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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $543 per month in Islamabad vs $395 in Pakpattan, rent included.

A couple spends around $851 per month in Islamabad vs $582 in Pakpattan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,159 per month in Islamabad vs $770 in Pakpattan, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 38% more than Pakpattan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Islamabad and Pakpattan are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 59% lower, Pakpattan 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.87 PKR 801

$2.14 PKR 596

34.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.22 PKR 3,963

$8.87 PKR 2,472

60.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.23 PKR 1,459

$5.18 PKR 1,445

0.97%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 PKR 486

$1.74 PKR 485

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,066

$3.21 PKR 896

19.00%

Cappuccino

$2.05 PKR 573

$1.38 PKR 385

48.55%

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

$0.39 PKR 109

$0.30 PKR 84.8

30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.2

$0.20 PKR 56.7

10.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 267

$0.60 PKR 166

60.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 PKR 171

$0.56 PKR 156

8.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PKR 355

$1.04 PKR 290

22.12%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 337

$1.04 PKR 289

16.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.17 PKR 1,720

$4.80 PKR 1,338

28.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 PKR 973

$2.53 PKR 705

37.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.39 PKR 1,225

$3.15 PKR 878

39.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 288

$1.01 PKR 282

1.98%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 PKR 230

$0.67 PKR 187

22.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 PKR 263

$0.58 PKR 163

62.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 155

$0.52 PKR 145

7.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.41 PKR 114

-7.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 147

$0.39 PKR 110

35.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 92.5

$0.60 PKR 168

-45.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 104

$0.35 PKR 98.7

5.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.96 PKR 547

$0.74 PKR 205

164.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PKR 255

$1.61 PKR 448

-42.86%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 PKR 552

$1.91 PKR 533

3.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.07 PKR 578

$1.92 PKR 536

7.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.57

$0.16 PKR 43.77

6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.98 PKR 1,945

$6.91 PKR 1,927

1.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 PKR 255

$1.05 PKR 292

-12.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.53 PKR 148

-22.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 PKR 767

$1.40 PKR 389

96.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 274

$0.93 PKR 258

5.38%

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

$21.3K PKR 5.9M

$21.9K PKR 6.1M

-2.90%

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

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

$21.8K PKR 6.1M

20.04%

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

$111 PKR 31.1K

$102 PKR 28.5K

9.21%

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

$5.52 PKR 1,538

$4.81 PKR 1,342

14.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.67 PKR 5,203

$13.66 PKR 3,808

36.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.27 PKR 6,207

$12.27 PKR 3,420

81.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.85 PKR 1,630

$5.91 PKR 1,647

-1.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 PKR 1,153

$2.57 PKR 717

61.09%

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

$60.9 PKR 17.0K

$36.35 PKR 10.1K

67.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,782 PKR 775.4K

$1,741 PKR 485.3K

59.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.34 PKR 5,948

$16.73 PKR 4,663

27.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.33 PKR 7,898

$27.65 PKR 7,709

2.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 PKR 25.1K

$70.6 PKR 19.7K

27.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.89 PKR 11.4K

$29.08 PKR 8,107

40.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$200 PKR 55.7K

$76.0 PKR 21.2K

162.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$111 PKR 31.1K

$52.8 PKR 14.7K

110.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 PKR 143.0K

$170 PKR 47.4K

201.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 PKR 80.4K

$106 PKR 29.7K

171.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,526 PKR 425.3K

$798 PKR 222.5K

91.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$740 PKR 206.3K

$584 PKR 162.7K

26.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$307 PKR 85.7K

$106 PKR 29.7K

188.62%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Pakpattan: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $200 in Islamabad versus $76.0 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 189% 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: $99.0 vs $79.0 – 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 38%, 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 $814 per month in Islamabad and $592 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 26% 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 $543 in Islamabad and $395 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.