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 $497 in Lahore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $641 in Mardan versus $750 in Lahore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $848 in Mardan versus $1,003 in Lahore.

Living in Mardan costs roughly 13% 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

$2.18 PKR 607

$2.10 PKR 587

3.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.39 PKR 4,012

$13.95 PKR 3,888

3.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 PKR 1,491

$4.30 PKR 1,198

24.42%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 488

$2.85 PKR 795

-38.60%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 PKR 1,097

$3.76 PKR 1,049

4.52%

Cappuccino

$2.06 PKR 574

$2.37 PKR 660

-13.08%

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

$0.29 PKR 79.8

$0.33 PKR 91.7

-12.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.0

$0.21 PKR 58.4

4.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 PKR 216

$0.96 PKR 266

-18.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 PKR 182

$0.57 PKR 158

14.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 233

$1.20 PKR 335

-30.00%

Eggs

$1.16 PKR 322

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.03 PKR 1,680

$5.87 PKR 1,638

2.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.39 PKR 666

$3.04 PKR 848

-21.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.10 PKR 866

$4.61 PKR 1,284

-32.75%

Apples (1kg)

$0.74 PKR 205

$1.06 PKR 296

-30.19%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.65 PKR 181

-15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 PKR 266

$0.58 PKR 161

63.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.30 PKR 84.8

$0.45 PKR 125

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 PKR 66.8

$0.33 PKR 91.0

-27.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.48 PKR 134

-22.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 86.1

$0.44 PKR 123

-29.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.15 PKR 41.17

$0.35 PKR 98.5

-57.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.98 PKR 552

$0.71 PKR 197

178.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PKR 243

$0.56 PKR 155

55.36%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 554

$1.08 PKR 300

84.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.37 PKR 383

$1.97 PKR 550

-30.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.01

$0.16 PKR 45.16

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.04 PKR 1,964

$6.94 PKR 1,936

1.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 PKR 102

$0.72 PKR 201

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 PKR 96.0

$0.49 PKR 138

-30.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 PKR 506

$1.79 PKR 499

1.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 271

$0.90 PKR 252

7.78%

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

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

19.11%

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

$26.2K PKR 7.3M

$23.0K PKR 6.4M

14.29%

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

$114 PKR 31.8K

$138 PKR 38.5K

-17.35%

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

$5.37 PKR 1,497

$5.46 PKR 1,521

-1.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.43 PKR 5,137

$17.33 PKR 4,832

6.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.43 PKR 3,464

$13.41 PKR 3,737

-7.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.91 PKR 1,647

$5.80 PKR 1,618

1.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.18 PKR 1,165

$4.23 PKR 1,179

-1.18%

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

$17.36 PKR 4,839

$35.14 PKR 9,796

-50.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,128 PKR 314.4K

$1,221 PKR 340.3K

-7.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.42 PKR 5,970

$15.11 PKR 4,212

41.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.91 PKR 7,781

$22.95 PKR 6,397

21.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 PKR 25.0K

$73.5 PKR 20.5K

21.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.55 PKR 4,893

$29.90 PKR 8,334

-41.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.8 PKR 21.1K

$118 PKR 32.8K

-35.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.6 PKR 14.4K

$76.6 PKR 21.4K

-32.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 PKR 45.8K

$284 PKR 79.2K

-42.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 30.1K

$188 PKR 52.5K

-42.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$812 PKR 226.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$607 PKR 169.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$270 PKR 75.2K

$179 PKR 49.9K

50.67%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Lahore: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $75.8 in Mardan and $118 in Lahore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mardan pays 51% 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 $78.0 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 15% in total monthly costs ($433 vs $497 including rent). Mardan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mardan pays 51% 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: $75.8 in Mardan versus $118 in Lahore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% 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 15% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.