Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Pakpattan Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Pakpattan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $537 per month in Islamabad vs $394 in Pakpattan, rent included.

A couple spends around $845 per month in Islamabad vs $581 in Pakpattan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,154 per month in Islamabad vs $768 in Pakpattan, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 36% more than Pakpattan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.76 PKR 768

$2.06 PKR 572

33.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.32 PKR 3,979

$8.89 PKR 2,471

61.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.23 PKR 1,454

$5.15 PKR 1,431

1.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 487

$1.78 PKR 495

-1.69%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 PKR 1,096

$3.27 PKR 909

20.49%

Cappuccino

$2.08 PKR 578

$1.43 PKR 397

45.45%

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

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.28 PKR 77.1

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 67.1

$0.18 PKR 50.9

33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 PKR 277

$0.59 PKR 164

69.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 PKR 174

$0.60 PKR 168

5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 PKR 351

$1.08 PKR 301

16.67%

Eggs

$1.26 PKR 351

$1.04 PKR 290

21.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.28 PKR 1,746

$4.89 PKR 1,358

28.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 PKR 942

$2.60 PKR 723

30.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.34 PKR 1,206

$3.12 PKR 867

39.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

$1.02 PKR 283

0.98%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 233

$0.68 PKR 189

23.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 PKR 249

$0.58 PKR 163

55.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 165

$0.49 PKR 135

22.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 108

$0.38 PKR 104

2.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 150

$0.43 PKR 120

25.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 86.2

$0.61 PKR 169

-49.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.36 PKR 99.0

13.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 555

$1.78 PKR 495

12.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 259

$1.54 PKR 429

-39.61%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 PKR 545

$1.86 PKR 516

5.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.06 PKR 573

$1.93 PKR 537

6.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.80

$0.18 PKR 50.2

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.05 PKR 1,960

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 PKR 251

$1.04 PKR 289

-13.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.53 PKR 147

-24.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 PKR 793

$1.38 PKR 383

106.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 273

$1.00 PKR 279

-2.00%

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

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

$22.1K PKR 6.1M

-5.77%

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

$26.0K PKR 7.2M

$22.0K PKR 6.1M

18.13%

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

$112 PKR 31.2K

$103 PKR 28.5K

9.32%

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

$5.37 PKR 1,492

$4.91 PKR 1,365

9.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.53 PKR 5,151

$13.84 PKR 3,848

33.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.84 PKR 6,350

$12.49 PKR 3,471

82.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.01 PKR 1,670

$5.80 PKR 1,613

3.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.17 PKR 1,158

$2.62 PKR 729

59.16%

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

$59.2 PKR 16.5K

$36.31 PKR 10.1K

63.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,812 PKR 781.7K

$1,744 PKR 484.8K

61.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.16 PKR 5,882

$16.62 PKR 4,620

27.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.15 PKR 7,825

$27.79 PKR 7,724

1.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 PKR 25.0K

$70.9 PKR 19.7K

26.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.45 PKR 11.0K

$29.72 PKR 8,261

32.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 PKR 54.7K

$74.4 PKR 20.7K

164.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 PKR 31.1K

$52.8 PKR 14.7K

111.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 PKR 143.1K

$169 PKR 47.0K

204.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 PKR 82.8K

$106 PKR 29.5K

180.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,513 PKR 420.4K

$827 PKR 229.9K

82.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$637 PKR 177.2K

$410 PKR 114.0K

55.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$382 PKR 106.2K

$108 PKR 30.1K

252.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

17.43

15.89%

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

Last update for Islamabad: June 15, 2026

Last update for Pakpattan: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $197 in Islamabad versus $74.4 in Pakpattan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 253% higher in Islamabad, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Islamabad versus $9.00 in Pakpattan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $100 vs $80.0 – making Pakpattan 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 Pakpattan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 36%, 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 $805 per month in Islamabad and $591 in Pakpattan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 25% 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 $9.00 in Pakpattan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $537 in Islamabad and $394 in Pakpattan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Pakpattan – 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 Pakpattan. 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.