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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $535 per month in Islamabad vs $398 in Larkana, rent included.

A couple spends around $833 per month in Islamabad vs $587 in Larkana, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,131 per month in Islamabad vs $776 in Larkana, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 34% more than Larkana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Islamabad and Larkana are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 60% lower, Larkana 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 PKR 781

$1.73 PKR 479

62.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.13 PKR 3,923

$10.81 PKR 3,001

30.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,510

$4.21 PKR 1,169

29.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 PKR 498

$1.73 PKR 480

4.05%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 PKR 1,094

$3.59 PKR 997

9.75%

Cappuccino

$2.04 PKR 567

$1.50 PKR 416

36.00%

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

$0.39 PKR 108

$0.32 PKR 88.1

21.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.7

$0.23 PKR 64.0

4.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 PKR 263

$0.77 PKR 215

23.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 182

$0.60 PKR 168

10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PKR 354

$1.16 PKR 321

9.48%

Eggs

$1.26 PKR 350

$1.16 PKR 323

8.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.14 PKR 1,704

$5.85 PKR 1,625

4.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 PKR 984

$2.64 PKR 732

34.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.52 PKR 1,254

$3.65 PKR 1,012

23.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 PKR 291

$1.01 PKR 279

3.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 PKR 222

$0.66 PKR 183

21.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 PKR 252

$0.62 PKR 172

46.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 PKR 165

$0.52 PKR 144

13.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.42 PKR 116

$0.38 PKR 104

10.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 149

$0.51 PKR 141

3.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.7

$0.33 PKR 92.4

-6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 112

$0.34 PKR 94.2

17.65%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.95 PKR 541

$1.61 PKR 446

21.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

$0.93 PKR 257

-3.23%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 PKR 565

$1.95 PKR 542

4.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.16 PKR 601

$1.99 PKR 553

8.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.97

$0.16 PKR 44.08

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.20 PKR 1,998

$6.99 PKR 1,941

3.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 PKR 255

$0.86 PKR 238

6.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.44 PKR 121

-2.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 PKR 772

$1.75 PKR 487

58.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 PKR 274

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

$21.2K PKR 5.9M

-0.41%

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

$26.0K PKR 7.2M

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

13.99%

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

$114 PKR 31.6K

$102 PKR 28.3K

11.89%

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

$5.43 PKR 1,508

$4.18 PKR 1,160

29.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 PKR 5,216

$13.99 PKR 3,884

34.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.78 PKR 6,325

$12.20 PKR 3,388

86.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.05 PKR 1,680

$5.85 PKR 1,623

3.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 PKR 1,208

$3.59 PKR 996

21.17%

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

$59.5 PKR 16.5K

$29.76 PKR 8,264

99.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,754 PKR 764.6K

$1,096 PKR 304.4K

151.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.76 PKR 6,041

$15.31 PKR 4,251

42.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.27 PKR 7,850

$22.43 PKR 6,226

26.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 PKR 24.1K

$68.5 PKR 19.0K

26.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.56 PKR 11.3K

$28.86 PKR 8,013

40.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 PKR 55.7K

$74.7 PKR 20.7K

168.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 PKR 31.0K

$52.9 PKR 14.7K

111.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 PKR 141.0K

$170 PKR 47.1K

199.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 PKR 82.1K

$108 PKR 29.9K

174.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,557 PKR 432.3K

$919 PKR 255.1K

69.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$656 PKR 182.0K

$496 PKR 137.6K

32.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$378 PKR 105.0K

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Larkana: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $201 in Islamabad versus $74.7 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: $101 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 Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $802 per month in Islamabad and $597 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 17% 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 $535 in Islamabad and $398 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.