Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Pattoki Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Pattoki

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $532 per month in Islamabad vs $369 in Pattoki, rent included.

A couple spends around $834 per month in Islamabad vs $539 in Pattoki, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,136 per month in Islamabad vs $708 in Pattoki, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 44% more than Pattoki, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Islamabad and Pattoki are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 60% lower, Pattoki 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.89 PKR 802

$2.10 PKR 583

37.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.11 PKR 3,915

$8.59 PKR 2,385

64.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.43 PKR 1,508

$5.26 PKR 1,458

3.23%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 PKR 488

$1.80 PKR 501

-2.22%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 PKR 1,051

$3.15 PKR 873

20.32%

Cappuccino

$1.98 PKR 550

$1.38 PKR 382

43.48%

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

$0.39 PKR 108

$0.30 PKR 84.5

30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.7

$0.21 PKR 58.9

4.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 PKR 284

$0.49 PKR 137

108.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 172

$0.37 PKR 104

67.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 339

$0.68 PKR 189

79.41%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 338

$0.76 PKR 210

60.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.04 PKR 1,677

$1.44 PKR 400

319.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 PKR 936

$2.58 PKR 717

30.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.47 PKR 1,239

$3.18 PKR 883

40.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 PKR 278

$0.34 PKR 93.3

194.12%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 233

$0.34 PKR 93.9

147.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 258

$0.58 PKR 162

60.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 157

$0.52 PKR 143

9.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.37 PKR 102

10.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 160

$0.34 PKR 94.2

70.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 91.7

$0.34 PKR 93.1

-2.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 104

$0.36 PKR 101

2.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.90 PKR 528

$1.83 PKR 507

3.83%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 PKR 236

$0.34 PKR 93.4

150.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 PKR 543

$1.85 PKR 513

5.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.10 PKR 584

$2.01 PKR 557

4.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.35

$0.17 PKR 47.54

-5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.18 PKR 1,993

$7.04 PKR 1,953

1.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 PKR 233

$1.05 PKR 291

-20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.53 PKR 148

-16.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 PKR 795

$1.45 PKR 402

97.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 PKR 257

$0.99 PKR 275

-6.06%

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

$21.1K PKR 5.9M

$22.4K PKR 6.2M

-5.77%

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

$26.3K PKR 7.3M

$22.5K PKR 6.2M

17.15%

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

$113 PKR 31.4K

$105 PKR 29.2K

7.26%

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

$5.39 PKR 1,495

$4.65 PKR 1,290

15.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.61 PKR 5,164

$13.56 PKR 3,763

37.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.80 PKR 6,328

$12.35 PKR 3,427

84.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.02 PKR 1,671

$5.79 PKR 1,607

3.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 PKR 1,208

$2.68 PKR 743

62.31%

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

$60.5 PKR 16.8K

$36.27 PKR 10.1K

66.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,790 PKR 774.1K

$1,751 PKR 485.8K

59.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.18 PKR 5,877

$16.71 PKR 4,638

26.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.13 PKR 7,805

$27.52 PKR 7,637

2.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 PKR 25.0K

$69.5 PKR 19.3K

29.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.15 PKR 11.1K

$29.60 PKR 8,215

35.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 PKR 54.8K

$75.9 PKR 21.1K

160.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 PKR 30.5K

$52.3 PKR 14.5K

110.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 PKR 142.4K

$168 PKR 46.6K

205.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 PKR 83.1K

$104 PKR 28.9K

187.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,569 PKR 435.4K

$908 PKR 252.1K

72.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 PKR 179.5K

$480 PKR 133.2K

34.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 PKR 107.5K

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 Pattoki: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $197 in Islamabad versus $75.9 in Pattoki. 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 $9.00 in Pattoki. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $99.0 vs $57.0 – making Pattoki 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 Pattoki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 44%, 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 $553 in Pattoki. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 73% 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 Pattoki. 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 $532 in Islamabad and $369 in Pattoki, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Pattoki – 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 Pattoki. 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.