Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Karak Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Karak

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $534 per month in Islamabad vs $399 in Karak, rent included.

A couple spends around $847 per month in Islamabad vs $580 in Karak, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,160 per month in Islamabad vs $760 in Karak, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 34% more than Karak, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Islamabad and Karak are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 60% lower, Karak 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 PKR 791

$0.69 PKR 192

313.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.26 PKR 3,960

$6.88 PKR 1,909

107.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,511

$5.45 PKR 1,514

-0.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 477

$0.69 PKR 193

149.28%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,061

$4.00 PKR 1,112

-4.50%

Cappuccino

$1.97 PKR 547

$0.51 PKR 142

286.27%

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

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.37 PKR 102

8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 67.0

$0.22 PKR 61.0

9.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 268

$1.01 PKR 280

-4.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.54 PKR 151

22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 355

$1.08 PKR 300

18.52%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 334

$1.08 PKR 300

11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,687

$1.72 PKR 478

252.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 PKR 937

$2.76 PKR 767

22.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 PKR 1,209

$4.28 PKR 1,189

1.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 289

$0.72 PKR 200

44.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 234

$0.51 PKR 141

64.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.73 PKR 203

24.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.59 PKR 164

-5.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.39 PKR 107

5.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.54 PKR 150

5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.4

$0.19 PKR 52.6

63.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.24 PKR 66.2

70.83%

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

$0.88 PKR 243

5.68%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 567

$2.03 PKR 565

0.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 595

$2.17 PKR 602

-1.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.51

$0.20 PKR 56.0

-15.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.22 PKR 2,005

$7.02 PKR 1,948

2.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 236

$0.85 PKR 235

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.41 PKR 113

4.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PKR 775

$2.89 PKR 803

-3.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 271

$0.96 PKR 267

2.08%

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

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

-3.31%

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

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

$26.6K PKR 7.4M

-2.63%

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

$114 PKR 31.6K

$111 PKR 30.8K

2.53%

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

$5.41 PKR 1,501

$5.58 PKR 1,549

-3.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 PKR 5,190

$18.84 PKR 5,232

-0.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.13 PKR 6,144

$12.33 PKR 3,425

79.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 PKR 1,698

$5.91 PKR 1,640

3.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 PKR 1,150

$4.21 PKR 1,169

-1.66%

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

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

$60.6 PKR 16.8K

-0.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,753 PKR 764.4K

$1,112 PKR 308.7K

147.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.08 PKR 5,854

$21.53 PKR 5,979

-2.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.64 PKR 7,674

$28.08 PKR 7,796

-1.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

$88.5 PKR 24.6K

-0.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.94 PKR 11.4K

$40.05 PKR 11.1K

2.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 PKR 55.3K

$75.1 PKR 20.9K

164.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 PKR 30.5K

$52.1 PKR 14.5K

111.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 PKR 140.1K

$166 PKR 46.2K

203.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 PKR 83.0K

$105 PKR 29.2K

184.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,513 PKR 420.1K

$1,009 PKR 280.1K

49.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 PKR 179.8K

$434 PKR 120.5K

49.18%

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 Karak: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $199 in Islamabad versus $75.1 in Karak. 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 $7.00 in Karak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $100 vs $74.0 – making Karak 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 Karak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 34%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $801 per month in Islamabad and $599 in Karak. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 34% more in Islamabad, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Islamabad and $7.00 in Karak. 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 $399 in Karak, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Karak – 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 Karak. 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.