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: $382 in Skardu versus $492 in Lahore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $573 in Skardu versus $746 in Lahore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $765 in Skardu versus $1,001 in Lahore.

Living in Skardu costs roughly 22% less than in Lahore, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Skardu 71% lower, Lahore 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.75 PKR 488

$2.09 PKR 583

-16.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.62 PKR 2,956

$14.24 PKR 3,962

-25.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.11 PKR 1,144

$4.27 PKR 1,189

-3.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 PKR 500

$2.78 PKR 774

-35.25%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 PKR 1,001

$3.62 PKR 1,007

-0.55%

Cappuccino

$0.46 PKR 128

$2.34 PKR 652

-80.34%

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

$0.35 PKR 96.2

$0.36 PKR 99.3

-2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.1

$0.23 PKR 64.0

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 PKR 202

$0.89 PKR 247

-17.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 PKR 167

$0.57 PKR 157

5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 338

$1.17 PKR 324

3.42%

Eggs

$1.12 PKR 312

$1.20 PKR 335

-6.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.15 PKR 1,710

$6.11 PKR 1,700

0.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.55 PKR 710

$3.05 PKR 849

-16.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.63 PKR 1,011

$4.44 PKR 1,234

-18.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 289

$1.02 PKR 283

1.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.60 PKR 166

10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 PKR 170

$0.60 PKR 168

1.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 136

$0.48 PKR 133

2.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 104

$0.32 PKR 90.2

15.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 131

$0.48 PKR 133

-2.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 86.2

$0.44 PKR 123

-29.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 100

$0.38 PKR 106

-5.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 PKR 378

$0.93 PKR 258

46.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PKR 241

$0.55 PKR 152

58.18%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 568

$1.11 PKR 309

83.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 PKR 528

$1.99 PKR 555

-4.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 54.3

$0.19 PKR 52.8

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.91 PKR 1,923

$6.98 PKR 1,942

-1.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 PKR 250

$0.70 PKR 194

28.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 PKR 114

$0.49 PKR 138

-16.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 PKR 486

$1.78 PKR 496

-1.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 273

$0.91 PKR 253

7.69%

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

$21.2K PKR 5.9M

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

22.31%

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

$22.8K PKR 6.4M

$23.8K PKR 6.6M

-3.98%

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

$102 PKR 28.4K

$138 PKR 38.3K

-25.86%

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

$7.18 PKR 1,999

$5.59 PKR 1,555

28.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.13 PKR 3,096

$17.01 PKR 4,734

-34.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.57 PKR 3,498

$13.75 PKR 3,825

-8.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.83 PKR 1,624

$5.73 PKR 1,595

1.75%

Cinema Ticket

$3.61 PKR 1,006

$4.34 PKR 1,207

-16.82%

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

$29.43 PKR 8,188

$35.47 PKR 9,872

-17.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,094 PKR 304.5K

$1,238 PKR 344.4K

-11.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.31 PKR 4,259

$14.98 PKR 4,169

2.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.03 PKR 6,131

$22.69 PKR 6,313

-2.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 PKR 19.2K

$72.6 PKR 20.2K

-4.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.47 PKR 8,200

$29.85 PKR 8,306

-1.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$74.0 PKR 20.6K

$118 PKR 32.9K

-37.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.2 PKR 14.5K

$76.7 PKR 21.3K

-31.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 PKR 46.5K

$286 PKR 79.6K

-41.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 30.0K

$188 PKR 52.2K

-42.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$917 PKR 255.1K

$843 PKR 234.5K

8.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$567 PKR 157.9K

$615 PKR 171.3K

-7.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 PKR 51.3K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lahore: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $74.0 in Skardu and $118 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 $86.0 vs $93.0 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 29% in total monthly costs ($382 vs $492 including rent). Skardu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $573 in Skardu and $738 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: $74.0 in Skardu versus $118 in Lahore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% 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 29% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.