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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $537 per month in Islamabad vs $376 in Pattoki, rent included.

A couple spends around $845 per month in Islamabad vs $551 in Pattoki, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,154 per month in Islamabad vs $727 in Pattoki, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 43% 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

$2.76 PKR 768

$2.18 PKR 606

26.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.32 PKR 3,979

$8.98 PKR 2,496

59.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.23 PKR 1,454

$5.14 PKR 1,430

1.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 487

$1.74 PKR 483

0.57%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 PKR 1,096

$3.27 PKR 910

20.49%

Cappuccino

$2.08 PKR 578

$1.44 PKR 401

44.44%

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

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.30 PKR 84.1

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 67.1

$0.17 PKR 47.37

41.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 PKR 277

$0.47 PKR 130

112.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 PKR 174

$0.38 PKR 105

65.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 PKR 351

$0.69 PKR 192

82.61%

Eggs

$1.26 PKR 351

$0.76 PKR 212

65.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.28 PKR 1,746

$1.43 PKR 398

339.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 PKR 942

$2.59 PKR 719

30.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.34 PKR 1,206

$3.14 PKR 874

38.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

$0.36 PKR 101

186.11%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 233

$0.34 PKR 93.6

147.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 PKR 249

$0.58 PKR 161

55.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 165

$0.51 PKR 143

17.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 108

$0.34 PKR 94.3

14.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 150

$0.34 PKR 93.4

58.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 86.2

$0.34 PKR 93.8

-8.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.33 PKR 92.9

24.24%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 555

$1.78 PKR 494

12.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 259

$0.33 PKR 93.0

181.82%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 PKR 545

$1.84 PKR 512

6.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.06 PKR 573

$1.97 PKR 549

4.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.80

$0.19 PKR 52.8

-15.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.05 PKR 1,960

$7.08 PKR 1,969

-0.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 PKR 251

$1.05 PKR 291

-14.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.52 PKR 145

-23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 PKR 793

$1.37 PKR 382

108.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 273

$1.01 PKR 281

-2.97%

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

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

$21.9K PKR 6.1M

-4.92%

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

$26.0K PKR 7.2M

$22.0K PKR 6.1M

18.30%

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

$112 PKR 31.2K

$102 PKR 28.3K

10.21%

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

$5.37 PKR 1,492

$4.93 PKR 1,371

8.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.53 PKR 5,151

$13.93 PKR 3,872

33.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.84 PKR 6,350

$12.52 PKR 3,479

82.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.01 PKR 1,670

$6.04 PKR 1,679

-0.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.17 PKR 1,158

$2.57 PKR 715

62.26%

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

$59.2 PKR 16.5K

$36.42 PKR 10.1K

62.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,812 PKR 781.7K

$1,778 PKR 494.3K

58.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.16 PKR 5,882

$16.68 PKR 4,636

26.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.15 PKR 7,825

$27.36 PKR 7,604

2.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 PKR 25.0K

$70.2 PKR 19.5K

28.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.45 PKR 11.0K

$28.75 PKR 7,992

37.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 PKR 54.7K

$75.1 PKR 20.9K

161.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 PKR 31.1K

$51.2 PKR 14.2K

118.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 PKR 143.1K

$167 PKR 46.4K

208.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 PKR 82.8K

$104 PKR 29.0K

186.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,513 PKR 420.4K

$903 PKR 251.1K

67.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$637 PKR 177.2K

$489 PKR 136.0K

30.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$382 PKR 106.2K

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 Pattoki: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $197 in Islamabad versus $75.1 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: $100 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 43%, 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 $564 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 77% 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 $537 in Islamabad and $376 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.