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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $589 per month in Islamabad vs $457 in Lalitpur, rent included.

A couple spends around $918 per month in Islamabad vs $825 in Lalitpur, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,246 per month in Islamabad vs $1,193 in Lalitpur, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 29% 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

$3.57 PKR 990

$2.02 NPR 305

76.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.74 PKR 6,309

$19.95 NPR 3,017

13.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 PKR 1,517

$6.43 NPR 973

-14.93%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 PKR 986

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 PKR 1,862

Cappuccino

$2.39 PKR 663

$1.61 NPR 244

48.45%

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

$0.32 PKR 90.0

$0.31 NPR 47.49

3.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.8

$0.13 NPR 20.39

69.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 NPR 256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 NPR 348

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 PKR 275

$0.75 NPR 114

32.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 PKR 220

$0.59 NPR 89.0

33.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 354

$0.86 NPR 130

48.84%

Eggs

$1.28 PKR 356

$1.62 NPR 245

-20.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 PKR 1,695

$7.20 NPR 1,089

-15.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 PKR 849

$3.38 NPR 512

-9.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.12 PKR 1,421

$5.30 NPR 801

-3.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 PKR 371

$2.06 NPR 312

-34.95%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 232

$1.11 NPR 168

-24.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 282

$1.41 NPR 213

-27.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$0.58 NPR 88.5

-15.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 81.2

$0.39 NPR 58.6

-25.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 90.4

$0.55 NPR 83.1

-40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.29 PKR 80.8

$0.46 NPR 69.2

-36.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.23 NPR 34.75

65.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.90 PKR 528

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PKR 383

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 PKR 652

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 PKR 632

$2.70 NPR 408

-15.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 NPR 1,197

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 NPR 352

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 NPR 454

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 44.31

$0.18 NPR 26.60

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PKR 5,889

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 PKR 353

$1.94 NPR 294

-34.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 PKR 191

$1.32 NPR 200

-47.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 PKR 459

$3.32 NPR 502

-50.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 PKR 365

$1.17 NPR 177

12.82%

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

$53.9K PKR 15.0M

$29.3K NPR 4.4M

84.30%

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

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

$35.8K NPR 5.4M

-29.78%

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

$102 PKR 28.3K

$31.65 NPR 4,788

222.59%

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

$5.83 PKR 1,618

$3.35 NPR 507

74.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.34 PKR 4,534

$7.76 NPR 1,174

110.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.09 PKR 8,071

$32.67 NPR 4,941

-10.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.93 PKR 2,478

$10.15 NPR 1,536

-12.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 PKR 1,390

$3.01 NPR 455

66.45%

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

$75.0 PKR 20.8K

$65.6 NPR 9,926

14.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

$2,733 NPR 413.4K

86.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.55 PKR 6,532

$26.58 NPR 4,021

-11.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.68 PKR 9,066

$19.42 NPR 2,937

68.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 PKR 23.2K

$64.7 NPR 9,792

29.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.29 PKR 10.9K

$29.52 NPR 4,465

33.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 PKR 76.8K

$166 NPR 25.0K

67.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$144 PKR 40.0K

$83.8 NPR 12.7K

72.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 PKR 160.1K

$493 NPR 74.6K

17.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 PKR 73.9K

$347 NPR 52.5K

-23.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,635 PKR 453.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$829 PKR 230.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$381 PKR 105.8K

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lalitpur: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $277 in Islamabad versus $166 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 $144 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 29%, 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 $884 per month in Islamabad and $685 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 40% 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 $589 in Islamabad and $457 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.