Cost of Living Comparison Between Hyderabad and Islamabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Hyderabad and Islamabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $459 per month in Hyderabad vs $534 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $699 per month in Hyderabad vs $847 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $939 per month in Hyderabad vs $1,160 in Islamabad, rent included.

Hyderabad is about 14% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hyderabad and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Hyderabad 66% lower, Islamabad 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.82 PKR 504

$2.85 PKR 791

-36.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.42 PKR 2,894

$14.26 PKR 3,960

-26.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.05 PKR 1,124

$5.44 PKR 1,511

-25.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 PKR 556

$1.72 PKR 477

16.28%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.26 PKR 1,462

$3.82 PKR 1,061

37.70%

Cappuccino

$0.93 PKR 259

$1.97 PKR 547

-52.79%

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

$0.34 PKR 94.1

$0.40 PKR 110

-15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.1

$0.24 PKR 67.0

-4.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 PKR 203

$0.96 PKR 268

-23.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 PKR 139

$0.66 PKR 183

-24.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 PKR 323

$1.28 PKR 355

-9.38%

Eggs

$1.11 PKR 308

$1.20 PKR 334

-7.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.05 PKR 1,681

$6.07 PKR 1,687

-0.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.71 PKR 752

$3.37 PKR 937

-19.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.18 PKR 1,161

$4.35 PKR 1,209

-3.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 PKR 301

$1.04 PKR 289

3.85%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.84 PKR 234

-34.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 PKR 241

$0.91 PKR 253

-4.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$0.56 PKR 156

-7.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 98.7

$0.41 PKR 115

-12.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 140

$0.57 PKR 158

-10.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 PKR 107

$0.31 PKR 85.4

25.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.41 PKR 113

7.32%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.88 PKR 245

$2.00 PKR 555

-56.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 PKR 348

$0.93 PKR 258

34.41%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 PKR 580

$2.04 PKR 567

2.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 PKR 603

$2.14 PKR 595

1.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 PKR 42.60

$0.17 PKR 46.51

-11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.50 PKR 2,638

$7.22 PKR 2,006

31.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 PKR 180

$0.85 PKR 236

-23.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 PKR 55.1

$0.43 PKR 120

-53.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 PKR 200

$2.79 PKR 775

-74.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 PKR 244

$0.98 PKR 271

-10.20%

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

$16.9K PKR 4.7M

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

-19.37%

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

$23.0K PKR 6.4M

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

-11.48%

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

$135 PKR 37.4K

$114 PKR 31.6K

18.49%

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

$4.61 PKR 1,280

$5.41 PKR 1,501

-14.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.27 PKR 3,686

$18.69 PKR 5,190

-29.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.84 PKR 5,787

$22.13 PKR 6,144

-5.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.45 PKR 959

$6.12 PKR 1,699

-43.63%

Cinema Ticket

$3.51 PKR 976

$4.14 PKR 1,150

-15.22%

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

$41.17 PKR 11.4K

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

-31.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,109 PKR 307.9K

$2,753 PKR 764.5K

-59.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.58 PKR 4,881

$21.08 PKR 5,854

-16.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.02 PKR 6,947

$27.64 PKR 7,674

-9.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.6 PKR 17.9K

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

-26.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.40 PKR 10.1K

$40.94 PKR 11.4K

-11.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.8K

$199 PKR 55.3K

-40.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.0 PKR 18.9K

$110 PKR 30.5K

-38.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 PKR 81.7K

$505 PKR 140.1K

-41.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 PKR 54.0K

$299 PKR 83.0K

-34.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$590 PKR 163.7K

$1,513 PKR 420.1K

-61.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$196 PKR 54.4K

$647 PKR 179.8K

-69.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$174 PKR 48.4K

$385 PKR 106.9K

-54.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

-25.74%

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

Last update for Hyderabad: July 11, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $118 in Hyderabad versus $199 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 121% 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 $10.00 in Hyderabad versus $14.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $89.0 vs $100 – making Hyderabad 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

Hyderabad vs Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Islamabad costs about 16% more than Hyderabad, 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 $688 per month in Hyderabad and $801 in Islamabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10.00 in Hyderabad and $14.00 in Islamabad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $459 in Hyderabad and $534 in Islamabad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $459 in Hyderabad and $534 in Islamabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Hyderabad – 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 Hyderabad. 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.