Cost of Living Comparison Between Haroonabad and Islamabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Haroonabad and Islamabad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $452 in Haroonabad versus $535 in Islamabad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $665 in Haroonabad versus $833 in Islamabad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $877 in Haroonabad versus $1,131 in Islamabad.

Living in Haroonabad costs roughly 15% less than in Islamabad, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Haroonabad 66% lower, Islamabad 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.15 PKR 597

$2.81 PKR 781

-23.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.42 PKR 2,893

$14.13 PKR 3,923

-26.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.21 PKR 1,170

$5.44 PKR 1,510

-22.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 PKR 776

$1.80 PKR 498

55.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 PKR 1,038

$3.94 PKR 1,094

-5.08%

Cappuccino

$2.29 PKR 635

$2.04 PKR 567

12.25%

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

$0.33 PKR 91.0

$0.39 PKR 108

-15.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.0

$0.24 PKR 66.7

-4.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 PKR 265

$0.95 PKR 263

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 PKR 170

$0.66 PKR 182

-7.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 PKR 325

$1.27 PKR 354

-7.87%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 333

$1.26 PKR 350

-4.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.15 PKR 1,708

$6.14 PKR 1,704

0.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.45 PKR 680

$3.55 PKR 984

-30.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.49 PKR 1,248

$4.52 PKR 1,254

-0.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 PKR 292

$1.05 PKR 291

Banana (1kg)

$0.65 PKR 180

$0.80 PKR 222

-18.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 PKR 169

$0.91 PKR 252

-32.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 133

$0.59 PKR 165

-18.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 97.5

$0.42 PKR 116

-16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 132

$0.53 PKR 149

-9.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 PKR 133

$0.31 PKR 85.7

54.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 101

$0.40 PKR 112

-7.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.07 PKR 296

$1.95 PKR 541

-45.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 PKR 154

$0.90 PKR 251

-38.89%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 PKR 294

$2.03 PKR 565

-47.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 PKR 526

$2.16 PKR 601

-12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 56.4

$0.18 PKR 49.97

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.27 PKR 2,020

$7.20 PKR 1,998

0.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 PKR 190

$0.92 PKR 255

-26.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 PKR 137

$0.43 PKR 120

13.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 PKR 503

$2.78 PKR 772

-34.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 PKR 245

$0.99 PKR 274

-11.11%

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

$17.6K PKR 4.9M

$21.2K PKR 5.9M

-16.93%

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

$23.1K PKR 6.4M

$26.0K PKR 7.2M

-11.01%

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

$136 PKR 37.8K

$114 PKR 31.6K

19.64%

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

$5.30 PKR 1,470

$5.43 PKR 1,508

-2.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.53 PKR 2,924

$18.79 PKR 5,216

-43.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.50 PKR 3,471

$22.78 PKR 6,325

-45.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.07 PKR 1,687

$6.05 PKR 1,680

0.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 PKR 1,153

$4.35 PKR 1,208

-4.60%

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

$10.78 PKR 2,993

$59.5 PKR 16.5K

-81.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,070 PKR 297.1K

$2,754 PKR 764.7K

-61.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.46 PKR 2,904

$21.76 PKR 6,041

-51.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.51 PKR 6,251

$28.27 PKR 7,850

-20.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 PKR 20.1K

$86.7 PKR 24.1K

-16.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.06 PKR 7,791

$40.56 PKR 11.3K

-30.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$74.9 PKR 20.8K

$201 PKR 55.7K

-62.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.1 PKR 14.2K

$112 PKR 31.0K

-54.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$168 PKR 46.7K

$508 PKR 141.0K

-66.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$104 PKR 29.0K

$296 PKR 82.1K

-64.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$818 PKR 227.2K

$1,557 PKR 432.3K

-47.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$491 PKR 136.2K

$656 PKR 182.0K

-25.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$378 PKR 105.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.88

20.2

-1.58%

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

Last update for Haroonabad: July 22, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $74.9 in Haroonabad and $201 in Islamabad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $10.00 in Haroonabad vs $14.00 in Islamabad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $92.0 vs $101 per month, with Haroonabad 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

Haroonabad vs Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Haroonabad wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Islamabad. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Haroonabad the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $679 in Haroonabad and $802 in Islamabad 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: $74.9 in Haroonabad versus $201 in Islamabad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $10.78 in Haroonabad versus $59.5 in Islamabad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Islamabad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Haroonabad 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, Haroonabad and Islamabad 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 Haroonabad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Islamabad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.