Cost of Living Comparison Between Chennai (Madras) and Islamabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Chennai (Madras) and Islamabad

🙂 Solo nomad: Chennai (Madras) is 1% cheaper than Islamabad without rent, and 12% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Chennai (Madras) is 1.6% cheaper than Islamabad without rent, and 9% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.2 ₹197

$2.87 PKR 806

-23.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.71 ₹1,049

$14.21 PKR 3,984

-17.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.17 ₹373

$5.21 PKR 1,461

-19.96%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 507

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 PKR 1,083

Cappuccino

$2.17 ₹194

$2.08 PKR 582

4.33%

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

$0.45 ₹40.29

$0.43 PKR 120

4.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹16.76

$0.22 PKR 61.5

-13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 ₹182

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 ₹367

Milk (1 liter)

$0.58 ₹52

$0.94 PKR 263

-38.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 ₹43.89

$0.66 PKR 186

-25.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 ₹64.4

$1.26 PKR 353

-42.86%

Eggs

$0.86 ₹76.8

$1.23 PKR 343

-30.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7 ₹627

$6.05 PKR 1,695

15.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 ₹310

$3.55 PKR 995

-2.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.31 PKR 1,207

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 ₹263

$1.05 PKR 294

180.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 ₹73.2

$0.82 PKR 231

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 ₹118

$0.88 PKR 248

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.46 ₹41.17

$0.6 PKR 169

-23.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 ₹46.36

$0.38 PKR 108

36.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 ₹48.27

$0.56 PKR 157

-3.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ₹49.04

$0.31 PKR 86.8

77.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹29.36

$0.41 PKR 114

-19.51%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.98 PKR 556

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PKR 258

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 PKR 569

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.01 ₹359

$2.18 PKR 610

83.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.81 ₹789

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.9 ₹170

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 ₹305

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$6.23 ₹558

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₹32.76

$0.18 PKR 50.4

105.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.83 ₹1,060

$7.11 PKR 1,992

66.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 ₹142

$0.89 PKR 250

78.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ₹24.74

$0.44 PKR 123

-36.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 ₹153

$2.89 PKR 810

-40.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₹105

$0.96 PKR 268

21.87%

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

$17.1K ₹1.5M

$20.9K PKR 5.9M

-18.30%

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

$24.7K ₹2.2M

$26.7K PKR 7.5M

-7.62%

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

$47.45 ₹4,250

$111 PKR 31.1K

-57.26%

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

$4.81 ₹431

$5.41 PKR 1,517

-11.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.39 ₹841

$18.93 PKR 5,306

-50.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.59 ₹1,575

$22.9 PKR 6,419

-23.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7 ₹627

$6.09 PKR 1,706

14.94%

Cinema Ticket

$2.95 ₹264

$4.18 PKR 1,173

-29.43%

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

$79.1 ₹7,088

$59.8 PKR 16.8K

32.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,724 ₹154.4K

$2,762 PKR 774.1K

-37.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.29 ₹2,266

$21.21 PKR 5,943

19.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.88 ₹2,139

$27.95 PKR 7,834

-14.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.62 ₹4,355

$88.8 PKR 24.9K

-45.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.77 ₹3,204

$40.65 PKR 11.4K

-12.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$192 ₹17.2K

$201 PKR 56.3K

-4.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 ₹10.3K

$112 PKR 31.3K

2.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 ₹38.8K

$509 PKR 142.6K

-14.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 ₹23.8K

$299 PKR 83.9K

-11.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,840 ₹164.8K

$1,308 PKR 366.5K

40.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$733 ₹65.6K

$760 PKR 213.1K

-3.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$778 ₹69.7K

$284 PKR 79.7K

173.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.42

20.2

-53.37%

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

Last update for Chennai (Madras): December 1, 2025

Last update for Islamabad: December 1, 2025

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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