Cost of Living Comparison Between Lahore and Mardan Cost of Living Comparison Between Lahore and Mardan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $497 in Lahore versus $433 in Mardan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $750 in Lahore versus $641 in Mardan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,003 in Lahore versus $848 in Mardan.

Living in Lahore is roughly 15% more expensive than Mardan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lahore 63% lower, Mardan 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 PKR 587

$2.18 PKR 607

-3.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.95 PKR 3,888

$14.39 PKR 4,012

-3.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.30 PKR 1,198

$5.35 PKR 1,491

-19.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 PKR 795

$1.75 PKR 488

62.86%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 PKR 1,049

$3.93 PKR 1,097

-4.33%

Cappuccino

$2.37 PKR 660

$2.06 PKR 574

15.05%

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

$0.33 PKR 91.7

$0.29 PKR 79.8

13.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.4

$0.22 PKR 61.0

-4.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 266

$0.78 PKR 216

23.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.65 PKR 182

-12.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 335

$0.84 PKR 233

42.86%

Eggs

$1.16 PKR 322

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.87 PKR 1,638

$6.03 PKR 1,680

-2.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.04 PKR 848

$2.39 PKR 666

27.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.61 PKR 1,284

$3.10 PKR 866

48.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 PKR 296

$0.74 PKR 205

43.24%

Banana (1kg)

$0.65 PKR 181

$0.55 PKR 152

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 161

$0.95 PKR 266

-38.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.45 PKR 125

$0.30 PKR 84.8

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 91.0

$0.24 PKR 66.8

37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 134

$0.37 PKR 102

29.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 PKR 123

$0.31 PKR 86.1

41.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 PKR 98.5

$0.15 PKR 41.17

133.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.71 PKR 197

$1.98 PKR 552

-64.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 PKR 155

$0.87 PKR 243

-35.63%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 PKR 300

$1.99 PKR 554

-45.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 PKR 550

$1.37 PKR 383

43.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 45.16

$0.18 PKR 49.01

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.94 PKR 1,936

$7.04 PKR 1,964

-1.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 PKR 201

$0.36 PKR 102

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 PKR 138

$0.34 PKR 96.0

44.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 PKR 499

$1.81 PKR 506

-1.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 PKR 252

$0.97 PKR 271

-7.22%

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

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

-16.04%

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

$23.0K PKR 6.4M

$26.2K PKR 7.3M

-12.51%

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

$138 PKR 38.5K

$114 PKR 31.8K

20.99%

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

$5.46 PKR 1,521

$5.37 PKR 1,497

1.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.33 PKR 4,832

$18.43 PKR 5,137

-5.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.41 PKR 3,737

$12.43 PKR 3,464

7.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.80 PKR 1,618

$5.91 PKR 1,647

-1.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.23 PKR 1,179

$4.18 PKR 1,165

1.20%

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

$35.14 PKR 9,796

$17.36 PKR 4,839

102.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,221 PKR 340.3K

$1,128 PKR 314.4K

8.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.11 PKR 4,212

$21.42 PKR 5,970

-29.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.95 PKR 6,397

$27.91 PKR 7,781

-17.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 PKR 20.5K

$89.5 PKR 25.0K

-17.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.90 PKR 8,334

$17.55 PKR 4,893

70.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.8K

$75.8 PKR 21.1K

55.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.6 PKR 21.4K

$51.6 PKR 14.4K

48.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 PKR 79.2K

$164 PKR 45.8K

72.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 PKR 52.5K

$108 PKR 30.1K

74.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$812 PKR 226.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$607 PKR 169.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$179 PKR 49.9K

$270 PKR 75.2K

-33.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.88

20.2

-1.58%

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

Last update for Lahore: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mardan: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $118 in Lahore and $75.8 in Mardan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mardan pays 51% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $14.00 in Lahore vs $14.00 in Mardan. Groceries flip the comparison at $93.0 vs $78.0, with Mardan 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

Lahore vs Mardan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lahore and Mardan differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($497 vs $433 including rent). Mardan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mardan earns 51% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $118 in Lahore versus $75.8 in Mardan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Lahore. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mardan – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $14.00 in Lahore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Mardan 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 Mardan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.