Cost of Living Comparison Between Skardu and Rawalpindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Skardu and Rawalpindi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $377 in Skardu versus $425 in Rawalpindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $576 in Skardu versus $670 in Rawalpindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $775 in Skardu versus $914 in Rawalpindi.

Living in Skardu costs roughly 11% less than in Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Skardu 72% lower, Rawalpindi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 PKR 497

$1.73 PKR 481

3.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.50 PKR 2,916

$14.24 PKR 3,953

-26.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 PKR 1,149

$5.16 PKR 1,433

-19.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 PKR 479

$1.55 PKR 431

11.61%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 PKR 998

$3.40 PKR 943

5.59%

Cappuccino

$0.42 PKR 117

$1.71 PKR 476

-75.44%

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

$0.34 PKR 94.9

$0.34 PKR 95.2

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 63.9

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 PKR 215

$0.86 PKR 239

-10.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 155

$0.52 PKR 144

7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 336

$1.29 PKR 359

-6.20%

Eggs

$1.17 PKR 324

$1.16 PKR 323

0.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.00 PKR 1,665

$6.23 PKR 1,731

-3.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.60 PKR 721

$3.32 PKR 921

-21.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.71 PKR 1,031

$4.52 PKR 1,254

-17.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 PKR 290

$0.94 PKR 261

11.70%

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.64 PKR 177

3.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.67 PKR 186

$0.92 PKR 254

-27.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$0.50 PKR 139

-2.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 95.9

$0.36 PKR 101

-2.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 140

$0.48 PKR 133

4.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.6

$0.26 PKR 72.6

19.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 100

$0.37 PKR 102

-2.70%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.55 PKR 429

$16.39 PKR 4,552

-90.54%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 259

$1.02 PKR 284

-8.82%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 PKR 560

$2.28 PKR 633

-11.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 PKR 550

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 56.5

$0.21 PKR 57.1

-4.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.10 PKR 1,972

$9.78 PKR 2,716

-27.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 PKR 233

$0.87 PKR 241

-3.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.32 PKR 90.1

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 PKR 495

$2.97 PKR 826

-40.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 265

$0.97 PKR 269

-1.03%

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

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

$17.6K PKR 4.9M

21.95%

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

$22.7K PKR 6.3M

$22.9K PKR 6.3M

-0.78%

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

$102 PKR 28.3K

$103 PKR 28.5K

-0.67%

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

$7.09 PKR 1,969

$4.03 PKR 1,118

75.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.40 PKR 3,165

$16.21 PKR 4,500

-29.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.46 PKR 3,458

$10.17 PKR 2,824

22.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.02 PKR 1,670

$7.48 PKR 2,076

-19.52%

Cinema Ticket

$3.62 PKR 1,006

$3.59 PKR 997

0.84%

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

$29.27 PKR 8,128

$40.91 PKR 11.4K

-28.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,105 PKR 306.7K

$955 PKR 265.1K

15.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.31 PKR 4,250

$11.81 PKR 3,279

29.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.94 PKR 6,091

$18.85 PKR 5,232

16.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.7 PKR 19.1K

$88.5 PKR 24.6K

-22.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.93 PKR 8,033

$28.57 PKR 7,933

1.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$73.9 PKR 20.5K

$130 PKR 36.0K

-43.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.7 PKR 14.6K

$65.8 PKR 18.3K

-19.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$168 PKR 46.7K

$325 PKR 90.2K

-48.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 29.9K

$172 PKR 47.8K

-37.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$974 PKR 270.5K

$1,167 PKR 324.0K

-16.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$484 PKR 134.2K

$520 PKR 144.3K

-6.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 PKR 47.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.17

-5.80%

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

Last update for Skardu: July 20, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $73.9 in Skardu and $130 in Rawalpindi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $11.00 in Skardu vs $14.00 in Rawalpindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $87.0 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 Rawalpindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skardu and Rawalpindi differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($377 vs $425 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 $637 in Rawalpindi 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 $130 in Rawalpindi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Skardu – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $14.00 in Rawalpindi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $377 per month in Skardu versus $425 in Rawalpindi – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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 Rawalpindi 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 13% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.