Cost of Living Comparison Between Lahore and Skardu Cost of Living Comparison Between Lahore and Skardu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $492 in Lahore versus $382 in Skardu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $746 in Lahore versus $573 in Skardu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,001 in Lahore versus $765 in Skardu.

Living in Lahore is roughly 29% more expensive than Skardu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lahore 63% lower, Skardu 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 PKR 583

$1.75 PKR 488

19.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.24 PKR 3,962

$10.62 PKR 2,956

34.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.27 PKR 1,189

$4.11 PKR 1,144

3.89%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 PKR 774

$1.80 PKR 500

54.44%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 PKR 1,007

$3.60 PKR 1,001

0.56%

Cappuccino

$2.34 PKR 652

$0.46 PKR 128

408.70%

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

$0.36 PKR 99.3

$0.35 PKR 96.2

2.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.0

$0.23 PKR 64.1

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 PKR 247

$0.73 PKR 202

21.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 157

$0.60 PKR 167

-5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 PKR 324

$1.21 PKR 338

-3.31%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 335

$1.12 PKR 312

7.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 PKR 1,700

$6.15 PKR 1,710

-0.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.05 PKR 849

$2.55 PKR 710

19.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.44 PKR 1,234

$3.63 PKR 1,011

22.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 283

$1.04 PKR 289

-1.92%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.66 PKR 183

-9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 168

$0.61 PKR 170

-1.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 133

$0.49 PKR 136

-2.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.32 PKR 90.2

$0.37 PKR 104

-13.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 133

$0.47 PKR 131

2.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 PKR 123

$0.31 PKR 86.2

41.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.36 PKR 100

5.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.93 PKR 258

$1.36 PKR 378

-31.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.87 PKR 241

-36.78%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 PKR 309

$2.04 PKR 568

-45.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.99 PKR 555

$1.90 PKR 528

4.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 52.8

$0.19 PKR 54.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.98 PKR 1,942

$6.91 PKR 1,923

1.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 PKR 194

$0.90 PKR 250

-22.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 PKR 138

$0.41 PKR 114

19.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 PKR 496

$1.75 PKR 486

1.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.98 PKR 273

-7.14%

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

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

$21.2K PKR 5.9M

-18.24%

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

$23.8K PKR 6.6M

$22.8K PKR 6.4M

4.14%

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

$138 PKR 38.3K

$102 PKR 28.4K

34.87%

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

$5.59 PKR 1,555

$7.18 PKR 1,999

-22.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.01 PKR 4,734

$11.13 PKR 3,096

52.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.75 PKR 3,825

$12.57 PKR 3,498

9.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.73 PKR 1,595

$5.83 PKR 1,624

-1.72%

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 PKR 1,207

$3.61 PKR 1,006

20.22%

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

$35.47 PKR 9,872

$29.43 PKR 8,188

20.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,238 PKR 344.4K

$1,094 PKR 304.5K

13.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.98 PKR 4,169

$15.31 PKR 4,259

-2.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.69 PKR 6,313

$22.03 PKR 6,131

3.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 PKR 20.2K

$69.1 PKR 19.2K

5.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.85 PKR 8,306

$29.47 PKR 8,200

1.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.9K

$74.0 PKR 20.6K

59.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.7 PKR 21.3K

$52.2 PKR 14.5K

46.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 PKR 79.6K

$167 PKR 46.5K

71.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 PKR 52.2K

$108 PKR 30.0K

73.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$843 PKR 234.5K

$917 PKR 255.1K

-8.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$615 PKR 171.3K

$567 PKR 157.9K

8.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 PKR 51.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.88

4.63%

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

Last update for Lahore: May 31, 2026

Last update for Skardu: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $118 in Lahore and $74.0 in Skardu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Lahore vs $11.00 in Skardu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $93.0 vs $86.0 per month, with Skardu cheaper across the board.

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 Skardu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lahore and Skardu differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($492 vs $382 including rent). Skardu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $738 in Lahore and $573 in Skardu to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $118 in Lahore versus $74.0 in Skardu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Lahore. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Skardu – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $14.00 in Lahore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Skardu 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.

Safety-wise, Lahore and Skardu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Skardu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.