Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Larkana Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Larkana

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $529 per month in Islamabad vs $396 in Larkana, rent included.

A couple spends around $835 per month in Islamabad vs $592 in Larkana, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,141 per month in Islamabad vs $788 in Larkana, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 34% more than Larkana, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Islamabad and Larkana are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 61% lower, Larkana 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 PKR 779

$1.78 PKR 497

57.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.22 PKR 3,956

$10.69 PKR 2,975

33.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,513

$4.22 PKR 1,174

28.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

$1.74 PKR 484

-1.15%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

$3.49 PKR 971

14.61%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 558

$1.50 PKR 418

33.33%

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

$0.43 PKR 119

$0.35 PKR 96.0

22.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.1

$0.23 PKR 64.3

-4.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 260

$0.76 PKR 212

23.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 173

$0.60 PKR 168

3.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 338

$1.16 PKR 323

4.31%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 335

$1.17 PKR 325

2.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,690

$5.95 PKR 1,656

2.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 PKR 942

$2.64 PKR 735

28.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.38 PKR 1,219

$3.59 PKR 999

22.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

$1.00 PKR 278

3.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 PKR 216

$0.65 PKR 181

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 260

$0.61 PKR 170

52.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.49 PKR 136

22.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.35 PKR 97.3

17.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 149

$0.48 PKR 133

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 93.3

$0.31 PKR 85.5

9.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.34 PKR 94.4

8.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.93 PKR 538

$1.37 PKR 381

40.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

$0.85 PKR 238

5.88%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 553

$1.97 PKR 547

1.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 596

$1.90 PKR 528

12.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 52.2

$0.17 PKR 48.37

11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.90 PKR 1,921

$6.92 PKR 1,925

-0.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 239

$0.91 PKR 253

-5.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.43 PKR 120

2.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 PKR 782

$1.81 PKR 504

55.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 254

$0.92 PKR 255

-1.09%

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

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

$21.2K PKR 5.9M

1.32%

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

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

$22.5K PKR 6.3M

16.25%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

$103 PKR 28.6K

8.84%

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

$5.44 PKR 1,513

$3.94 PKR 1,098

38.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.81 PKR 5,235

$13.48 PKR 3,752

39.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.19 PKR 6,176

$12.21 PKR 3,397

81.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.04 PKR 1,680

$5.82 PKR 1,620

3.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,172

$3.53 PKR 982

19.26%

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

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

$29.96 PKR 8,336

101.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,805 PKR 780.4K

$1,093 PKR 304.1K

156.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.57 PKR 6,001

$15.35 PKR 4,271

40.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.63 PKR 7,688

$22.27 PKR 6,196

24.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

$69.5 PKR 19.3K

26.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

$29.10 PKR 8,097

37.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 PKR 55.1K

$75.4 PKR 21.0K

162.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 PKR 31.1K

$52.6 PKR 14.6K

112.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 PKR 142.7K

$167 PKR 46.5K

206.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 PKR 82.4K

$106 PKR 29.5K

178.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,551 PKR 431.6K

$996 PKR 277.1K

55.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$657 PKR 183.0K

$520 PKR 144.8K

26.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 PKR 107.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

6.32%

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

Last update for Islamabad: May 30, 2026

Last update for Larkana: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $198 in Islamabad versus $75.4 in Larkana. 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 $14.00 in Islamabad versus $11.00 in Larkana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $98.0 vs $86.0 – making Larkana 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 Larkana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 34%, 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 $794 per month in Islamabad and $593 in Larkana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 14% 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 $11.00 in Larkana. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $529 in Islamabad and $396 in Larkana, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Larkana – 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 Larkana. 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.