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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $382 per month in Skardu vs $529 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $573 per month in Skardu vs $835 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $765 per month in Skardu vs $1,141 in Islamabad, rent included.

Skardu is about 28% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Skardu and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Skardu 71% lower, Islamabad 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.75 PKR 488

$2.80 PKR 779

-37.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.62 PKR 2,956

$14.22 PKR 3,956

-25.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.11 PKR 1,144

$5.44 PKR 1,513

-24.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 PKR 500

$1.72 PKR 478

4.65%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 PKR 1,001

$4.00 PKR 1,112

-10.00%

Cappuccino

$0.46 PKR 128

$2.00 PKR 558

-77.00%

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

$0.35 PKR 96.2

$0.43 PKR 119

-18.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.1

$0.22 PKR 61.1

4.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 PKR 202

$0.94 PKR 260

-22.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 PKR 167

$0.62 PKR 173

-3.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 338

Eggs

$1.12 PKR 312

$1.20 PKR 335

-6.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.15 PKR 1,710

$6.07 PKR 1,690

1.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.55 PKR 710

$3.39 PKR 942

-24.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.63 PKR 1,011

$4.38 PKR 1,219

-17.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 289

$1.03 PKR 287

0.97%

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.78 PKR 216

-15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 PKR 170

$0.93 PKR 260

-34.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 136

$0.60 PKR 166

-18.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 104

$0.41 PKR 115

-9.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 131

$0.54 PKR 149

-12.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 86.2

$0.34 PKR 93.3

-8.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 100

$0.37 PKR 103

-2.70%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 PKR 378

$1.93 PKR 538

-29.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PKR 241

$0.90 PKR 251

-3.33%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 568

$1.99 PKR 553

2.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 PKR 528

$2.14 PKR 596

-11.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 54.3

$0.19 PKR 52.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.91 PKR 1,923

$6.90 PKR 1,921

0.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 PKR 250

$0.86 PKR 239

4.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 PKR 114

$0.44 PKR 122

-6.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 PKR 486

$2.81 PKR 782

-37.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 273

$0.91 PKR 254

7.69%

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

$21.2K PKR 5.9M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

-1.28%

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

$22.8K PKR 6.4M

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

-12.69%

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

$102 PKR 28.4K

$112 PKR 31.1K

-8.64%

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

$7.18 PKR 1,999

$5.44 PKR 1,513

31.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.13 PKR 3,096

$18.81 PKR 5,235

-40.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.57 PKR 3,498

$22.19 PKR 6,176

-43.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.83 PKR 1,624

$6.04 PKR 1,680

-3.48%

Cinema Ticket

$3.61 PKR 1,006

$4.21 PKR 1,172

-14.25%

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

$29.43 PKR 8,188

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

-51.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,094 PKR 304.5K

$2,805 PKR 780.4K

-60.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.31 PKR 4,259

$21.57 PKR 6,001

-29.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.03 PKR 6,131

$27.63 PKR 7,688

-20.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 PKR 19.2K

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

-21.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.47 PKR 8,200

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

-26.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$74.0 PKR 20.6K

$198 PKR 55.1K

-62.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.2 PKR 14.5K

$112 PKR 31.1K

-53.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 PKR 46.5K

$513 PKR 142.7K

-67.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 30.0K

$296 PKR 82.4K

-63.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$917 PKR 255.1K

$1,551 PKR 431.6K

-40.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$567 PKR 157.9K

$657 PKR 183.0K

-13.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 PKR 107.8K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $74.0 in Skardu versus $198 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: $86.0 vs $98.0 – 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 38%, 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 $573 per month in Skardu and $794 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 14% 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 $382 in Skardu and $529 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.