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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $593 per month in Islamabad vs $510 in Pattoki, rent included.

A couple spends around $929 per month in Islamabad vs $729 in Pattoki, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,264 per month in Islamabad vs $947 in Pattoki, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 16% more than Pattoki, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Islamabad and Pattoki are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 57% lower, Pattoki 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 PKR 985

$2.47 PKR 684

44.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.22 PKR 6,430

$10.66 PKR 2,952

117.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,507

$5.32 PKR 1,473

2.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 PKR 1,027

$2.69 PKR 744

37.92%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 PKR 1,865

$5.36 PKR 1,483

25.56%

Cappuccino

$2.51 PKR 694

$1.79 PKR 495

40.22%

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

$0.33 PKR 90.0

$0.30 PKR 84.0

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.2

$0.19 PKR 53.0

10.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 261

$0.68 PKR 189

38.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 PKR 209

$0.54 PKR 151

38.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 PKR 347

$1.06 PKR 294

17.92%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 335

$1.13 PKR 314

7.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 PKR 1,679

$7.03 PKR 1,947

-13.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.20 PKR 886

$2.49 PKR 690

28.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.46 PKR 1,512

$4.34 PKR 1,203

25.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 PKR 346

$0.91 PKR 251

37.36%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 PKR 224

$0.48 PKR 134

68.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 286

$0.70 PKR 194

47.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 145

$0.55 PKR 151

-5.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.26 PKR 71.2

$0.39 PKR 108

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 90.6

$0.47 PKR 130

-29.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.30 PKR 83.6

$0.46 PKR 128

-34.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 PKR 118

$0.34 PKR 95.0

23.53%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.01 PKR 556

$1.85 PKR 513

8.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 PKR 343

$1.15 PKR 318

7.83%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 PKR 718

$2.94 PKR 813

-11.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 PKR 641

$2.21 PKR 611

4.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 55.7

$0.19 PKR 52.3

5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.86 PKR 6,056

$9.99 PKR 2,767

118.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 PKR 358

$1.47 PKR 407

-12.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 PKR 205

$0.37 PKR 103

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 PKR 445

$0.88 PKR 244

82.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 PKR 348

$1.15 PKR 317

8.70%

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

$54.2K PKR 15.0M

$24.5K PKR 6.8M

120.82%

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

$24.6K PKR 6.8M

$26.5K PKR 7.3M

-7.30%

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

$104 PKR 28.9K

$143 PKR 39.7K

-27.09%

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

$5.88 PKR 1,628

$4.85 PKR 1,343

21.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.18 PKR 4,480

$19.28 PKR 5,339

-16.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.70 PKR 7,950

$14.97 PKR 4,146

91.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.46 PKR 2,344

Cinema Ticket

$4.37 PKR 1,210

$4.34 PKR 1,203

0.69%

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

$74.9 PKR 20.7K

$41.83 PKR 11.6K

79.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

$1,019 PKR 282.4K

398.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.08 PKR 6,946

$18.27 PKR 5,060

37.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.11 PKR 9,725

$18.81 PKR 5,210

86.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.5 PKR 27.0K

$91.3 PKR 25.3K

6.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.92 PKR 11.1K

$25.78 PKR 7,141

54.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 PKR 77.0K

$136 PKR 37.7K

104.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 PKR 38.3K

$75.0 PKR 20.8K

84.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 PKR 163.5K

$240 PKR 66.6K

145.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 PKR 76.7K

$144 PKR 39.8K

92.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,625 PKR 450.0K

$1,040 PKR 287.9K

56.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$816 PKR 226.1K

$538 PKR 149.1K

51.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$379 PKR 104.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

0.62%

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

Last update for Islamabad: September 13, 2026

Last update for Pattoki: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $278 in Islamabad versus $136 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 $23.00 in Islamabad versus $11.00 in Pattoki. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $89.0 – 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 16%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $890 per month in Islamabad and $765 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 16% 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 $23.00 in Islamabad and $11.00 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 $593 in Islamabad and $510 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.