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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $529 per month in Islamabad vs $407 in Karak, rent included.

A couple spends around $835 per month in Islamabad vs $583 in Karak, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,141 per month in Islamabad vs $759 in Karak, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 30% more than Karak, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Islamabad and Karak are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 61% lower, Karak 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 PKR 779

$0.74 PKR 205

278.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.22 PKR 3,955

$7.00 PKR 1,948

103.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$5.27 PKR 1,467

3.23%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

$0.68 PKR 189

152.94%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 557

$0.51 PKR 141

292.16%

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

$0.43 PKR 119

$0.34 PKR 93.3

26.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.1

$0.24 PKR 66.9

-8.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 260

$1.00 PKR 277

-6.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 173

$0.51 PKR 141

21.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 338

$1.04 PKR 288

16.35%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 335

$1.09 PKR 303

10.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,689

$1.81 PKR 503

235.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 PKR 942

$2.82 PKR 784

20.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.38 PKR 1,218

$4.29 PKR 1,194

2.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

$0.72 PKR 201

43.06%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 PKR 216

$0.55 PKR 153

41.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 260

$0.72 PKR 202

29.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.55 PKR 154

9.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.38 PKR 107

7.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 149

$0.57 PKR 158

-5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 93.3

$0.17 PKR 46.89

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.24 PKR 66.6

54.17%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.93 PKR 537

$1.34 PKR 373

44.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

$0.91 PKR 253

-1.10%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 552

$1.98 PKR 552

0.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 596

$2.14 PKR 595

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 52.2

$0.18 PKR 49.76

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.90 PKR 1,921

$7.23 PKR 2,010

-4.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 238

$0.86 PKR 240

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.44 PKR 121

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 PKR 782

$2.84 PKR 791

-1.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.97 PKR 269

-6.19%

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

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

-0.38%

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

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

$26.4K PKR 7.4M

-1.08%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

$113 PKR 31.6K

-1.53%

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

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$5.36 PKR 1,491

1.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.81 PKR 5,234

$18.48 PKR 5,141

1.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.19 PKR 6,174

$12.19 PKR 3,391

82.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.04 PKR 1,679

$6.05 PKR 1,684

-0.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,171

$4.22 PKR 1,174

-0.24%

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

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

$59.1 PKR 16.5K

1.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

$1,129 PKR 314.1K

148.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.57 PKR 5,999

$21.57 PKR 6,001

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.63 PKR 7,686

$27.73 PKR 7,714

-0.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

$90.1 PKR 25.1K

-2.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

$40.80 PKR 11.4K

-2.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 PKR 55.1K

$73.7 PKR 20.5K

168.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 PKR 31.1K

$51.6 PKR 14.3K

116.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 PKR 142.6K

$167 PKR 46.5K

206.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 PKR 82.3K

$104 PKR 29.1K

183.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

$1,127 PKR 313.5K

37.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$657 PKR 182.9K

$580 PKR 161.3K

13.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 PKR 107.8K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Karak: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $198 in Islamabad versus $73.7 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: $98.0 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 30%, 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 $794 per month in Islamabad and $610 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 32% 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 $529 in Islamabad and $407 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.