Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Chennai (Madras) Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Chennai (Madras)

🙂 Solo nomad: Islamabad is 0.3% cheaper than Chennai (Madras) without rent, and 11% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Islamabad is 2.1% more expensive than Chennai (Madras) without rent, and 10.6% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.76 PKR 779

$2.18 ₹198

26.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.05 PKR 3,963

$11.66 ₹1,058

20.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,534

$4.16 ₹378

30.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 PKR 489

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 PKR 1,074

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 563

$2.17 ₹197

-7.83%

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

$0.39 PKR 110

$0.48 ₹43.74

-18.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 68.0

$0.18 ₹16.11

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 ₹187

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 ₹378

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 PKR 280

$0.62 ₹56.3

59.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 PKR 189

$0.53 ₹47.95

26.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 348

$0.73 ₹66.1

68.49%

Eggs

$1.23 PKR 346

$0.89 ₹80.4

38.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.33 PKR 1,786

$7.32 ₹664

-13.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.38 PKR 954

$3.61 ₹327

-6.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.33 PKR 1,222

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 294

$2.82 ₹256

-63.12%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 PKR 220

$0.82 ₹74.1

-4.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 PKR 272

$1.28 ₹116

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 157

$0.49 ₹44.33

14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 117

$0.51 ₹46.13

-19.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 162

$0.53 ₹48.46

7.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 94.1

$0.60 ₹54.2

-45.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 106

$0.33 ₹29.56

12.12%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.92 PKR 543

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PKR 242

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 PKR 555

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 604

$3.93 ₹357

-45.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.77 ₹796

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ₹170

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 ₹311

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$6.15 ₹558

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 53.6

$0.36 ₹32.90

-47.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.25 PKR 2,044

$11.74 ₹1,065

-38.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 243

$1.56 ₹141

-44.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 124

$0.28 ₹25.24

57.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 PKR 793

$1.78 ₹162

57.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 PKR 254

$1.17 ₹106

-23.08%

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

$21.0K PKR 5.9M

$17.6K ₹1.6M

19.00%

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

$26.2K PKR 7.4M

$24.7K ₹2.2M

6.06%

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

$111 PKR 31.2K

$48.22 ₹4,376

129.30%

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

$5.53 PKR 1,559

$4.89 ₹443

13.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.50 PKR 5,217

$9.53 ₹865

94.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.98 PKR 6,481

$17.20 ₹1,561

33.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.07 PKR 1,711

$6.88 ₹625

-11.77%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 PKR 1,211

$2.92 ₹265

46.92%

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

$59.1 PKR 16.7K

$79.9 ₹7,248

-26.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,792 PKR 787.2K

$1,739 ₹157.8K

60.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.28 PKR 6,001

$25.12 ₹2,280

-15.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.32 PKR 7,987

$23.75 ₹2,156

19.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 PKR 25.1K

$48.42 ₹4,394

84.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.51 PKR 11.4K

$36.44 ₹3,307

11.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 PKR 55.3K

$193 ₹17.5K

1.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 PKR 30.9K

$115 ₹10.4K

-4.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$517 PKR 145.7K

$431 ₹39.1K

19.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 PKR 82.8K

$265 ₹24.1K

10.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,529 PKR 431.2K

$1,789 ₹162.3K

-14.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$750 PKR 211.6K

$744 ₹67.5K

0.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 PKR 80.4K

$740 ₹67.1K

-61.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

9.42

114.44%

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

Last update for Islamabad: January 12, 2026

Last update for Chennai (Madras): January 12, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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