Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Skardu Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Skardu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $529 per month in Islamabad vs $382 in Skardu, rent included.

A couple spends around $835 per month in Islamabad vs $573 in Skardu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,141 per month in Islamabad vs $765 in Skardu, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 38% more than Skardu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Islamabad and Skardu are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 61% lower, Skardu 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 PKR 779

$1.75 PKR 488

60.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.22 PKR 3,956

$10.62 PKR 2,956

33.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,513

$4.11 PKR 1,144

32.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

$1.80 PKR 500

-4.44%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

$3.60 PKR 1,001

11.11%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 558

$0.46 PKR 128

334.78%

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

$0.43 PKR 119

$0.35 PKR 96.2

22.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.1

$0.23 PKR 64.1

-4.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 260

$0.73 PKR 202

28.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 173

$0.60 PKR 167

3.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 338

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 335

$1.12 PKR 312

7.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,690

$6.15 PKR 1,710

-1.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 PKR 942

$2.55 PKR 710

32.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.38 PKR 1,219

$3.63 PKR 1,011

20.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

$1.04 PKR 289

-0.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 PKR 216

$0.66 PKR 183

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 260

$0.61 PKR 170

52.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.49 PKR 136

22.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.37 PKR 104

10.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 149

$0.47 PKR 131

14.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 93.3

$0.31 PKR 86.2

9.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.36 PKR 100

2.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.93 PKR 538

$1.36 PKR 378

41.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

$0.87 PKR 241

3.45%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 553

$2.04 PKR 568

-2.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 596

$1.90 PKR 528

12.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 52.2

$0.19 PKR 54.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.90 PKR 1,921

$6.91 PKR 1,923

-0.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 239

$0.90 PKR 250

-4.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.41 PKR 114

7.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 PKR 782

$1.75 PKR 486

60.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 254

$0.98 PKR 273

-7.14%

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

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

$21.2K PKR 5.9M

1.30%

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

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

$22.8K PKR 6.4M

14.54%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

$102 PKR 28.4K

9.45%

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

$5.44 PKR 1,513

$7.18 PKR 1,999

-24.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.81 PKR 5,235

$11.13 PKR 3,096

69.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.19 PKR 6,176

$12.57 PKR 3,498

76.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.04 PKR 1,680

$5.83 PKR 1,624

3.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,172

$3.61 PKR 1,006

16.62%

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

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

$29.43 PKR 8,188

104.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,805 PKR 780.4K

$1,094 PKR 304.5K

156.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.57 PKR 6,001

$15.31 PKR 4,259

40.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.63 PKR 7,688

$22.03 PKR 6,131

25.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

$69.1 PKR 19.2K

27.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

$29.47 PKR 8,200

35.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 PKR 55.1K

$74.0 PKR 20.6K

167.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 PKR 31.1K

$52.2 PKR 14.5K

114.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 PKR 142.7K

$167 PKR 46.5K

206.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 PKR 82.4K

$108 PKR 30.0K

174.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,551 PKR 431.6K

$917 PKR 255.1K

69.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$657 PKR 183.0K

$567 PKR 157.9K

15.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 PKR 107.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

6.32%

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

Last update for Islamabad: May 30, 2026

Last update for Skardu: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $198 in Islamabad versus $74.0 in Skardu. 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 Islamabad versus $11.00 in Skardu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $98.0 vs $86.0 – making Skardu 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

Islamabad vs Skardu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $794 per month in Islamabad and $573 in Skardu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 14% 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 Islamabad and $11.00 in Skardu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $529 in Islamabad and $382 in Skardu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Skardu – 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 Skardu. 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.