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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $437 per month in Hyderabad vs $589 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $677 per month in Hyderabad vs $918 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $917 per month in Hyderabad vs $1,246 in Islamabad, rent included.

Hyderabad is about 26% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hyderabad and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Hyderabad 68% lower, Islamabad 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.69 PKR 470

$3.57 PKR 989

-52.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.77 PKR 2,984

$22.74 PKR 6,304

-52.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.22 PKR 1,169

$5.47 PKR 1,516

-22.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 PKR 585

$3.55 PKR 985

-40.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 PKR 1,564

$6.71 PKR 1,861

-15.95%

Cappuccino

$1.07 PKR 297

$2.39 PKR 663

-55.23%

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

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.32 PKR 90.0

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.7

$0.22 PKR 60.8

9.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 PKR 229

$0.99 PKR 275

-16.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 157

$0.79 PKR 219

-29.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 334

$1.28 PKR 354

-6.25%

Eggs

$1.19 PKR 331

$1.28 PKR 356

-7.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.28 PKR 1,186

$6.11 PKR 1,694

-29.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.13 PKR 869

$3.06 PKR 848

2.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.14 PKR 1,148

$5.12 PKR 1,420

-19.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 PKR 298

$1.34 PKR 371

-19.40%

Banana (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.84 PKR 232

-51.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.68 PKR 188

$1.02 PKR 282

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 129

$0.49 PKR 135

-4.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 94.9

$0.29 PKR 81.1

17.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 92.8

$0.33 PKR 90.4

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.29 PKR 80.8

24.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 PKR 121

$0.38 PKR 106

15.79%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.92 PKR 256

$1.90 PKR 528

-51.58%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 PKR 313

$1.38 PKR 383

-18.12%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 PKR 208

$2.35 PKR 651

-68.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.81 PKR 502

$2.28 PKR 632

-20.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 54.2

$0.16 PKR 44.28

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.14 PKR 2,811

$21.23 PKR 5,885

-52.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 PKR 179

$1.27 PKR 353

-48.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 PKR 57.0

$0.69 PKR 191

-69.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 PKR 193

$1.65 PKR 458

-57.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 PKR 322

$1.32 PKR 365

-12.12%

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

$17.7K PKR 4.9M

$53.9K PKR 15.0M

-67.17%

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

$25.6K PKR 7.1M

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

2.00%

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

$104 PKR 28.9K

$102 PKR 28.3K

2.25%

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

$5.56 PKR 1,541

$5.83 PKR 1,617

-4.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.56 PKR 3,483

$16.34 PKR 4,531

-23.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.01 PKR 6,380

$29.09 PKR 8,065

-20.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.52 PKR 975

$8.93 PKR 2,477

-60.58%

Cinema Ticket

$3.58 PKR 993

$5.01 PKR 1,389

-28.54%

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

$50.1 PKR 13.9K

$75.0 PKR 20.8K

-33.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,321 PKR 366.1K

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

-74.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.64 PKR 4,057

$23.55 PKR 6,528

-37.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.51 PKR 6,240

$32.68 PKR 9,060

-31.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.2 PKR 18.3K

$83.6 PKR 23.2K

-20.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.63 PKR 9,878

$39.29 PKR 10.9K

-9.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$137 PKR 38.0K

$277 PKR 76.8K

-50.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.0 PKR 21.3K

$144 PKR 40.0K

-46.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$301 PKR 83.4K

$577 PKR 160.0K

-47.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 PKR 59.4K

$266 PKR 73.8K

-19.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$786 PKR 217.9K

$1,635 PKR 453.2K

-51.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$829 PKR 229.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$158 PKR 43.9K

$381 PKR 105.7K

-58.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.88

13.08

-1.53%

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

Last update for Hyderabad: August 31, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $137 in Hyderabad 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 141% 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 Hyderabad versus $23.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $86.0 vs $103 – 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 35% 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 $655 per month in Hyderabad 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 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 $11.00 in Hyderabad and $23.00 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 $437 in Hyderabad and $589 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 $437 in Hyderabad and $589 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.