Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Lalitpur Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Lalitpur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $593 per month in Islamabad vs $453 in Lalitpur, rent included.

A couple spends around $929 per month in Islamabad vs $833 in Lalitpur, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,264 per month in Islamabad vs $1,213 in Lalitpur, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 31% more than Lalitpur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Islamabad and Lalitpur are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 57% lower, Lalitpur 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 PKR 985

$1.91 NPR 293

86.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.22 PKR 6,431

$19.98 NPR 3,064

16.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,507

$6.39 NPR 980

-14.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 PKR 1,027

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 PKR 1,866

Cappuccino

$2.51 PKR 694

$1.55 NPR 237

61.94%

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

$0.33 PKR 90.1

$0.28 NPR 42.48

17.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.2

$0.15 NPR 22.27

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 NPR 265

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 NPR 356

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 261

$0.76 NPR 117

23.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 PKR 209

$0.63 NPR 96.8

19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 PKR 347

$0.86 NPR 132

45.35%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 335

$1.64 NPR 251

-26.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 PKR 1,679

$7.46 NPR 1,144

-18.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.20 PKR 886

$3.29 NPR 504

-2.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.46 PKR 1,512

$5.90 NPR 905

-7.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 PKR 346

$2.11 NPR 324

-40.76%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 PKR 224

$1.08 NPR 166

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 286

$1.36 NPR 208

-24.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 145

$0.53 NPR 81.4

-1.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.26 PKR 71.2

$0.41 NPR 63.5

-36.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 90.7

$0.55 NPR 83.7

-40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.30 PKR 83.6

$0.49 NPR 75.1

-38.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 PKR 118

$0.23 NPR 35.23

82.61%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.01 PKR 556

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 PKR 343

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 PKR 719

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 PKR 641

$2.63 NPR 404

-11.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 NPR 1,203

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 NPR 346

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 NPR 480

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 55.7

$0.17 NPR 25.72

17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.86 PKR 6,057

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 PKR 358

$2.00 NPR 306

-35.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 PKR 205

$1.27 NPR 195

-41.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 PKR 445

$3.31 NPR 507

-51.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 PKR 348

$1.11 NPR 171

12.61%

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

$54.2K PKR 15.0M

$29.3K NPR 4.5M

84.75%

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

$24.6K PKR 6.8M

$36.4K NPR 5.6M

-32.42%

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

$104 PKR 28.9K

$31.84 NPR 4,884

227.98%

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

$5.88 PKR 1,628

$3.38 NPR 518

73.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.18 PKR 4,481

$8.05 NPR 1,235

100.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.70 PKR 7,951

$33.36 NPR 5,118

-13.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.46 PKR 2,345

$10.06 NPR 1,543

-15.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.37 PKR 1,210

$3.02 NPR 464

44.70%

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

$74.9 PKR 20.8K

$65.6 NPR 10.1K

14.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

$2,648 NPR 406.2K

91.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.08 PKR 6,947

$26.55 NPR 4,073

-5.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.11 PKR 9,727

$19.25 NPR 2,953

82.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.5 PKR 27.0K

$64.7 NPR 9,932

50.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.92 PKR 11.1K

$30.41 NPR 4,665

31.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 PKR 77.0K

$163 NPR 24.9K

70.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 PKR 38.3K

$85.4 NPR 13.1K

61.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 PKR 163.5K

$497 NPR 76.2K

18.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 PKR 76.8K

$352 NPR 54.0K

-21.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,625 PKR 450.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$816 PKR 226.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$379 PKR 104.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

9.72

34.57%

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

Last update for Islamabad: September 13, 2026

Last update for Lalitpur: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $278 in Islamabad versus $163 in Lalitpur. 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 $23.00 in Islamabad versus $20.00 in Lalitpur. Groceries tell a different story – $103 in Islamabad vs $146 in Lalitpur – so Islamabad 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 Lalitpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $890 per month in Islamabad and $679 in Lalitpur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lalitpur, 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 $23.00 in Islamabad and $20.00 in Lalitpur. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 42% cheaper in Islamabad – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $593 in Islamabad and $453 in Lalitpur, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Lalitpur – 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 Lalitpur. 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.