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: $377 in Skardu versus $494 in Lahore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $576 in Skardu versus $734 in Lahore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $775 in Skardu versus $975 in Lahore.

Living in Skardu costs roughly 24% less than in Lahore, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Skardu 72% lower, Lahore 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 PKR 497

$2.07 PKR 574

-13.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.50 PKR 2,916

$14.41 PKR 4,001

-27.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 PKR 1,149

$4.13 PKR 1,146

0.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 PKR 479

$2.75 PKR 762

-37.09%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 PKR 998

$3.76 PKR 1,045

-4.52%

Cappuccino

$0.42 PKR 117

$2.28 PKR 633

-81.58%

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

$0.34 PKR 94.9

$0.35 PKR 97.2

-2.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 63.9

$0.21 PKR 58.3

9.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 PKR 215

$0.92 PKR 256

-16.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 155

$0.62 PKR 172

-9.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 336

$1.17 PKR 326

3.42%

Eggs

$1.17 PKR 324

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.00 PKR 1,665

$6.22 PKR 1,726

-3.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.60 PKR 721

$2.94 PKR 816

-11.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.71 PKR 1,031

$4.53 PKR 1,257

-18.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 PKR 290

$1.02 PKR 282

2.94%

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.59 PKR 164

11.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.67 PKR 186

$0.61 PKR 169

9.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$0.44 PKR 123

11.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 95.9

$0.32 PKR 90.2

9.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 140

$0.52 PKR 145

-3.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.6

$0.48 PKR 132

-35.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 100

$0.38 PKR 107

-5.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.55 PKR 429

$1.06 PKR 295

46.23%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 259

$0.51 PKR 142

82.35%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 PKR 560

$1.07 PKR 297

88.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 PKR 550

$1.91 PKR 530

3.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 56.5

$0.19 PKR 51.7

5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.10 PKR 1,972

$6.95 PKR 1,929

2.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 PKR 233

$0.74 PKR 207

13.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.49 PKR 137

-18.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 PKR 495

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 265

$0.94 PKR 260

2.13%

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

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

20.54%

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

$22.7K PKR 6.3M

$23.4K PKR 6.5M

-3.19%

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

$102 PKR 28.3K

$141 PKR 39.0K

-27.44%

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

$7.09 PKR 1,969

$5.57 PKR 1,547

27.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.40 PKR 3,165

$17.13 PKR 4,756

-33.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.46 PKR 3,458

$13.25 PKR 3,680

-5.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.02 PKR 1,670

$5.82 PKR 1,616

3.44%

Cinema Ticket

$3.62 PKR 1,006

$4.34 PKR 1,204

-16.59%

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

$29.27 PKR 8,128

$35.47 PKR 9,847

-17.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,105 PKR 306.7K

$1,231 PKR 341.7K

-10.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.31 PKR 4,250

$15.32 PKR 4,254

-0.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.94 PKR 6,091

$22.85 PKR 6,343

-3.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.7 PKR 19.1K

$73.6 PKR 20.4K

-6.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.93 PKR 8,033

$29.82 PKR 8,280

-2.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$73.9 PKR 20.5K

$119 PKR 33.1K

-38.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.7 PKR 14.6K

$76.2 PKR 21.2K

-30.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$168 PKR 46.7K

$285 PKR 79.0K

-40.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 29.9K

$193 PKR 53.7K

-44.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$974 PKR 270.5K

$856 PKR 237.6K

13.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$484 PKR 134.2K

$608 PKR 168.9K

-20.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$182 PKR 50.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.88

-4.43%

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

Last update for Skardu: July 20, 2026

Last update for Lahore: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $73.9 in Skardu and $119 in Lahore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $11.00 in Skardu vs $14.00 in Lahore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $87.0 vs $94.0 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 31% in total monthly costs ($377 vs $494 including rent). Skardu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $566 in Skardu and $741 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: $73.9 in Skardu versus $119 in Lahore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% 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 $11.00 versus $14.00 in Lahore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 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 31% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.