74.0 vs $103, with Swat 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

Swat vs Rawalpindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Swat and Rawalpindi differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($431 vs $504 including rent). Swat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $647 in Swat and $756 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: $127 in Swat versus $204 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 $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 $431 per month in Swat versus $504 in Rawalpindi – a 17% 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 17% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.