Cost of Living Comparison Between Faisalabad and Islamabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Faisalabad and Islamabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $393 per month in Faisalabad vs $589 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $614 per month in Faisalabad vs $918 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $835 per month in Faisalabad vs $1,246 in Islamabad, rent included.

Faisalabad is about 33% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Faisalabad and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Faisalabad 71% lower, Islamabad 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.82 PKR 506

$3.57 PKR 990

-49.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.74 PKR 2,979

$22.74 PKR 6,309

-52.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.56 PKR 1,543

$5.47 PKR 1,517

1.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 PKR 688

$3.55 PKR 986

-30.14%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 PKR 586

$6.71 PKR 1,862

-68.55%

Cappuccino

$1.44 PKR 401

$2.39 PKR 663

-39.75%

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

$0.46 PKR 128

$0.32 PKR 90.0

43.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 PKR 89.0

$0.22 PKR 60.8

45.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 PKR 234

$0.99 PKR 275

-15.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 172

$0.79 PKR 220

-21.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PKR 354

$1.28 PKR 354

-0.78%

Eggs

$1.18 PKR 329

$1.28 PKR 356

-7.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 PKR 2,434

$6.11 PKR 1,695

43.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.55 PKR 708

$3.06 PKR 849

-16.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.02 PKR 1,116

$5.12 PKR 1,421

-21.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 PKR 303

$1.34 PKR 371

-18.66%

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.84 PKR 232

-21.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 152

$1.02 PKR 282

-46.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 130

$0.49 PKR 135

-4.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 PKR 87.3

$0.29 PKR 81.2

6.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$0.33 PKR 90.4

48.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 PKR 138

$0.29 PKR 80.8

72.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 PKR 117

$0.38 PKR 106

10.53%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.52 PKR 145

$1.90 PKR 528

-72.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 PKR 144

$1.38 PKR 383

-62.32%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 PKR 209

$2.35 PKR 652

-68.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.40 PKR 665

$2.28 PKR 632

5.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 44.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.11 PKR 1,973

$21.23 PKR 5,889

-66.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 PKR 293

$1.27 PKR 353

-16.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 PKR 293

$0.69 PKR 191

53.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 PKR 793

$1.65 PKR 459

73.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 PKR 305

$1.32 PKR 365

-16.67%

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

$23.5K PKR 6.5M

$53.9K PKR 15.0M

-56.52%

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

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

-9.18%

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

$68.4 PKR 19.0K

$102 PKR 28.3K

-33.00%

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

$7.91 PKR 2,195

$5.83 PKR 1,618

35.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.74 PKR 3,258

$16.34 PKR 4,534

-28.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.72 PKR 4,083

$29.09 PKR 8,071

-49.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.27 PKR 5,070

$8.93 PKR 2,478

104.59%

Cinema Ticket

$7.10 PKR 1,969

$5.01 PKR 1,390

41.72%

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

$26.47 PKR 7,344

$75.0 PKR 20.8K

-64.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,005 PKR 556.3K

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

-60.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.03 PKR 5,279

$23.55 PKR 6,532

-19.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 PKR 7,252

$32.68 PKR 9,066

-20.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.1 PKR 14.7K

$83.6 PKR 23.2K

-36.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.22 PKR 8,107

$39.29 PKR 10.9K

-25.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$107 PKR 29.8K

$277 PKR 76.8K

-61.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.1 PKR 16.1K

$144 PKR 40.0K

-59.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$217 PKR 60.3K

$577 PKR 160.1K

-62.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$123 PKR 34.1K

$266 PKR 73.9K

-53.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$551 PKR 153.0K

$1,635 PKR 453.5K

-66.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$249 PKR 69.2K

$829 PKR 230.1K

-69.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 PKR 46.9K

$381 PKR 105.8K

-55.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.83

13.08

-9.56%

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

Last update for Faisalabad: August 31, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $107 in Faisalabad versus $277 in Islamabad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 126% higher in Islamabad, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Faisalabad versus $23.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $99.0 vs $103 – making Faisalabad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Faisalabad vs Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Islamabad costs about 50% more than Faisalabad, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $590 per month in Faisalabad and $884 in Islamabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Faisalabad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Islamabad, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Faisalabad and $23.00 in Islamabad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $393 in Faisalabad and $589 in Islamabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Faisalabad – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Faisalabad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Islamabad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.