Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Lahore

For one person, living is cheaper in Lahore: $516 a month against $599 in Islamabad, rent and utilities included – about $1,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in Islamabad
Learn more

Islamabad Living Index
25

Cost of Living Index in Lahore
Learn more

Lahore Living Index

Jump to prices

Islamabad

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$599

/mo nomad

Lahore

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$516

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Islamabad and in Lahore

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Islamabad and in Lahore actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $599 per month in Islamabad vs $516 in Lahore, rent included.

Islamabad $599
Lahore $516

A couple spends around $930 per month in Islamabad vs $785 in Lahore, rent included.

Islamabad $930
Lahore $785

A family of three spends $1,261 per month in Islamabad vs $1,054 in Lahore, rent included.

Islamabad $1,261
Lahore $1,054

Islamabad costs about 16% more than Lahore, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Islamabad and Lahore are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 56% lower, Lahore 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 PKR 1,004

$2.55 PKR 705

42.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.40 PKR 6,478

$14.61 PKR 4,043

60.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 PKR 1,534

$5.75 PKR 1,590

-3.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 PKR 987

$3.50 PKR 970

2.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 PKR 1,864

$5.29 PKR 1,465

27.22%

Cappuccino

$2.64 PKR 730

$2.66 PKR 736

-0.75%

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

$0.32 PKR 89.6

$0.41 PKR 114

-21.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 63.7

$0.25 PKR 69.4

-8.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 259

$0.97 PKR 269

-3.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 PKR 200

$0.73 PKR 202

-1.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PKR 361

$1.20 PKR 332

8.33%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 339

$1.15 PKR 318

6.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.05 PKR 1,674

$6.16 PKR 1,705

-1.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 PKR 855

$2.63 PKR 727

17.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.35 PKR 1,482

$4.98 PKR 1,378

7.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 PKR 350

$1.18 PKR 328

6.78%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 PKR 241

$0.64 PKR 177

35.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 288

$0.84 PKR 232

23.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 146

$0.64 PKR 177

-17.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 81.2

$0.32 PKR 88.7

-9.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 99.4

$0.36 PKR 101

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 PKR 76.4

$0.48 PKR 132

-41.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 PKR 108

$0.35 PKR 96.6

11.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.95 PKR 539

$1.05 PKR 291

85.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 PKR 331

$0.64 PKR 177

85.94%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 PKR 743

$1.67 PKR 462

60.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.24 PKR 619

$2.14 PKR 592

4.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.07

$0.18 PKR 48.50

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.34 PKR 5,905

$5.38 PKR 1,490

296.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 PKR 344

$0.93 PKR 257

33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 PKR 204

$0.70 PKR 193

5.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 PKR 442

$1.84 PKR 510

-13.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 PKR 378

$1.35 PKR 374

1.48%

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

$54.5K PKR 15.1M

$18.2K PKR 5.0M

199.26%

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

$23.9K PKR 6.6M

$25.2K PKR 7.0M

-5.16%

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

$103 PKR 28.6K

$129 PKR 35.6K

-19.78%

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

$5.99 PKR 1,658

$5.47 PKR 1,514

9.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.15 PKR 4,746

$16.58 PKR 4,590

3.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.20 PKR 7,806

$22.55 PKR 6,240

25.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.47 PKR 2,344

$10.92 PKR 3,022

-22.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.43 PKR 1,226

$4.20 PKR 1,163

5.48%

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

$75.7 PKR 20.9K

$48.64 PKR 13.5K

55.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,004 PKR 1.4M

$2,013 PKR 557.0K

148.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.72 PKR 7,118

$17.94 PKR 4,964

43.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.48 PKR 9,543

$27.60 PKR 7,638

24.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 PKR 26.4K

$74.4 PKR 20.6K

28.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.32 PKR 11.4K

$33.12 PKR 9,167

24.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 PKR 76.5K

$167 PKR 46.2K

65.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 PKR 38.3K

$86.0 PKR 23.8K

61.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 PKR 158.2K

$354 PKR 98.0K

61.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 PKR 74.9K

$201 PKR 55.5K

34.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,629 PKR 450.8K

$800 PKR 221.3K

103.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$836 PKR 231.5K

$606 PKR 167.6K

38.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$380 PKR 105.2K

$201 PKR 55.6K

89.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

14.05

-6.90%

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

Last update for Islamabad: October 10, 2026

Last update for Lahore: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Islamabad

$139 23.1%

Lahore

$86 16.7% 37.9% $53

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Islamabad

$126 21.1%

Lahore

$151 29.2% 19.3% $24

Groceries & Markets

Islamabad

$102 17%

Lahore

$97 18.8% 4.9% $5

Clothing & Footwear

Islamabad

$89 14.8%

Lahore

$69 13.3% 22.3% $20

Eating Out

Islamabad

$80 13.3%

Lahore

$72 14% 9.2% $7.3

Sport & Entertainment

Islamabad

$37 6.2%

Lahore

$31 6% 16.5% $6.1

Getting Around

Islamabad

$27 4.5%

Lahore

$11 2% 61% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $276 in Islamabad versus $167 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 89% 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 $23.00 in Islamabad versus $15.00 in Lahore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $102 vs $97.0 – making Lahore the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Islamabad

🇵🇰 Lahore

🕒 Local time

16:44 4:44 PM

Same time as Islamabad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,009,832 Capital

11,126,285

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Islamabad Lahore 260 km

From you

Islamabad
Lahore

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 16%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $899 per month in Islamabad and $775 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 5% 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 $23.00 in Islamabad and $15.00 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 $599 in Islamabad and $516 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.