Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Hyderabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Hyderabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $534 per month in Islamabad vs $459 in Hyderabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $847 per month in Islamabad vs $699 in Hyderabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,160 per month in Islamabad vs $939 in Hyderabad, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 16% more than Hyderabad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Islamabad and Hyderabad are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 60% lower, Hyderabad 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 PKR 791

$1.82 PKR 504

56.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.26 PKR 3,960

$10.42 PKR 2,894

36.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,511

$4.05 PKR 1,124

34.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 477

$2.00 PKR 556

-14.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,061

$5.26 PKR 1,462

-27.38%

Cappuccino

$1.97 PKR 547

$0.93 PKR 259

111.83%

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

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.34 PKR 94.1

17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 67.0

$0.23 PKR 64.1

4.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 268

$0.73 PKR 203

31.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.50 PKR 139

32.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 355

$1.16 PKR 323

10.34%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 334

$1.11 PKR 308

8.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,687

$6.05 PKR 1,681

0.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 PKR 937

$2.71 PKR 752

24.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 PKR 1,209

$4.18 PKR 1,161

4.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 289

$1.08 PKR 301

-3.70%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 234

$0.55 PKR 152

52.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.87 PKR 241

4.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.52 PKR 144

7.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.36 PKR 98.7

13.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.51 PKR 140

11.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.4

$0.39 PKR 107

-20.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.44 PKR 122

-6.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 555

$0.88 PKR 245

127.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 258

$1.25 PKR 348

-25.60%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 567

$2.09 PKR 580

-2.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 595

$2.17 PKR 603

-1.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.51

$0.15 PKR 42.60

13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.22 PKR 2,005

$9.50 PKR 2,638

-24.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 236

$0.65 PKR 180

30.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.20 PKR 55.1

115.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PKR 775

$0.72 PKR 200

287.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 271

$0.88 PKR 244

11.36%

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

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

$16.9K PKR 4.7M

24.03%

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

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

$23.0K PKR 6.4M

12.97%

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

$114 PKR 31.6K

$135 PKR 37.4K

-15.60%

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

$5.41 PKR 1,501

$4.61 PKR 1,280

17.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 PKR 5,190

$13.27 PKR 3,686

40.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.13 PKR 6,144

$20.84 PKR 5,787

6.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 PKR 1,698

$3.45 PKR 959

77.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 PKR 1,150

$3.51 PKR 976

17.95%

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

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

$41.17 PKR 11.4K

46.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,753 PKR 764.4K

$1,109 PKR 307.9K

148.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.08 PKR 5,854

$17.58 PKR 4,880

19.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.64 PKR 7,674

$25.02 PKR 6,947

10.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

$64.6 PKR 17.9K

35.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.94 PKR 11.4K

$36.40 PKR 10.1K

12.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 PKR 55.3K

$118 PKR 32.8K

68.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 PKR 30.5K

$68.0 PKR 18.9K

61.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 PKR 140.1K

$294 PKR 81.7K

71.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 PKR 83.0K

$194 PKR 54.0K

53.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,513 PKR 420.1K

$590 PKR 163.7K

156.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 PKR 179.8K

$196 PKR 54.4K

230.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$385 PKR 106.9K

$174 PKR 48.4K

120.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

34.67%

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

Last update for Islamabad: July 12, 2026

Last update for Hyderabad: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $199 in Islamabad versus $118 in Hyderabad. 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 121% 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 $14.00 in Islamabad versus $10.00 in Hyderabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $100 vs $89.0 – 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

Islamabad vs Hyderabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Islamabad costs about 16% 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 $801 per month in Islamabad and $688 in Hyderabad. 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 $14.00 in Islamabad and $10.00 in Hyderabad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $534 in Islamabad and $459 in Hyderabad. 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 $534 in Islamabad and $459 in Hyderabad, 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.