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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $433 in Mardan versus $490 in Lahore.

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

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

Living in Mardan costs roughly 12% less than in Lahore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 PKR 593

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.42 PKR 4,010

$13.90 PKR 3,864

3.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 PKR 1,441

$4.31 PKR 1,197

20.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 PKR 497

$2.81 PKR 781

-36.30%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 PKR 1,074

$3.62 PKR 1,005

6.63%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 556

$2.29 PKR 638

-12.66%

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

$0.31 PKR 86.2

$0.35 PKR 98.0

-11.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.9

$0.23 PKR 64.2

-4.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 PKR 224

$0.94 PKR 261

-13.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 185

$0.57 PKR 159

15.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 PKR 235

$1.22 PKR 339

-30.33%

Eggs

$1.15 PKR 320

$1.21 PKR 336

-4.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.23 PKR 1,733

$5.96 PKR 1,656

4.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.38 PKR 661

$3.05 PKR 849

-21.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.26 PKR 907

$4.58 PKR 1,274

-28.82%

Apples (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 192

$1.06 PKR 294

-34.91%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 154

$0.63 PKR 176

-12.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 PKR 263

$0.61 PKR 170

54.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 92.2

$0.48 PKR 134

-31.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 PKR 66.1

$0.33 PKR 91.4

-27.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 92.9

$0.49 PKR 136

-32.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 91.8

$0.47 PKR 132

-29.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.12 PKR 34.05

$0.36 PKR 99.6

-66.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.46 PKR 405

$0.92 PKR 255

58.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PKR 255

$0.55 PKR 152

67.27%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 PKR 544

$1.12 PKR 311

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.38 PKR 384

$1.97 PKR 549

-29.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 45.73

$0.20 PKR 55.6

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.25 PKR 2,016

$7.03 PKR 1,956

3.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.70 PKR 194

-47.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.52 PKR 145

-28.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 PKR 487

$1.81 PKR 503

-3.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 PKR 265

$0.89 PKR 249

6.74%

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

$21.0K PKR 5.8M

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

17.94%

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

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

$23.7K PKR 6.6M

10.16%

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

$112 PKR 31.2K

$136 PKR 37.9K

-17.84%

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

$5.62 PKR 1,562

$5.57 PKR 1,548

0.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 PKR 5,280

$17.55 PKR 4,879

8.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.30 PKR 3,420

$13.25 PKR 3,683

-7.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.78 PKR 1,607

$6.05 PKR 1,682

-4.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 PKR 1,147

$4.18 PKR 1,162

-1.20%

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

$17.76 PKR 4,937

$34.74 PKR 9,660

-48.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,095 PKR 304.3K

$1,222 PKR 339.8K

-10.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.73 PKR 6,043

$15.27 PKR 4,245

42.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.38 PKR 7,891

$23.23 PKR 6,458

22.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 PKR 24.3K

$73.2 PKR 20.3K

19.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.89 PKR 4,973

$30.05 PKR 8,355

-40.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$73.9 PKR 20.5K

$120 PKR 33.3K

-38.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.5 PKR 14.6K

$75.5 PKR 21.0K

-30.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 PKR 45.5K

$288 PKR 80.2K

-43.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 29.9K

$190 PKR 52.9K

-43.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$774 PKR 215.2K

$842 PKR 234.1K

-8.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$424 PKR 118.0K

$604 PKR 168.1K

-29.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$268 PKR 74.4K

$182 PKR 50.7K

46.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

19.88

1.61%

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

Last update for Mardan: June 7, 2026

Last update for Lahore: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $73.9 in Mardan and $120 in Lahore. 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 Mardan vs $14.00 in Lahore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $79.0 vs $94.0 per month, with Mardan 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

Mardan vs Lahore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mardan and Lahore differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($433 vs $490 including rent). Mardan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mardan pays 47% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $73.9 in Mardan versus $120 in Lahore. 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.