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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $534 per month in Islamabad vs $332 in Layyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $847 per month in Islamabad vs $511 in Layyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,160 per month in Islamabad vs $690 in Layyah, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 61% more than Layyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Islamabad and Layyah are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 60% lower, Layyah 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 PKR 791

$1.82 PKR 505

56.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.26 PKR 3,960

$10.69 PKR 2,968

33.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,511

$3.49 PKR 968

55.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 477

$2.80 PKR 778

-38.57%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,061

$4.75 PKR 1,320

-19.58%

Cappuccino

$1.97 PKR 547

$1.52 PKR 423

29.61%

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

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.31 PKR 85.3

29.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 67.0

$0.22 PKR 61.0

9.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 268

$0.48 PKR 133

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.34 PKR 93.7

94.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 355

$1.21 PKR 336

5.79%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 334

$1.08 PKR 300

11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,687

$5.91 PKR 1,641

2.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 PKR 937

$2.36 PKR 655

42.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 PKR 1,209

$3.03 PKR 841

43.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 289

$0.69 PKR 191

50.72%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 234

$0.34 PKR 94.3

147.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.67 PKR 186

35.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.49 PKR 136

14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.35 PKR 96.8

17.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.55 PKR 151

3.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.4

$0.59 PKR 164

-47.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.34 PKR 93.6

20.59%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 555

$1.01 PKR 279

98.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 258

$0.74 PKR 206

25.68%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 567

$2.02 PKR 561

0.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 595

$1.90 PKR 528

12.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.51

$0.17 PKR 47.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.22 PKR 2,005

$6.91 PKR 1,918

4.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 236

$1.09 PKR 303

-22.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.40 PKR 111

7.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PKR 775

$1.82 PKR 506

53.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 271

$0.97 PKR 269

1.03%

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

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

$22.2K PKR 6.2M

-6.00%

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

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

21.39%

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

$114 PKR 31.6K

$58.9 PKR 16.3K

93.20%

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

$5.41 PKR 1,501

$3.65 PKR 1,012

48.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 PKR 5,190

$12.69 PKR 3,524

47.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.13 PKR 6,144

$12.44 PKR 3,453

77.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 PKR 1,698

$6.00 PKR 1,667

2.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 PKR 1,150

$3.46 PKR 961

19.65%

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

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

$17.34 PKR 4,814

247.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,753 PKR 764.4K

$532 PKR 147.7K

417.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.08 PKR 5,854

$16.46 PKR 4,570

28.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.64 PKR 7,674

$22.37 PKR 6,211

23.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

$59.6 PKR 16.6K

47.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.94 PKR 11.4K

$25.89 PKR 7,188

58.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 PKR 55.3K

$75.7 PKR 21.0K

162.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 PKR 30.5K

$51.6 PKR 14.3K

113.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 PKR 140.1K

$170 PKR 47.1K

197.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 PKR 83.0K

$107 PKR 29.7K

178.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,513 PKR 420.1K

$777 PKR 215.7K

94.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 PKR 179.8K

$455 PKR 126.2K

42.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$385 PKR 106.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

12.22%

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

Last update for Islamabad: July 12, 2026

Last update for Layyah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $199 in Islamabad versus $75.7 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 $14.00 in Islamabad versus $11.00 in Layyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $100 vs $75.0 – 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 61%, 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 $801 per month in Islamabad and $497 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 33% 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 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 $534 in Islamabad and $332 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.