Cost of Living Comparison Between Skardu and Lahore Cost of Living Comparison Between Skardu and Lahore

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $437 in Skardu versus $500 in Lahore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $661 in Skardu versus $765 in Lahore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $885 in Skardu versus $1,030 in Lahore.

Living in Skardu costs roughly 12% less than in Lahore, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Skardu 68% lower, Lahore 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.38 PKR 660

$2.59 PKR 718

-8.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.05 PKR 3,341

$14.55 PKR 4,034

-17.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 PKR 1,319

$5.66 PKR 1,569

-15.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 PKR 778

$3.56 PKR 988

-21.07%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 PKR 1,403

$5.54 PKR 1,536

-8.66%

Cappuccino

$1.44 PKR 399

$2.51 PKR 697

-42.63%

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

$0.39 PKR 107

$0.43 PKR 119

-9.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.6

$0.26 PKR 72.7

-11.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 PKR 242

$0.85 PKR 237

2.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 PKR 164

$0.72 PKR 199

-18.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 PKR 320

$1.17 PKR 325

-1.71%

Eggs

$1.23 PKR 340

$1.25 PKR 345

-1.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.30 PKR 1,745

$6.41 PKR 1,778

-1.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.53 PKR 701

$2.45 PKR 678

3.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.19 PKR 1,439

$4.72 PKR 1,310

9.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 PKR 309

$1.17 PKR 323

-4.27%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 PKR 163

$0.66 PKR 182

-10.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 PKR 205

$0.85 PKR 235

-12.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.46 PKR 128

$0.60 PKR 167

-23.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 PKR 86.8

$0.30 PKR 83.9

3.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 90.5

$0.33 PKR 90.9

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 90.4

$0.45 PKR 124

-26.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 104

$0.36 PKR 101

5.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.77 PKR 492

$1.09 PKR 303

62.39%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 283

$0.65 PKR 180

56.92%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 PKR 765

$1.71 PKR 475

61.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.91 PKR 530

$2.15 PKR 596

-11.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 48.91

$0.18 PKR 49.72

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.63 PKR 2,393

$5.27 PKR 1,461

63.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 PKR 328

$0.88 PKR 243

34.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 PKR 213

$0.69 PKR 192

11.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.70 PKR 470

$1.77 PKR 490

-3.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PKR 313

$1.26 PKR 350

-10.32%

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

$19.3K PKR 5.4M

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

7.46%

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

$22.2K PKR 6.1M

$26.6K PKR 7.4M

-16.63%

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

$103 PKR 28.5K

$124 PKR 34.3K

-16.76%

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

$3.60 PKR 998

$5.17 PKR 1,432

-30.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.74 PKR 3,810

$16.25 PKR 4,506

-15.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.51 PKR 4,023

$19.21 PKR 5,325

-24.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.62 PKR 2,944

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 PKR 1,089

$4.30 PKR 1,191

-8.60%

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

$46.28 PKR 12.8K

$44.27 PKR 12.3K

4.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$951 PKR 263.8K

$1,982 PKR 549.5K

-52.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.70 PKR 3,798

$16.83 PKR 4,664

-18.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.12 PKR 5,302

$25.65 PKR 7,110

-25.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 PKR 22.9K

$75.3 PKR 20.9K

9.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.62 PKR 7,935

$29.41 PKR 8,153

-2.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$127 PKR 35.1K

$151 PKR 42.0K

-16.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.6 PKR 18.5K

$80.3 PKR 22.3K

-17.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$253 PKR 70.1K

$317 PKR 87.9K

-20.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$162 PKR 44.9K

$191 PKR 53.0K

-15.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$901 PKR 249.8K

$840 PKR 232.9K

7.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$469 PKR 129.9K

$594 PKR 164.5K

-21.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$183 PKR 50.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.88

14.22

-9.42%

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

Last update for Skardu: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lahore: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $127 in Skardu and $151 in Lahore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Skardu vs $15.00 in Lahore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $93.0 vs $95.0 per month, with Skardu 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

Skardu vs Lahore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skardu and Lahore differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($437 vs $500 including rent). Skardu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $656 in Skardu and $749 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: $127 in Skardu versus $151 in Lahore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Lahore. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Skardu – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $15.00 in Lahore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Skardu 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.

Safety-wise, Skardu and Lahore are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Skardu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.