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

🙂 Solo nomad: Islamabad is 2.7% cheaper than Chennai (Madras) without rent, and 9.8% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Islamabad is 2.9% more expensive than Chennai (Madras) without rent, and 12.2% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 PKR 803

$2.2 ₹196

30.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.95 PKR 3,908

$11.53 ₹1,030

20.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.23 PKR 1,465

$4.11 ₹367

27.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 PKR 493

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 PKR 1,076

Cappuccino

$2.05 PKR 573

$2.17 ₹193

-5.53%

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

$0.42 PKR 118

$0.45 ₹39.99

-6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.5

$0.2 ₹17.74

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ₹189

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ₹373

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 PKR 287

$0.63 ₹56.4

63.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 173

$0.5 ₹44.29

24.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 342

$0.77 ₹69.2

58.44%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 341

$0.94 ₹84.2

29.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.04 PKR 1,693

$7.15 ₹639

-15.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 PKR 949

$3.62 ₹323

-6.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.45 PKR 1,247

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 289

$2.9 ₹259

-64.48%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 PKR 220

$0.8 ₹71.2

-2.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.89 PKR 249

$1.27 ₹113

-29.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 158

$0.45 ₹40.11

24.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 109

$0.51 ₹45.41

-23.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 157

$0.54 ₹47.84

3.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 94.1

$0.55 ₹49.44

-38.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 105

$0.33 ₹29.28

12.12%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.94 PKR 544

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 260

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 PKR 552

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 PKR 608

$3.89 ₹348

-44.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.75 ₹782

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 ₹168

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 ₹306

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

$6.21 ₹555

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.2 PKR 55.5

$0.36 ₹32.35

-44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.89 PKR 1,930

$11.72 ₹1,047

-41.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 PKR 250

$1.59 ₹142

-44.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.3 ₹26.98

36.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 PKR 797

$1.76 ₹158

61.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 271

$1.2 ₹107

-19.17%

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

$21.4K PKR 6M

$17.5K ₹1.6M

22.25%

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

$26K PKR 7.3M

$24.3K ₹2.2M

7.00%

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

$110 PKR 30.9K

$47.04 ₹4,202

134.25%

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

$5.58 PKR 1,565

$4.8 ₹429

16.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.65 PKR 5,228

$9.64 ₹861

93.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.18 PKR 6,217

$17.25 ₹1,541

28.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.91 PKR 1,658

$7.15 ₹639

-17.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.27 PKR 1,196

$2.89 ₹258

47.75%

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

$60.8 PKR 17K

$81.8 ₹7,304

-25.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,772 PKR 776.9K

$1,736 ₹155.1K

59.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.15 PKR 5,928

$25.84 ₹2,308

-18.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.53 PKR 7,997

$23.81 ₹2,127

19.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 PKR 25.1K

$49.86 ₹4,454

79.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.83 PKR 11.4K

$35.66 ₹3,186

14.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 PKR 55.6K

$191 ₹17K

4.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 30.3K

$115 ₹10.3K

-5.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$504 PKR 141.3K

$434 ₹38.8K

16.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 PKR 82K

$261 ₹23.3K

12.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,307 PKR 366.4K

$1,799 ₹160.7K

-27.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$779 PKR 218.2K

$755 ₹67.5K

3.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$293 PKR 82K

$778 ₹69.5K

-62.43%

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: November 24, 2025

Last update for Chennai (Madras): November 23, 2025

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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