Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Daska Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Daska

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $534 per month in Islamabad vs $469 in Daska, rent included.

A couple spends around $847 per month in Islamabad vs $713 in Daska, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,160 per month in Islamabad vs $956 in Daska, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 14% more than Daska, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Islamabad and Daska are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 60% lower, Daska 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 PKR 791

$2.90 PKR 806

-1.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.26 PKR 3,960

$13.98 PKR 3,881

2.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,511

$5.37 PKR 1,492

1.30%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 477

$1.79 PKR 498

-3.91%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,061

$3.95 PKR 1,098

-3.29%

Cappuccino

$1.97 PKR 547

$2.01 PKR 559

-1.99%

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

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.39 PKR 108

2.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 67.0

$0.22 PKR 60.7

9.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 268

$1.00 PKR 276

-4.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.65 PKR 181

1.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 355

$1.27 PKR 352

0.79%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 334

$1.23 PKR 341

-2.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,687

$6.04 PKR 1,677

0.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 PKR 937

$3.55 PKR 987

-5.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 PKR 1,209

$4.46 PKR 1,239

-2.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 289

$1.04 PKR 287

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 234

$0.78 PKR 217

7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.94 PKR 261

-3.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.60 PKR 167

-6.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.38 PKR 107

7.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.58 PKR 160

-1.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.4

$0.33 PKR 92.8

-6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.40 PKR 111

2.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 555

$1.42 PKR 393

40.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 258

$0.86 PKR 239

8.14%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 567

$1.97 PKR 548

3.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 595

$2.07 PKR 574

3.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.51

$0.17 PKR 46.62

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.22 PKR 2,005

$6.93 PKR 1,925

4.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 236

$0.91 PKR 253

-6.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.44 PKR 122

-2.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PKR 775

$2.82 PKR 783

-1.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 271

$0.90 PKR 249

8.89%

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

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

-2.83%

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

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

$26.2K PKR 7.3M

-0.94%

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

$114 PKR 31.6K

$114 PKR 31.7K

-0.50%

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

$5.41 PKR 1,501

$5.41 PKR 1,502

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 PKR 5,190

$18.37 PKR 5,102

1.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.13 PKR 6,144

$12.21 PKR 3,391

81.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 PKR 1,698

$5.85 PKR 1,625

4.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 PKR 1,150

$4.17 PKR 1,159

-0.72%

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

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

$60.0 PKR 16.7K

0.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,753 PKR 764.4K

$1,100 PKR 305.4K

150.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.08 PKR 5,854

$21.85 PKR 6,066

-3.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.64 PKR 7,674

$28.52 PKR 7,919

-3.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

$89.2 PKR 24.8K

-1.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.94 PKR 11.4K

$39.84 PKR 11.1K

2.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 PKR 55.3K

$76.6 PKR 21.3K

159.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 PKR 30.5K

$51.5 PKR 14.3K

113.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 PKR 140.1K

$164 PKR 45.4K

208.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 PKR 83.0K

$106 PKR 29.3K

182.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,513 PKR 420.1K

$832 PKR 231.0K

81.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 PKR 179.8K

$521 PKR 144.6K

24.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$385 PKR 106.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

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

Last update for Islamabad: July 12, 2026

Last update for Daska: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $199 in Islamabad versus $76.6 in Daska. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Islamabad versus $14.00 in Daska. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $100 vs $101 – making Islamabad 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

Islamabad vs Daska: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Islamabad costs about 14% more than Daska, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $801 per month in Islamabad and $704 in Daska. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Islamabad – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

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

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $534 in Islamabad and $469 in Daska, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Daska – 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 Daska. 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.