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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $589 per month in Islamabad vs $437 in Skardu, rent included.

A couple spends around $918 per month in Islamabad vs $661 in Skardu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,246 per month in Islamabad vs $885 in Skardu, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 35% more than Skardu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Islamabad and Skardu are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 57% lower, Skardu 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 PKR 989

$2.38 PKR 660

50.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.74 PKR 6,304

$12.05 PKR 3,341

88.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 PKR 1,516

$4.76 PKR 1,319

14.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 PKR 985

$2.81 PKR 778

26.33%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 PKR 1,861

$5.06 PKR 1,403

32.61%

Cappuccino

$2.39 PKR 663

$1.44 PKR 399

65.97%

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

$0.32 PKR 90.0

$0.39 PKR 107

-17.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.8

$0.23 PKR 64.6

-4.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 PKR 275

$0.87 PKR 242

13.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 PKR 219

$0.59 PKR 164

33.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 354

$1.15 PKR 320

11.30%

Eggs

$1.28 PKR 356

$1.23 PKR 340

4.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 PKR 1,694

$6.30 PKR 1,745

-3.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 PKR 848

$2.53 PKR 701

20.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.12 PKR 1,420

$5.19 PKR 1,439

-1.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 PKR 371

$1.12 PKR 309

19.64%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 232

$0.59 PKR 163

42.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 282

$0.74 PKR 205

37.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$0.46 PKR 128

6.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 81.1

$0.31 PKR 86.8

-6.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 90.4

$0.33 PKR 90.5

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.29 PKR 80.8

$0.33 PKR 90.4

-12.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.38 PKR 104

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.90 PKR 528

$1.77 PKR 492

7.34%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PKR 383

$1.02 PKR 283

35.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 PKR 651

$2.76 PKR 765

-14.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 PKR 632

$1.91 PKR 530

19.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 44.28

$0.18 PKR 48.91

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PKR 5,885

$8.63 PKR 2,393

146.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 PKR 353

$1.18 PKR 328

7.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 PKR 191

$0.77 PKR 213

-10.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 PKR 458

$1.70 PKR 470

-2.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 PKR 365

$1.13 PKR 313

16.81%

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

$53.9K PKR 15.0M

$19.3K PKR 5.4M

179.22%

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

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

$22.2K PKR 6.1M

13.23%

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

$102 PKR 28.3K

$103 PKR 28.5K

-0.78%

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

$5.83 PKR 1,617

$3.60 PKR 998

61.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.34 PKR 4,531

$13.74 PKR 3,810

18.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.09 PKR 8,065

$14.51 PKR 4,023

100.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.93 PKR 2,477

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 PKR 1,389

$3.93 PKR 1,089

27.48%

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

$75.0 PKR 20.8K

$46.28 PKR 12.8K

62.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

$951 PKR 263.8K

434.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.55 PKR 6,528

$13.70 PKR 3,798

71.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.68 PKR 9,060

$19.12 PKR 5,302

70.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 PKR 23.2K

$82.6 PKR 22.9K

1.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.29 PKR 10.9K

$28.62 PKR 7,935

37.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 PKR 76.8K

$127 PKR 35.1K

118.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$144 PKR 40.0K

$66.6 PKR 18.5K

116.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 PKR 160.0K

$253 PKR 70.1K

128.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 PKR 73.8K

$162 PKR 44.9K

64.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,635 PKR 453.2K

$901 PKR 249.8K

81.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$829 PKR 229.9K

$469 PKR 129.9K

76.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$381 PKR 105.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

12.88

1.55%

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

Last update for Islamabad: August 30, 2026

Last update for Skardu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $277 in Islamabad versus $127 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 $23.00 in Islamabad versus $12.00 in Skardu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $93.0 – 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 35%, 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 $884 per month in Islamabad and $656 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 10% 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 $23.00 in Islamabad and $12.00 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 $589 in Islamabad and $437 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.