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: $494 in Lahore versus $377 in Skardu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $734 in Lahore versus $576 in Skardu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $975 in Lahore versus $775 in Skardu.

Living in Lahore is roughly 31% more expensive than in Skardu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lahore 63% lower, Skardu 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.07 PKR 574

$1.79 PKR 497

15.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.41 PKR 4,001

$10.50 PKR 2,916

37.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.13 PKR 1,146

$4.14 PKR 1,149

-0.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 PKR 762

$1.73 PKR 479

58.96%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 PKR 1,045

$3.59 PKR 998

4.74%

Cappuccino

$2.28 PKR 633

$0.42 PKR 117

442.86%

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

$0.35 PKR 97.2

$0.34 PKR 94.9

2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.3

$0.23 PKR 63.9

-8.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 PKR 256

$0.77 PKR 215

19.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 172

$0.56 PKR 155

10.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 PKR 326

$1.21 PKR 336

-3.31%

Eggs

$1.17 PKR 324

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.22 PKR 1,726

$6.00 PKR 1,665

3.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.94 PKR 816

$2.60 PKR 721

13.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.53 PKR 1,257

$3.71 PKR 1,031

22.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 282

$1.05 PKR 290

-2.86%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 PKR 164

$0.66 PKR 183

-10.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 PKR 169

$0.67 PKR 186

-8.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.44 PKR 123

$0.49 PKR 135

-10.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.32 PKR 90.2

$0.35 PKR 95.9

-8.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 145

$0.50 PKR 140

4.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 PKR 132

$0.31 PKR 85.6

54.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 107

$0.36 PKR 100

5.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.06 PKR 295

$1.55 PKR 429

-31.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 PKR 142

$0.93 PKR 259

-45.16%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 PKR 297

$2.02 PKR 560

-47.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.91 PKR 530

$1.98 PKR 550

-3.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 51.7

$0.20 PKR 56.5

-5.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.95 PKR 1,929

$7.10 PKR 1,972

-2.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 PKR 207

$0.84 PKR 233

-11.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 PKR 137

$0.40 PKR 111

22.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 PKR 495

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 260

$0.96 PKR 265

-2.08%

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

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

-17.04%

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

$23.4K PKR 6.5M

$22.7K PKR 6.3M

3.30%

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

$141 PKR 39.0K

$102 PKR 28.3K

37.81%

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

$5.57 PKR 1,547

$7.09 PKR 1,969

-21.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.13 PKR 4,756

$11.40 PKR 3,165

50.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.25 PKR 3,680

$12.46 PKR 3,458

6.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 PKR 1,616

$6.02 PKR 1,670

-3.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 PKR 1,204

$3.62 PKR 1,006

19.89%

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

$35.47 PKR 9,847

$29.27 PKR 8,128

21.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,231 PKR 341.7K

$1,105 PKR 306.7K

11.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.32 PKR 4,254

$15.31 PKR 4,250

0.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.85 PKR 6,343

$21.94 PKR 6,091

4.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.6 PKR 20.4K

$68.7 PKR 19.1K

7.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.82 PKR 8,280

$28.93 PKR 8,033

3.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$119 PKR 33.1K

$73.9 PKR 20.5K

61.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.2 PKR 21.2K

$52.7 PKR 14.6K

44.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 PKR 79.0K

$168 PKR 46.7K

69.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$193 PKR 53.7K

$108 PKR 29.9K

79.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$856 PKR 237.6K

$974 PKR 270.5K

-12.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$608 PKR 168.9K

$484 PKR 134.2K

25.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$182 PKR 50.6K

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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Skardu: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $119 in Lahore and $73.9 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 $94.0 vs $87.0 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 31% in total monthly costs ($494 vs $377 including rent). Skardu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $741 in Lahore and $566 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: $119 in Lahore versus $73.9 in Skardu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% 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 31% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.