Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Lahore Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Lahore

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $534 per month in Islamabad vs $484 in Lahore, rent included.

A couple spends around $847 per month in Islamabad vs $727 in Lahore, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,160 per month in Islamabad vs $970 in Lahore, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 10% more than Lahore, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Islamabad and Lahore are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 60% lower, Lahore 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 PKR 791

$2.09 PKR 580

36.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.26 PKR 3,960

$14.06 PKR 3,903

1.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,511

$4.35 PKR 1,207

25.06%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 477

$2.75 PKR 765

-37.45%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,061

$3.66 PKR 1,018

4.37%

Cappuccino

$1.97 PKR 547

$2.39 PKR 663

-17.57%

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

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.36 PKR 98.7

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 67.0

$0.21 PKR 58.3

14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 268

$0.94 PKR 260

2.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.57 PKR 158

15.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 355

$1.21 PKR 337

5.79%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 334

$1.21 PKR 337

-0.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,687

$6.18 PKR 1,717

-1.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 PKR 937

$3.02 PKR 839

11.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 PKR 1,209

$4.55 PKR 1,263

-4.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 289

$1.06 PKR 293

-1.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 234

$0.63 PKR 175

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.61 PKR 169

49.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.47 PKR 131

19.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.36 PKR 98.8

13.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.48 PKR 132

18.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.4

$0.47 PKR 131

-34.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.35 PKR 98.3

17.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 555

$1.11 PKR 308

80.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 258

$0.51 PKR 143

82.35%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 567

$1.10 PKR 306

85.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 595

$1.97 PKR 546

8.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.51

$0.18 PKR 51.2

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.22 PKR 2,005

$6.92 PKR 1,922

4.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 236

$0.73 PKR 202

16.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.49 PKR 137

-12.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PKR 775

$1.80 PKR 501

55.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 271

$0.96 PKR 266

2.08%

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

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

19.53%

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

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

$23.4K PKR 6.5M

10.69%

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

$114 PKR 31.6K

$141 PKR 39.2K

-19.46%

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

$5.41 PKR 1,501

$5.31 PKR 1,473

1.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 PKR 5,190

$17.33 PKR 4,811

7.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.13 PKR 6,144

$13.73 PKR 3,813

61.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 PKR 1,698

$5.94 PKR 1,649

3.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 PKR 1,150

$4.29 PKR 1,191

-3.50%

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

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

$34.60 PKR 9,608

73.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,753 PKR 764.4K

$1,253 PKR 347.9K

119.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.08 PKR 5,854

$15.40 PKR 4,276

36.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.64 PKR 7,674

$23.27 PKR 6,462

18.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

$71.8 PKR 19.9K

22.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.94 PKR 11.4K

$30.56 PKR 8,486

33.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 PKR 55.3K

$120 PKR 33.3K

65.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 PKR 30.5K

$75.9 PKR 21.1K

44.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 PKR 140.1K

$291 PKR 80.9K

73.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 PKR 83.0K

$188 PKR 52.2K

58.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,513 PKR 420.1K

$844 PKR 234.5K

79.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 PKR 179.8K

$590 PKR 163.7K

9.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$385 PKR 106.9K

$185 PKR 51.5K

107.79%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Lahore: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $199 in Islamabad versus $120 in Lahore. 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 108% 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 $14.00 in Lahore. Groceries tell a different story – $100 in Islamabad vs $94.0 in Lahore – so Lahore wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Lahore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $726 in Lahore. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 6% 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 $14.00 in Lahore. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $534 in Islamabad and $484 in Lahore, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Lahore – 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 Lahore. 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.