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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $532 per month in Islamabad vs $399 in Pakpattan, rent included.

A couple spends around $834 per month in Islamabad vs $590 in Pakpattan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,136 per month in Islamabad vs $781 in Pakpattan, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 33% 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

$2.89 PKR 803

$2.14 PKR 595

35.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.11 PKR 3,916

$8.83 PKR 2,449

59.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.43 PKR 1,508

$5.35 PKR 1,486

1.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 PKR 488

$1.82 PKR 506

-3.30%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 PKR 1,051

$3.27 PKR 908

15.90%

Cappuccino

$1.98 PKR 550

$1.39 PKR 386

42.45%

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

$0.39 PKR 108

$0.30 PKR 83.4

30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.8

$0.22 PKR 60.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 PKR 284

$0.58 PKR 161

75.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 172

$0.60 PKR 165

3.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 339

$1.03 PKR 286

18.45%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 338

$1.07 PKR 298

14.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.04 PKR 1,677

$4.90 PKR 1,360

23.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 PKR 936

$2.49 PKR 692

35.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.47 PKR 1,239

$3.01 PKR 836

48.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 PKR 278

$0.99 PKR 275

1.01%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 233

$0.73 PKR 204

15.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 259

$0.53 PKR 148

75.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 157

$0.48 PKR 134

18.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.37 PKR 104

10.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 160

$0.42 PKR 117

38.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 91.8

$0.55 PKR 154

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 104

$0.39 PKR 107

-5.13%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.90 PKR 528

$1.87 PKR 519

1.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 PKR 236

$1.61 PKR 446

-47.20%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 PKR 543

$1.86 PKR 517

5.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.10 PKR 584

$1.91 PKR 530

9.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.35

$0.17 PKR 47.85

-5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.18 PKR 1,993

$7.03 PKR 1,952

2.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 PKR 233

$1.08 PKR 300

-22.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.50 PKR 139

-12.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 PKR 796

$1.37 PKR 380

109.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 PKR 257

$0.99 PKR 273

-6.06%

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

$21.1K PKR 5.9M

$22.5K PKR 6.3M

-6.42%

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

$26.3K PKR 7.3M

$21.7K PKR 6.0M

21.23%

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

$113 PKR 31.4K

$102 PKR 28.3K

10.93%

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

$5.39 PKR 1,495

$4.93 PKR 1,368

9.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.61 PKR 5,165

$13.93 PKR 3,866

33.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.80 PKR 6,329

$12.21 PKR 3,388

86.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.02 PKR 1,671

$5.99 PKR 1,662

0.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 PKR 1,209

$2.66 PKR 739

63.53%

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

$60.5 PKR 16.8K

$36.72 PKR 10.2K

64.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,790 PKR 774.2K

$1,756 PKR 487.2K

58.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.18 PKR 5,878

$16.82 PKR 4,668

25.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.13 PKR 7,806

$27.76 PKR 7,704

1.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 PKR 25.0K

$69.7 PKR 19.3K

29.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.15 PKR 11.1K

$29.00 PKR 8,049

38.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 PKR 54.8K

$76.2 PKR 21.1K

159.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 PKR 30.5K

$51.6 PKR 14.3K

112.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 PKR 142.4K

$166 PKR 46.2K

208.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 PKR 83.1K

$106 PKR 29.3K

183.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,569 PKR 435.5K

$977 PKR 271.2K

60.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 PKR 179.5K

$510 PKR 141.5K

26.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 PKR 107.5K

$107 PKR 29.6K

263.31%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Pakpattan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $197 in Islamabad versus $76.2 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 263% 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 33%, 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 $798 per month in Islamabad and $599 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 $532 in Islamabad and $399 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.