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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $437 per month in Skardu vs $589 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $661 per month in Skardu vs $918 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $885 per month in Skardu vs $1,246 in Islamabad, rent included.

Skardu is about 26% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Skardu and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Skardu 68% lower, Islamabad 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.38 PKR 660

$3.57 PKR 989

-33.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.05 PKR 3,341

$22.74 PKR 6,304

-47.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 PKR 1,319

$5.47 PKR 1,516

-12.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 PKR 778

$3.55 PKR 985

-20.85%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 PKR 1,403

$6.71 PKR 1,861

-24.59%

Cappuccino

$1.44 PKR 399

$2.39 PKR 663

-39.75%

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

$0.39 PKR 107

$0.32 PKR 90.0

21.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.6

$0.22 PKR 60.8

4.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 PKR 242

$0.99 PKR 275

-12.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 PKR 164

$0.79 PKR 219

-25.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 PKR 320

$1.28 PKR 354

-10.16%

Eggs

$1.23 PKR 340

$1.28 PKR 356

-3.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.30 PKR 1,745

$6.11 PKR 1,694

3.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.53 PKR 701

$3.06 PKR 848

-17.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.19 PKR 1,439

$5.12 PKR 1,420

1.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 PKR 309

$1.34 PKR 371

-16.42%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 PKR 163

$0.84 PKR 232

-29.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 PKR 205

$1.02 PKR 282

-27.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.46 PKR 128

$0.49 PKR 135

-6.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 PKR 86.8

$0.29 PKR 81.1

6.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 90.5

$0.33 PKR 90.4

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 90.4

$0.29 PKR 80.8

13.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 104

$0.38 PKR 106

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.77 PKR 492

$1.90 PKR 528

-6.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 283

$1.38 PKR 383

-26.09%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 PKR 765

$2.35 PKR 651

17.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.91 PKR 530

$2.28 PKR 632

-16.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 48.91

$0.16 PKR 44.28

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.63 PKR 2,393

$21.23 PKR 5,885

-59.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 PKR 328

$1.27 PKR 353

-7.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 PKR 213

$0.69 PKR 191

11.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.70 PKR 470

$1.65 PKR 458

3.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PKR 313

$1.32 PKR 365

-14.39%

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

$19.3K PKR 5.4M

$53.9K PKR 15.0M

-64.19%

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

$22.2K PKR 6.1M

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

-11.68%

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

$103 PKR 28.5K

$102 PKR 28.3K

0.78%

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

$3.60 PKR 998

$5.83 PKR 1,617

-38.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.74 PKR 3,810

$16.34 PKR 4,531

-15.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.51 PKR 4,023

$29.09 PKR 8,065

-50.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.93 PKR 2,477

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 PKR 1,089

$5.01 PKR 1,389

-21.56%

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

$46.28 PKR 12.8K

$75.0 PKR 20.8K

-38.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$951 PKR 263.8K

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

-81.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.70 PKR 3,798

$23.55 PKR 6,528

-41.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.12 PKR 5,302

$32.68 PKR 9,060

-41.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 PKR 22.9K

$83.6 PKR 23.2K

-1.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.62 PKR 7,935

$39.29 PKR 10.9K

-27.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$127 PKR 35.1K

$277 PKR 76.8K

-54.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.6 PKR 18.5K

$144 PKR 40.0K

-53.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$253 PKR 70.1K

$577 PKR 160.0K

-56.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$162 PKR 44.9K

$266 PKR 73.8K

-39.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$901 PKR 249.8K

$1,635 PKR 453.2K

-44.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$469 PKR 129.9K

$829 PKR 229.9K

-43.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$381 PKR 105.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.88

13.08

-1.53%

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

Last update for Skardu: August 30, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $127 in Skardu versus $277 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 $12.00 in Skardu versus $23.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $93.0 vs $103 – 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 35%, 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 $656 per month in Skardu and $884 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 10% 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 $12.00 in Skardu and $23.00 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 $437 in Skardu and $589 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.