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: $437 in Skardu versus $504 in Rawalpindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $661 in Skardu versus $786 in Rawalpindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $885 in Skardu versus $1,069 in Rawalpindi.

Living in Skardu costs roughly 13% less than in Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Skardu 68% lower, Rawalpindi 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.38 PKR 660

$2.12 PKR 588

12.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.05 PKR 3,341

$15.93 PKR 4,415

-24.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 PKR 1,319

$5.89 PKR 1,633

-19.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 PKR 778

$1.81 PKR 502

55.25%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 PKR 1,403

$3.52 PKR 976

43.75%

Cappuccino

$1.44 PKR 399

$1.94 PKR 537

-25.77%

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

$0.39 PKR 107

$0.44 PKR 122

-11.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.6

$0.25 PKR 69.4

-8.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 PKR 242

$0.90 PKR 250

-3.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 PKR 164

$0.55 PKR 152

7.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 PKR 320

$1.23 PKR 342

-6.50%

Eggs

$1.23 PKR 340

$1.11 PKR 307

10.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.30 PKR 1,745

$6.16 PKR 1,708

2.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.53 PKR 701

$3.57 PKR 988

-29.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.19 PKR 1,439

$5.22 PKR 1,446

-0.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 PKR 309

$1.14 PKR 316

-1.75%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 PKR 163

$0.86 PKR 237

-31.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 PKR 205

$1.23 PKR 340

-39.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.46 PKR 128

$0.57 PKR 158

-19.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 PKR 86.8

$0.36 PKR 99.3

-13.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 90.5

$0.46 PKR 127

-28.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 90.4

$0.33 PKR 92.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 104

$0.40 PKR 111

-5.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.77 PKR 492

$16.28 PKR 4,514

-89.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 283

$1.20 PKR 332

-15.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 PKR 765

$2.46 PKR 681

12.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.91 PKR 530

$1.93 PKR 534

-1.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 48.91

$0.16 PKR 43.62

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.63 PKR 2,393

$10.12 PKR 2,806

-14.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 PKR 328

$0.91 PKR 253

29.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 PKR 213

$0.38 PKR 104

102.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.70 PKR 470

$3.16 PKR 876

-46.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PKR 313

$1.13 PKR 312

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

$19.3K PKR 5.4M

$18.2K PKR 5.1M

5.99%

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

$22.2K PKR 6.1M

$25.0K PKR 6.9M

-11.22%

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

$103 PKR 28.5K

$115 PKR 31.9K

-10.51%

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

$3.60 PKR 998

$5.49 PKR 1,522

-34.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.74 PKR 3,810

$18.67 PKR 5,175

-26.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.51 PKR 4,023

$12.12 PKR 3,361

19.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.75 PKR 1,871

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 PKR 1,089

$4.28 PKR 1,187

-8.18%

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

$46.28 PKR 12.8K

$48.47 PKR 13.4K

-4.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$951 PKR 263.8K

$844 PKR 233.9K

12.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.70 PKR 3,798

$20.85 PKR 5,780

-34.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.12 PKR 5,302

$28.03 PKR 7,770

-31.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 PKR 22.9K

$91.0 PKR 25.2K

-9.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.62 PKR 7,935

$36.28 PKR 10.1K

-21.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$127 PKR 35.1K

$204 PKR 56.6K

-38.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.6 PKR 18.5K

$82.0 PKR 22.7K

-18.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$253 PKR 70.1K

$438 PKR 121.5K

-42.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$162 PKR 44.9K

$225 PKR 62.5K

-28.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$901 PKR 249.8K

$1,164 PKR 322.8K

-22.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$469 PKR 129.9K

$512 PKR 142.0K

-8.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$175 PKR 48.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.88

22.81

-43.53%

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

Last update for Skardu: August 30, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $127 in Skardu and $204 in Rawalpindi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Skardu vs $16.00 in Rawalpindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $93.0 vs $103 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 15% in total monthly costs ($437 vs $504 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 $756 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: $127 in Skardu versus $204 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 $12.00 versus $16.00 in Rawalpindi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $437 per month in Skardu versus $504 in Rawalpindi – a 15% 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 15% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.