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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $529 per month in Islamabad vs $459 in Hyderabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $835 per month in Islamabad vs $685 in Hyderabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,141 per month in Islamabad vs $911 in Hyderabad, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 15% more than Hyderabad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Islamabad and Hyderabad are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 61% lower, Hyderabad 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 PKR 779

$1.79 PKR 498

56.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.22 PKR 3,955

$10.75 PKR 2,991

32.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$4.16 PKR 1,158

30.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

$1.89 PKR 527

-8.99%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

$5.46 PKR 1,518

-26.74%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 557

$0.95 PKR 264

110.53%

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

$0.43 PKR 119

$0.34 PKR 94.1

26.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.1

$0.23 PKR 64.3

-4.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 260

$0.72 PKR 201

30.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 173

$0.53 PKR 148

16.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 338

$1.16 PKR 323

4.31%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 335

$1.15 PKR 321

4.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,689

$6.11 PKR 1,700

-0.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 PKR 942

$2.75 PKR 765

23.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.38 PKR 1,218

$4.00 PKR 1,111

9.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

$1.09 PKR 303

-5.50%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 PKR 216

$0.58 PKR 162

34.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 260

$0.85 PKR 237

9.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.56 PKR 155

7.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.36 PKR 98.9

13.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 149

$0.48 PKR 133

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 93.3

$0.38 PKR 106

-10.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.41 PKR 114

-9.76%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.93 PKR 537

$0.91 PKR 254

112.09%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

$1.26 PKR 351

-28.57%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 552

$2.12 PKR 588

-6.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 596

$2.17 PKR 603

-1.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 52.2

$0.18 PKR 50.3

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.90 PKR 1,920

$9.84 PKR 2,737

-29.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 238

$0.65 PKR 181

32.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.19 PKR 52.4

131.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 PKR 782

$0.69 PKR 192

307.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.87 PKR 243

4.60%

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

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

$16.6K PKR 4.6M

29.23%

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

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

$23.0K PKR 6.4M

13.56%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

$135 PKR 37.5K

-17.01%

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

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$4.64 PKR 1,292

17.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.81 PKR 5,234

$13.73 PKR 3,820

37.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.19 PKR 6,174

$20.28 PKR 5,641

9.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.04 PKR 1,679

$3.59 PKR 997

68.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,171

$3.43 PKR 955

22.74%

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

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

$41.18 PKR 11.5K

46.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

$1,094 PKR 304.4K

156.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.57 PKR 5,999

$17.79 PKR 4,948

21.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.63 PKR 7,685

$24.99 PKR 6,951

10.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

$64.4 PKR 17.9K

36.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

$36.32 PKR 10.1K

9.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 PKR 55.1K

$119 PKR 33.2K

66.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 PKR 31.1K

$68.1 PKR 18.9K

64.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 PKR 142.6K

$296 PKR 82.3K

73.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 PKR 82.3K

$198 PKR 55.2K

49.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

$580 PKR 161.4K

167.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$657 PKR 182.9K

$195 PKR 54.2K

237.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 PKR 107.8K

$171 PKR 47.5K

127.04%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Hyderabad: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $198 in Islamabad versus $119 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 127% 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 $11.00 in Hyderabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $98.0 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 15% 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 $794 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 $11.00 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 $529 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 $529 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.