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: $500 in Mardan versus $518 in Lahore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $767 in Mardan versus $782 in Lahore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,033 in Mardan versus $1,046 in Lahore.

Living in Mardan costs roughly 4% less than in Lahore, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mardan 63% lower, Lahore 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 PKR 994

$2.54 PKR 705

41.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.00 PKR 6,371

$14.58 PKR 4,039

57.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 PKR 1,531

$5.60 PKR 1,552

-1.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 PKR 994

$3.63 PKR 1,006

-1.10%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 PKR 1,918

$5.51 PKR 1,527

25.59%

Cappuccino

$2.62 PKR 725

$2.53 PKR 702

3.56%

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

$0.36 PKR 98.5

$0.40 PKR 110

-10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.0

$0.24 PKR 65.9

-4.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 252

$0.93 PKR 258

-2.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 PKR 220

$0.71 PKR 197

11.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PKR 357

$1.17 PKR 325

10.26%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 336

$1.17 PKR 325

3.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.97 PKR 823

$6.34 PKR 1,756

-53.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 PKR 864

$2.61 PKR 722

19.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.74 PKR 1,035

$4.81 PKR 1,333

-22.25%

Apples (1kg)

$0.94 PKR 260

$1.22 PKR 339

-22.95%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 PKR 205

$0.64 PKR 178

15.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 PKR 295

$0.91 PKR 253

16.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.66 PKR 182

-43.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.28 PKR 78.3

$0.30 PKR 83.9

-6.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 98.2

$0.32 PKR 89.7

9.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 PKR 76.4

$0.46 PKR 129

-39.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.37 PKR 102

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.77 PKR 489

$1.09 PKR 303

62.39%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 PKR 326

$0.60 PKR 166

96.67%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 PKR 746

$1.73 PKR 478

55.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.78 PKR 493

$2.11 PKR 584

-15.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.23

$0.20 PKR 55.1

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.72 PKR 2,970

$5.43 PKR 1,503

97.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 PKR 359

$0.89 PKR 246

46.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 PKR 205

$0.69 PKR 190

7.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 PKR 460

$1.85 PKR 512

-10.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 PKR 283

$1.32 PKR 365

-22.73%

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

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

19.23%

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

$24.0K PKR 6.7M

$26.7K PKR 7.4M

-10.19%

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

$104 PKR 28.9K

$128 PKR 35.5K

-18.74%

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

$5.69 PKR 1,575

$5.32 PKR 1,474

6.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.72 PKR 4,353

$16.62 PKR 4,603

-5.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.73 PKR 4,079

$21.06 PKR 5,833

-30.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.76 PKR 2,982

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 PKR 1,203

$4.23 PKR 1,172

2.60%

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

$75.2 PKR 20.8K

$45.14 PKR 12.5K

66.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,028 PKR 284.9K

$1,988 PKR 550.8K

-48.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.74 PKR 6,852

$17.31 PKR 4,794

42.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.30 PKR 9,501

$27.44 PKR 7,601

25.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 PKR 27.2K

$76.5 PKR 21.2K

28.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.71 PKR 11.3K

$31.91 PKR 8,840

27.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$128 PKR 35.4K

$162 PKR 45.0K

-21.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.1 PKR 21.6K

$83.4 PKR 23.1K

-6.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$250 PKR 69.4K

$341 PKR 94.4K

-26.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 PKR 41.7K

$203 PKR 56.1K

-25.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$994 PKR 275.4K

$810 PKR 224.3K

22.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$591 PKR 163.8K

$597 PKR 165.5K

-1.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$191 PKR 53.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

14.28

-8.40%

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

Last update for Mardan: September 13, 2026

Last update for Lahore: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $128 in Mardan and $162 in Lahore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Mardan vs $15.00 in Lahore. Groceries flip the comparison at $85.0 vs $97.0, 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

Mardan vs Lahore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mardan and Lahore differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($500 vs $518 including rent). Mardan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $750 in Mardan and $777 in Lahore 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: $128 in Mardan versus $162 in Lahore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% 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 $23.00 versus $15.00 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 4% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.