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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $589 per month in Islamabad vs $448 in Larkana, rent included.

A couple spends around $918 per month in Islamabad vs $654 in Larkana, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,246 per month in Islamabad vs $860 in Larkana, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 31% more than Larkana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 PKR 989

$1.97 PKR 545

81.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.74 PKR 6,304

$10.63 PKR 2,947

113.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 PKR 1,516

$5.37 PKR 1,489

1.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 PKR 985

$2.42 PKR 672

46.69%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 PKR 1,861

$4.63 PKR 1,283

44.92%

Cappuccino

$2.39 PKR 663

$1.53 PKR 424

56.21%

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

$0.32 PKR 90.0

$0.35 PKR 97.6

-8.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.8

$0.20 PKR 54.5

10.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 PKR 275

$0.81 PKR 224

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 PKR 219

$0.66 PKR 182

19.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 354

$1.27 PKR 353

0.79%

Eggs

$1.28 PKR 356

$1.25 PKR 347

2.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 PKR 1,694

$5.08 PKR 1,408

20.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 PKR 848

$2.49 PKR 689

22.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.12 PKR 1,420

$5.36 PKR 1,487

-4.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 PKR 371

$1.24 PKR 343

8.06%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 232

$0.56 PKR 156

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 282

$0.77 PKR 213

32.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$0.42 PKR 117

16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 81.1

$0.26 PKR 72.3

11.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 90.4

$0.36 PKR 98.4

-8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.29 PKR 80.8

$0.35 PKR 98.0

-17.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.39 PKR 109

-2.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.90 PKR 528

$1.55 PKR 431

22.58%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PKR 383

$1.17 PKR 323

17.95%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 PKR 651

$2.22 PKR 614

5.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 PKR 632

$2.15 PKR 596

6.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 44.28

$0.17 PKR 46.79

-5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PKR 5,885

$9.94 PKR 2,755

113.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 PKR 353

$1.21 PKR 335

4.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 PKR 191

$0.77 PKR 213

-10.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 PKR 458

$1.54 PKR 428

7.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 PKR 365

$1.12 PKR 311

17.86%

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

$53.9K PKR 15.0M

$20.0K PKR 5.6M

169.34%

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

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

16.30%

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

$102 PKR 28.3K

$101 PKR 27.9K

1.31%

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

$5.83 PKR 1,617

$6.40 PKR 1,774

-8.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.34 PKR 4,531

$14.59 PKR 4,044

11.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.09 PKR 8,065

$16.73 PKR 4,637

73.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.93 PKR 2,477

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 PKR 1,389

$3.74 PKR 1,036

33.96%

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

$75.0 PKR 20.8K

$45.76 PKR 12.7K

63.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

$1,095 PKR 303.5K

364.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.55 PKR 6,528

$13.55 PKR 3,757

73.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.68 PKR 9,060

$24.93 PKR 6,910

31.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 PKR 23.2K

$81.4 PKR 22.6K

2.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.29 PKR 10.9K

$32.74 PKR 9,078

20.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 PKR 76.8K

$110 PKR 30.5K

151.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$144 PKR 40.0K

$78.7 PKR 21.8K

83.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 PKR 160.0K

$253 PKR 70.2K

127.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 PKR 73.8K

$139 PKR 38.6K

91.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,635 PKR 453.2K

$1,005 PKR 278.5K

62.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$829 PKR 229.9K

$571 PKR 158.4K

45.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$381 PKR 105.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

12.88

1.55%

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

Last update for Islamabad: August 30, 2026

Last update for Larkana: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $277 in Islamabad versus $110 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 $23.00 in Islamabad versus $11.00 in Larkana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $91.0 – 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 31%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $673 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 13% 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 $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 $589 in Islamabad and $448 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.