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: $424 in Mardan versus $491 in Lahore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $638 in Mardan versus $733 in Lahore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $851 in Mardan versus $974 in Lahore.

Living in Mardan costs roughly 14% less than in Lahore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mardan 68% lower, Lahore 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 PKR 571

$2.06 PKR 573

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.31 PKR 3,970

$14.19 PKR 3,938

0.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 PKR 1,487

$4.30 PKR 1,193

24.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 PKR 479

$2.76 PKR 765

-37.32%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,110

$3.65 PKR 1,012

9.59%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 556

$2.28 PKR 632

-12.28%

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

$0.31 PKR 87.1

$0.33 PKR 91.2

-6.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.7

$0.23 PKR 64.1

4.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 PKR 214

$0.87 PKR 242

-11.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 171

$0.56 PKR 156

10.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 233

$1.22 PKR 337

-31.15%

Eggs

$1.19 PKR 331

$1.22 PKR 339

-2.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.33 PKR 1,756

$6.05 PKR 1,679

4.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.31 PKR 641

$2.97 PKR 824

-22.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.26 PKR 904

$4.58 PKR 1,271

-28.82%

Apples (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 191

$1.07 PKR 296

-35.51%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.60 PKR 168

-8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 PKR 268

$0.61 PKR 170

57.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 92.6

$0.47 PKR 131

-29.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 PKR 66.6

$0.32 PKR 90.0

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.49 PKR 135

-24.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 91.8

$0.45 PKR 124

-26.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.13 PKR 35.05

$0.36 PKR 99.1

-63.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.43 PKR 396

$1.10 PKR 306

30.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 PKR 243

$0.55 PKR 152

60.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 PKR 543

$1.06 PKR 295

84.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.43 PKR 398

$1.99 PKR 553

-28.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.54

$0.18 PKR 49.62

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.89 PKR 1,911

$7.25 PKR 2,011

-4.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.73 PKR 201

-50.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 PKR 94.9

$0.49 PKR 137

-30.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 PKR 502

$1.80 PKR 499

0.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 PKR 248

$0.90 PKR 250

-1.11%

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

$21.3K PKR 5.9M

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

18.98%

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

$26.3K PKR 7.3M

$23.2K PKR 6.4M

13.42%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

$141 PKR 39.2K

-20.54%

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

$5.55 PKR 1,540

$5.33 PKR 1,480

4.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.45 PKR 5,120

$17.36 PKR 4,819

6.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.30 PKR 3,414

$13.27 PKR 3,683

-7.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.99 PKR 1,664

$5.82 PKR 1,615

2.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 PKR 1,181

$4.28 PKR 1,187

-0.47%

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

$17.48 PKR 4,851

$35.23 PKR 9,779

-50.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,112 PKR 308.7K

$1,230 PKR 341.4K

-9.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.33 PKR 5,920

$15.42 PKR 4,278

38.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.63 PKR 7,669

$23.35 PKR 6,481

18.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 PKR 24.8K

$73.7 PKR 20.5K

21.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.39 PKR 4,827

$30.02 PKR 8,330

-42.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.5 PKR 21.0K

$121 PKR 33.5K

-37.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.8 PKR 14.4K

$76.4 PKR 21.2K

-32.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 PKR 46.3K

$291 PKR 80.9K

-42.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 PKR 29.1K

$187 PKR 52.0K

-44.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$867 PKR 240.6K

$846 PKR 234.7K

2.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$511 PKR 141.9K

$598 PKR 166.0K

-14.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 PKR 51.1K

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Lahore: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $75.5 in Mardan and $121 in Lahore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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 $93.0 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 16% in total monthly costs ($424 vs $491 including rent). Mardan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $636 in Mardan and $737 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: $75.5 in Mardan versus $121 in Lahore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% 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 16% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.