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 $529 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $685 per month in Hyderabad vs $835 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $911 per month in Hyderabad vs $1,141 in Islamabad, rent included.

Hyderabad is about 13% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hyderabad and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Hyderabad 66% lower, Islamabad 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 PKR 498

$2.80 PKR 779

-36.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.75 PKR 2,991

$14.22 PKR 3,955

-24.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.16 PKR 1,158

$5.44 PKR 1,512

-23.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 PKR 527

$1.72 PKR 478

9.88%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 PKR 1,518

$4.00 PKR 1,112

36.50%

Cappuccino

$0.95 PKR 264

$2.00 PKR 557

-52.50%

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

$0.34 PKR 94.1

$0.43 PKR 119

-20.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.3

$0.22 PKR 61.1

4.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 PKR 201

$0.94 PKR 260

-23.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 PKR 148

$0.62 PKR 173

-14.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 PKR 323

$1.21 PKR 338

-4.13%

Eggs

$1.15 PKR 321

$1.20 PKR 335

-4.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 PKR 1,700

$6.07 PKR 1,690

0.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.75 PKR 765

$3.39 PKR 942

-18.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.00 PKR 1,111

$4.38 PKR 1,218

-8.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 PKR 303

$1.03 PKR 287

5.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 162

$0.78 PKR 216

-25.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.85 PKR 237

$0.93 PKR 260

-8.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 155

$0.60 PKR 166

-6.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 98.9

$0.41 PKR 115

-12.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 133

$0.54 PKR 149

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.34 PKR 93.3

11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 114

$0.37 PKR 103

10.81%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.91 PKR 254

$1.93 PKR 538

-52.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 PKR 351

$0.90 PKR 251

40.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 PKR 588

$1.99 PKR 553

6.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 PKR 603

$2.14 PKR 596

1.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 50.3

$0.19 PKR 52.2

-5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.84 PKR 2,737

$6.90 PKR 1,921

42.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 PKR 181

$0.86 PKR 238

-24.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.19 PKR 52.4

$0.44 PKR 122

-56.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 PKR 192

$2.81 PKR 782

-75.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 PKR 243

$0.91 PKR 253

-4.40%

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

$16.6K PKR 4.6M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

-22.62%

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

$23.0K PKR 6.4M

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

-11.94%

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

$135 PKR 37.5K

$112 PKR 31.1K

20.50%

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

$4.64 PKR 1,292

$5.44 PKR 1,512

-14.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.73 PKR 3,820

$18.81 PKR 5,234

-27.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.28 PKR 5,642

$22.19 PKR 6,174

-8.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.59 PKR 997

$6.04 PKR 1,679

-40.56%

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 PKR 956

$4.21 PKR 1,171

-18.53%

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

$41.18 PKR 11.5K

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

-31.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,094 PKR 304.5K

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

-60.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.79 PKR 4,949

$21.57 PKR 5,999

-17.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.99 PKR 6,952

$27.63 PKR 7,686

-9.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.4 PKR 17.9K

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

-26.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.32 PKR 10.1K

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

-9.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$119 PKR 33.2K

$198 PKR 55.1K

-39.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.1 PKR 18.9K

$112 PKR 31.1K

-39.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$296 PKR 82.3K

$513 PKR 142.6K

-42.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 PKR 55.2K

$296 PKR 82.3K

-33.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$580 PKR 161.4K

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

-62.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$195 PKR 54.2K

$657 PKR 182.9K

-70.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 PKR 47.5K

$387 PKR 107.8K

-55.95%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $119 in Hyderabad versus $198 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 127% 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 $14.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $89.0 vs $98.0 – 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 15% 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 $794 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 $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 $529 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 $529 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.