Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Haroonabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Haroonabad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $535 in Islamabad versus $452 in Haroonabad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $833 in Islamabad versus $665 in Haroonabad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,131 in Islamabad versus $877 in Haroonabad.

Living in Islamabad is roughly 18% more expensive than in Haroonabad, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Islamabad 60% lower, Haroonabad 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 PKR 781

$2.15 PKR 597

30.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.13 PKR 3,923

$10.42 PKR 2,893

35.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,510

$4.21 PKR 1,170

29.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 PKR 498

$2.79 PKR 776

-35.48%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 PKR 1,094

$3.74 PKR 1,038

5.35%

Cappuccino

$2.04 PKR 567

$2.29 PKR 635

-10.92%

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

$0.39 PKR 108

$0.33 PKR 91.0

18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.7

$0.23 PKR 64.0

4.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 PKR 263

$0.95 PKR 265

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 182

$0.61 PKR 170

8.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PKR 354

$1.17 PKR 325

8.55%

Eggs

$1.26 PKR 350

$1.20 PKR 333

5.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.14 PKR 1,704

$6.15 PKR 1,708

-0.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 PKR 984

$2.45 PKR 680

44.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.52 PKR 1,254

$4.49 PKR 1,248

0.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 PKR 291

$1.05 PKR 292

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 PKR 222

$0.65 PKR 180

23.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 PKR 252

$0.61 PKR 169

49.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 PKR 165

$0.48 PKR 133

22.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.42 PKR 116

$0.35 PKR 97.5

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 149

$0.48 PKR 132

10.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.7

$0.48 PKR 133

-35.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 112

$0.37 PKR 101

8.11%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.95 PKR 541

$1.07 PKR 296

82.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

$0.55 PKR 154

63.64%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 PKR 565

$1.06 PKR 294

91.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.16 PKR 601

$1.89 PKR 526

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.97

$0.20 PKR 56.4

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.20 PKR 1,998

$7.27 PKR 2,020

-0.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 PKR 255

$0.68 PKR 190

35.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.49 PKR 137

-12.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 PKR 772

$1.81 PKR 503

53.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 PKR 274

$0.88 PKR 245

12.50%

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

$21.2K PKR 5.9M

$17.6K PKR 4.9M

20.39%

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

$26.0K PKR 7.2M

$23.1K PKR 6.4M

12.37%

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

$114 PKR 31.6K

$136 PKR 37.8K

-16.41%

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

$5.43 PKR 1,508

$5.30 PKR 1,470

2.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 PKR 5,216

$10.53 PKR 2,924

78.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.78 PKR 6,325

$12.50 PKR 3,471

82.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.05 PKR 1,680

$6.07 PKR 1,687

-0.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 PKR 1,208

$4.15 PKR 1,153

4.82%

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

$59.5 PKR 16.5K

$10.78 PKR 2,993

451.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,754 PKR 764.7K

$1,070 PKR 297.1K

157.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.76 PKR 6,041

$10.46 PKR 2,904

108.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.27 PKR 7,850

$22.51 PKR 6,251

25.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 PKR 24.1K

$72.3 PKR 20.1K

19.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.56 PKR 11.3K

$28.06 PKR 7,791

44.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 PKR 55.7K

$74.9 PKR 20.8K

168.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 PKR 31.0K

$51.1 PKR 14.2K

118.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 PKR 141.0K

$168 PKR 46.7K

202.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 PKR 82.1K

$104 PKR 29.0K

183.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,557 PKR 432.3K

$818 PKR 227.2K

90.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$656 PKR 182.0K

$491 PKR 136.2K

33.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$378 PKR 105.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

19.88

1.61%

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

Last update for Islamabad: July 20, 2026

Last update for Haroonabad: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $201 in Islamabad and $74.9 in Haroonabad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Islamabad vs $10.00 in Haroonabad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $101 vs $92.0 per month, with Haroonabad cheaper across the board.

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 Haroonabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Haroonabad wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Islamabad. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Haroonabad the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $802 in Islamabad and $679 in Haroonabad to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $201 in Islamabad versus $74.9 in Haroonabad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $59.5 in Islamabad versus $10.78 in Haroonabad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Islamabad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Haroonabad gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Islamabad and Haroonabad are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Haroonabad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Islamabad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.