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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $534 per month in Islamabad vs $423 in Lalitpur, rent included.

A couple spends around $847 per month in Islamabad vs $761 in Lalitpur, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,160 per month in Islamabad vs $1,099 in Lalitpur, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 26% more than Lalitpur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Islamabad and Lalitpur are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 60% lower, Lalitpur 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 PKR 791

$1.87 NPR 288

52.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.26 PKR 3,960

$18.99 NPR 2,928

-24.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,511

$6.68 NPR 1,030

-18.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 477

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,061

Cappuccino

$1.97 PKR 547

$1.63 NPR 251

20.86%

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

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.36 NPR 56.0

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 67.0

$0.16 NPR 25.19

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 NPR 361

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 NPR 387

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 268

$0.81 NPR 125

18.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.59 NPR 91.1

11.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 355

$0.94 NPR 145

36.17%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 334

$1.67 NPR 257

-28.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,687

$5.61 NPR 866

8.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 PKR 937

$2.97 NPR 458

13.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 PKR 1,209

$6.21 NPR 957

-29.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 289

$2.22 NPR 343

-53.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 234

$1.05 NPR 163

-20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 PKR 253

$1.20 NPR 186

-24.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.45 NPR 69.7

24.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.46 NPR 70.2

-10.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.42 NPR 65.2

35.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.4

$0.53 NPR 82.0

-41.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.27 NPR 41.87

51.85%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 555

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 258

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 567

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 595

$2.95 NPR 454

-27.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.57 NPR 1,322

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 NPR 339

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 NPR 396

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.51

$0.15 NPR 23.40

13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.22 PKR 2,005

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 236

$2.20 NPR 340

-61.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.33 NPR 51.5

30.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PKR 775

$3.60 NPR 556

-22.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 271

$1.29 NPR 198

-24.03%

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

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

$29.1K NPR 4.5M

-28.23%

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

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

$40.9K NPR 6.3M

-36.59%

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

$114 PKR 31.6K

$10.78 NPR 1,662

954.73%

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

$5.41 PKR 1,501

$4.87 NPR 750

11.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 PKR 5,190

$9.35 NPR 1,441

99.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.13 PKR 6,144

$25.61 NPR 3,949

-13.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 PKR 1,698

$11.11 NPR 1,714

-44.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 PKR 1,150

$2.75 NPR 424

50.55%

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

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

$91.9 NPR 14.2K

-34.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,753 PKR 764.4K

$3,278 NPR 505.4K

-16.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.08 PKR 5,854

$25.32 NPR 3,904

-16.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.64 PKR 7,674

$21.64 NPR 3,337

27.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

$50.8 NPR 7,831

72.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.94 PKR 11.4K

$39.54 NPR 6,098

3.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 PKR 55.3K

$143 NPR 22.1K

38.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 PKR 30.5K

$84.7 NPR 13.1K

29.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 PKR 140.1K

$514 NPR 79.3K

-1.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 PKR 83.0K

$327 NPR 50.4K

-8.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,513 PKR 420.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 PKR 179.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$385 PKR 106.9K

$260 NPR 40.1K

47.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

12.08

67.22%

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

Last update for Islamabad: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lalitpur: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $199 in Islamabad versus $143 in Lalitpur. 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 48% 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 $19.00 in Lalitpur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $100 vs $140 – making Islamabad 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 Lalitpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 26%, 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 $801 per month in Islamabad and $635 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 $14.00 in Islamabad and $19.00 in Lalitpur. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 41% 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 $534 in Islamabad and $423 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.