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: $490 in Lahore versus $433 in Mardan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $746 in Lahore versus $639 in Mardan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,001 in Lahore versus $844 in Mardan.

Living in Lahore is roughly 13% more expensive than Mardan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lahore 64% lower, Mardan 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 PKR 593

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.90 PKR 3,864

$14.42 PKR 4,010

-3.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.31 PKR 1,197

$5.18 PKR 1,441

-16.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 PKR 781

$1.79 PKR 497

56.98%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 PKR 1,005

$3.86 PKR 1,074

-6.22%

Cappuccino

$2.29 PKR 638

$2.00 PKR 556

14.50%

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

$0.35 PKR 98.0

$0.31 PKR 86.2

12.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.2

$0.22 PKR 60.9

4.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 261

$0.81 PKR 224

16.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 159

$0.66 PKR 185

-13.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 339

$0.85 PKR 235

43.53%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 336

$1.15 PKR 320

5.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.96 PKR 1,656

$6.23 PKR 1,733

-4.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.05 PKR 849

$2.38 PKR 661

28.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.58 PKR 1,274

$3.26 PKR 907

40.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 PKR 294

$0.69 PKR 192

53.62%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 PKR 176

$0.55 PKR 154

14.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 PKR 170

$0.94 PKR 263

-35.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 134

$0.33 PKR 92.2

45.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 91.4

$0.24 PKR 66.1

37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 136

$0.33 PKR 92.9

48.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 PKR 132

$0.33 PKR 91.8

42.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 99.6

$0.12 PKR 34.05

200.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.92 PKR 255

$1.46 PKR 405

-36.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.92 PKR 255

-40.22%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 PKR 311

$1.96 PKR 544

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 PKR 549

$1.38 PKR 384

42.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 55.6

$0.16 PKR 45.73

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.03 PKR 1,956

$7.25 PKR 2,016

-3.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 PKR 194

$0.37 PKR 102

89.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 PKR 145

$0.37 PKR 103

40.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 PKR 503

$1.75 PKR 487

3.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 PKR 249

$0.95 PKR 265

-6.32%

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

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

$21.0K PKR 5.8M

-15.21%

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

$23.7K PKR 6.6M

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

-9.22%

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

$136 PKR 37.9K

$112 PKR 31.2K

21.72%

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

$5.57 PKR 1,548

$5.62 PKR 1,562

-0.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.55 PKR 4,879

$18.99 PKR 5,280

-7.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.25 PKR 3,683

$12.30 PKR 3,420

7.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.05 PKR 1,682

$5.78 PKR 1,607

4.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.18 PKR 1,162

$4.13 PKR 1,147

1.21%

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

$34.74 PKR 9,660

$17.76 PKR 4,937

95.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,222 PKR 339.8K

$1,095 PKR 304.3K

11.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.27 PKR 4,245

$21.73 PKR 6,043

-29.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.23 PKR 6,458

$28.38 PKR 7,891

-18.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.2 PKR 20.3K

$87.3 PKR 24.3K

-16.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.05 PKR 8,355

$17.89 PKR 4,973

67.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$120 PKR 33.3K

$73.9 PKR 20.5K

62.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$75.5 PKR 21.0K

$52.5 PKR 14.6K

43.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$288 PKR 80.2K

$164 PKR 45.5K

76.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$190 PKR 52.9K

$108 PKR 29.9K

76.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$842 PKR 234.1K

$774 PKR 215.2K

8.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$604 PKR 168.1K

$424 PKR 118.0K

42.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$182 PKR 50.7K

$268 PKR 74.4K

-31.87%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mardan: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $120 in Lahore and $73.9 in Mardan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mardan pays 47% 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 $94.0 vs $79.0, 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 13% in total monthly costs ($490 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 47% 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: $120 in Lahore versus $73.9 in Mardan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% 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 13% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.