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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $535 per month in Islamabad vs $377 in Skardu, rent included.

A couple spends around $833 per month in Islamabad vs $576 in Skardu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,131 per month in Islamabad vs $775 in Skardu, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 42% more than Skardu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Islamabad and Skardu are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 60% lower, Skardu 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 PKR 781

$1.79 PKR 497

56.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.13 PKR 3,923

$10.50 PKR 2,916

34.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,510

$4.14 PKR 1,149

31.40%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 PKR 498

$1.73 PKR 479

4.05%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 PKR 1,094

$3.59 PKR 998

9.75%

Cappuccino

$2.04 PKR 567

$0.42 PKR 117

385.71%

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

$0.39 PKR 108

$0.34 PKR 94.9

14.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.7

$0.23 PKR 63.9

4.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 PKR 263

$0.77 PKR 215

23.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 182

$0.56 PKR 155

17.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PKR 354

$1.21 PKR 336

4.96%

Eggs

$1.26 PKR 350

$1.17 PKR 324

7.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.14 PKR 1,704

$6.00 PKR 1,665

2.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 PKR 984

$2.60 PKR 721

36.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.52 PKR 1,254

$3.71 PKR 1,031

21.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 PKR 291

$1.05 PKR 290

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 PKR 222

$0.66 PKR 183

21.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 PKR 252

$0.67 PKR 186

35.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 PKR 165

$0.49 PKR 135

20.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.42 PKR 116

$0.35 PKR 95.9

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 149

$0.50 PKR 140

6.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.7

$0.31 PKR 85.6

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 112

$0.36 PKR 100

11.11%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.95 PKR 541

$1.55 PKR 429

25.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

$0.93 PKR 259

-3.23%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 PKR 565

$2.02 PKR 560

0.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.16 PKR 601

$1.98 PKR 550

9.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.97

$0.20 PKR 56.5

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.20 PKR 1,998

$7.10 PKR 1,972

1.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 PKR 255

$0.84 PKR 233

9.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.40 PKR 111

7.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 PKR 772

$1.78 PKR 495

56.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 PKR 274

$0.96 PKR 265

3.13%

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

$21.2K PKR 5.9M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

-1.41%

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

$26.0K PKR 7.2M

$22.7K PKR 6.3M

14.55%

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

$114 PKR 31.6K

$102 PKR 28.3K

11.69%

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

$5.43 PKR 1,508

$7.09 PKR 1,969

-23.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 PKR 5,216

$11.40 PKR 3,165

64.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.78 PKR 6,325

$12.46 PKR 3,458

82.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.05 PKR 1,680

$6.02 PKR 1,670

0.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 PKR 1,208

$3.62 PKR 1,006

20.17%

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

$59.5 PKR 16.5K

$29.27 PKR 8,128

103.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,754 PKR 764.6K

$1,105 PKR 306.7K

149.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.76 PKR 6,041

$15.31 PKR 4,250

42.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.27 PKR 7,850

$21.94 PKR 6,091

28.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 PKR 24.1K

$68.7 PKR 19.1K

26.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.56 PKR 11.3K

$28.93 PKR 8,033

40.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 PKR 55.7K

$73.9 PKR 20.5K

171.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 PKR 31.0K

$52.7 PKR 14.6K

111.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 PKR 141.0K

$168 PKR 46.7K

202.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 PKR 82.1K

$108 PKR 29.9K

174.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,557 PKR 432.3K

$974 PKR 270.5K

59.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$656 PKR 182.0K

$484 PKR 134.2K

35.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$378 PKR 105.0K

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Skardu: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $201 in Islamabad versus $73.9 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: $101 vs $87.0 – 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 42%, 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 $802 per month in Islamabad and $566 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 16% 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 $535 in Islamabad and $377 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.