Cost of Living Comparison Between Skardu and Islamabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Skardu and Islamabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $377 per month in Skardu vs $535 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $576 per month in Skardu vs $833 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $775 per month in Skardu vs $1,131 in Islamabad, rent included.

Skardu is about 30% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Skardu and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Skardu 72% lower, Islamabad 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 PKR 497

$2.81 PKR 781

-36.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.50 PKR 2,916

$14.13 PKR 3,923

-25.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 PKR 1,149

$5.44 PKR 1,510

-23.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 PKR 479

$1.80 PKR 498

-3.89%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 PKR 998

$3.94 PKR 1,094

-8.88%

Cappuccino

$0.42 PKR 117

$2.04 PKR 567

-79.41%

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

$0.34 PKR 94.9

$0.39 PKR 108

-12.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 63.9

$0.24 PKR 66.7

-4.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 PKR 215

$0.95 PKR 263

-18.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 155

$0.66 PKR 182

-15.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 336

$1.27 PKR 354

-4.72%

Eggs

$1.17 PKR 324

$1.26 PKR 350

-7.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.00 PKR 1,665

$6.14 PKR 1,704

-2.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.60 PKR 721

$3.55 PKR 984

-26.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.71 PKR 1,031

$4.52 PKR 1,254

-17.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 PKR 290

$1.05 PKR 291

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.80 PKR 222

-17.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.67 PKR 186

$0.91 PKR 252

-26.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$0.59 PKR 165

-16.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 95.9

$0.42 PKR 116

-16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 140

$0.53 PKR 149

-5.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.6

$0.31 PKR 85.7

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 100

$0.40 PKR 112

-10.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.55 PKR 429

$1.95 PKR 541

-20.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 259

$0.90 PKR 251

3.33%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 PKR 560

$2.03 PKR 565

-0.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 PKR 550

$2.16 PKR 601

-8.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 56.5

$0.18 PKR 49.97

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.10 PKR 1,972

$7.20 PKR 1,998

-1.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 PKR 233

$0.92 PKR 255

-8.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.43 PKR 120

-6.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 PKR 495

$2.78 PKR 772

-35.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 265

$0.99 PKR 274

-3.03%

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

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

$21.2K PKR 5.9M

1.43%

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

$22.7K PKR 6.3M

$26.0K PKR 7.2M

-12.70%

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

$102 PKR 28.3K

$114 PKR 31.6K

-10.46%

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

$7.09 PKR 1,969

$5.43 PKR 1,508

30.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.40 PKR 3,165

$18.79 PKR 5,216

-39.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.46 PKR 3,458

$22.78 PKR 6,325

-45.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.02 PKR 1,670

$6.05 PKR 1,680

-0.50%

Cinema Ticket

$3.62 PKR 1,006

$4.35 PKR 1,208

-16.78%

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

$29.27 PKR 8,128

$59.5 PKR 16.5K

-50.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,105 PKR 306.7K

$2,754 PKR 764.7K

-59.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.31 PKR 4,250

$21.76 PKR 6,041

-29.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.94 PKR 6,091

$28.27 PKR 7,850

-22.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.7 PKR 19.1K

$86.7 PKR 24.1K

-20.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.93 PKR 8,033

$40.56 PKR 11.3K

-28.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$73.9 PKR 20.5K

$201 PKR 55.7K

-63.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.7 PKR 14.6K

$112 PKR 31.0K

-52.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$168 PKR 46.7K

$508 PKR 141.0K

-66.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 29.9K

$296 PKR 82.1K

-63.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$974 PKR 270.5K

$1,557 PKR 432.3K

-37.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$484 PKR 134.2K

$656 PKR 182.0K

-26.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$378 PKR 105.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

-5.94%

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

Last update for Skardu: July 20, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $73.9 in Skardu versus $201 in Islamabad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Skardu versus $14.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $87.0 vs $101 – making Skardu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Skardu vs Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 42%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $566 per month in Skardu and $802 in Islamabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Skardu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Islamabad, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Skardu and $14.00 in Islamabad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $377 in Skardu and $535 in Islamabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Skardu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Skardu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Islamabad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.