Cost of Travel in Pakistan 2026

Pakistan is one of the most affordable travel destinations in Asia. Your money goes remarkably far — a full day of travel, food, and accommodation can cost less than a single meal in many Western cities.

Budget range: Budget travellers can manage on $20-30/day. Mid-range comfort costs $50-80/day. Luxury travel runs $150-300+/day. All figures in USD.

Daily Budget Breakdown

Category	Budget	Mid-Range	Luxury
Accommodation	$5-15	$25-60	$80-250+
Food (3 meals)	$3-8	$10-20	$30-60
Transport	$2-5	$10-20	$30-80
Activities	$2-5	$10-20	$30-100
Daily Total	$15-30	$55-120	$170-490

Accommodation

Type	Price Range (PKR)	Approx. USD
Hostel/Dorm bed	PKR 800-2,000	$3-7
Budget guesthouse	PKR 2,000-5,000	$7-18
Mid-range hotel	PKR 5,000-15,000	$18-54
4-star hotel (city)	PKR 15,000-40,000	$54-144
5-star hotel (Serena, PC, Marriott)	PKR 40,000-70,000+	$144-250+
Mountain lodge (Hunza, Skardu)	PKR 3,000-12,000	$11-43

Prices vary significantly by season. Northern area lodges can be 2-3x more expensive in peak summer (Jun-Aug).

Food & Drink

Item	Price (PKR)	Approx. USD
Street food meal (daal chawal, chana chaat)	PKR 150-300	$0.50-1.10
Local restaurant meal	PKR 300-800	$1.10-2.90
Mid-range restaurant (per person)	PKR 1,000-2,500	$3.60-9.00
Fine dining	PKR 3,000-8,000	$11-29
Chai (tea)	PKR 30-80	$0.10-0.30
Bottled water (1.5L)	PKR 60-100	$0.20-0.35
Fresh juice	PKR 100-250	$0.35-0.90
Biryani (restaurant)	PKR 400-1,200	$1.40-4.30

Transport

Mode	Route/Details	Approx. Cost
Careem/InDrive ride	City trip (5-10km)	PKR 200-500 ($0.70-1.80)
Daewoo Express bus	Lahore-Islamabad	PKR 1,500-2,500 ($5-9)
NATCO bus	Islamabad-Gilgit	PKR 2,000-3,500 ($7-13)
PIA domestic flight	Islamabad-Skardu	PKR 10,000-25,000 ($36-90)
Pakistan Railways (Business)	Lahore-Karachi	PKR 3,500-6,000 ($13-22)
Jeep hire (full day)	Northern areas	PKR 8,000-15,000 ($29-54)
Local bus	Within city	PKR 20-50 ($0.07-0.18)

Activities & Entrance Fees

Activity	Approx. Cost
Lahore Fort entrance	PKR 500 (~$1.80) foreigners
Badshahi Mosque	Free
Faisal Mosque, Islamabad	Free
Mohenjo-daro entrance	PKR 500 (~$1.80)
K2 base camp trek (guided, 14 days)	$2,000-4,000 (all-inclusive)
Fairy Meadows trek (3 days, guided)	$200-500
Malam Jabba ski pass	PKR 2,000-5,000 ($7-18)
Attabad Lake boat ride	PKR 1,000-2,000 ($3.60-7.20)
Wagah Border ceremony	Free

Money-Saving Tips

Eat at local restaurants (dhabas) — same food quality as fancy restaurants at a fraction of the price
Use Careem/InDrive instead of negotiating with taxi drivers
Travel during shoulder season (Mar-May, Sep-Nov) for lower hotel rates
Buy a local SIM card instead of using roaming
Negotiate prices at bazaars — polite bargaining is expected
Use NATCO buses for northern travel — scenic and cheap
Stay at guesthouses/homestays in mountain areas for authentic experiences