Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Layyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Layyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $589 per month in Islamabad vs $415 in Layyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $918 per month in Islamabad vs $641 in Layyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,246 per month in Islamabad vs $866 in Layyah, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 42% more than Layyah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Islamabad and Layyah are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 57% lower, Layyah 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 PKR 990

$1.82 PKR 505

96.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.74 PKR 6,309

$10.95 PKR 3,039

107.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 PKR 1,517

$5.42 PKR 1,502

0.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 PKR 986

$2.58 PKR 717

37.60%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 PKR 1,862

$2.19 PKR 606

206.39%

Cappuccino

$2.39 PKR 663

$1.45 PKR 402

64.83%

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

$0.32 PKR 90.0

$0.43 PKR 119

-25.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.8

$0.32 PKR 89.1

-31.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 PKR 275

$0.84 PKR 234

17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 PKR 220

$0.65 PKR 180

21.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 354

$1.22 PKR 337

4.92%

Eggs

$1.28 PKR 356

$1.24 PKR 345

3.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 PKR 1,695

$8.63 PKR 2,395

-29.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 PKR 849

$2.65 PKR 734

15.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.12 PKR 1,421

$3.89 PKR 1,079

31.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 PKR 371

$1.04 PKR 289

28.85%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 232

$0.63 PKR 174

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 282

$0.57 PKR 159

78.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$0.50 PKR 139

-2.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 81.2

$0.29 PKR 80.1

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 90.4

$0.53 PKR 147

-37.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.29 PKR 80.8

$0.49 PKR 137

-40.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.40 PKR 110

-5.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.90 PKR 528

$0.57 PKR 157

233.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PKR 383

$0.56 PKR 155

146.43%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 PKR 652

$0.70 PKR 193

235.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 PKR 632

$2.36 PKR 655

-3.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 44.31

$0.21 PKR 57.3

-23.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PKR 5,889

$10.52 PKR 2,918

101.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 PKR 353

$1.10 PKR 306

15.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 PKR 191

$1.09 PKR 303

-36.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 PKR 459

$2.83 PKR 786

-41.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 PKR 365

$1.15 PKR 320

14.78%

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

$53.9K PKR 15.0M

$23.2K PKR 6.4M

133.01%

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

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

$23.0K PKR 6.4M

9.15%

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

$102 PKR 28.3K

$66.7 PKR 18.5K

53.00%

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

$5.83 PKR 1,618

$5.43 PKR 1,507

7.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.34 PKR 4,534

$11.91 PKR 3,303

37.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.09 PKR 8,071

$15.43 PKR 4,280

88.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.93 PKR 2,478

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 PKR 1,390

$7.30 PKR 2,025

-31.37%

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

$75.0 PKR 20.8K

$26.60 PKR 7,379

182.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

$2,050 PKR 568.6K

148.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.55 PKR 6,532

$18.78 PKR 5,211

25.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.68 PKR 9,066

$26.13 PKR 7,249

25.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 PKR 23.2K

$53.6 PKR 14.9K

55.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.29 PKR 10.9K

$29.20 PKR 8,100

34.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 PKR 76.8K

$126 PKR 34.9K

120.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$144 PKR 40.0K

$68.2 PKR 18.9K

111.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 PKR 160.1K

$268 PKR 74.4K

115.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 PKR 73.9K

$165 PKR 45.9K

61.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,635 PKR 453.5K

$897 PKR 248.7K

82.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$829 PKR 230.1K

$469 PKR 130.1K

76.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$381 PKR 105.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

11.83

10.57%

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

Last update for Islamabad: August 30, 2026

Last update for Layyah: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $277 in Islamabad versus $126 in Layyah. 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 Layyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $98.0 – making Layyah 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 Layyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 42%, 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 $622 in Layyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 5% 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 Layyah. 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 $415 in Layyah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Layyah – 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 Layyah. 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.