Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Sahiwal Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Sahiwal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $533 per month in Islamabad vs $364 in Sahiwal, rent included.

A couple spends around $849 per month in Islamabad vs $557 in Sahiwal, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,166 per month in Islamabad vs $749 in Sahiwal, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 46% more than Sahiwal, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Islamabad and Sahiwal are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 60% lower, Sahiwal 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.89 PKR 804

$1.81 PKR 503

59.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.01 PKR 3,894

$10.51 PKR 2,923

33.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 PKR 1,487

$4.19 PKR 1,166

27.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 487

$2.55 PKR 710

-31.37%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 PKR 1,105

$3.77 PKR 1,047

5.31%

Cappuccino

$2.02 PKR 561

$1.73 PKR 481

16.76%

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

$0.39 PKR 110

$0.33 PKR 91.6

18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.1

$0.19 PKR 54.1

15.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 PKR 284

$0.63 PKR 176

61.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 184

$0.41 PKR 114

60.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PKR 353

$1.12 PKR 311

13.39%

Eggs

$1.23 PKR 341

$1.15 PKR 321

6.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.02 PKR 1,675

$6.09 PKR 1,692

-1.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 PKR 948

$3.05 PKR 847

11.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.53 PKR 1,260

$4.39 PKR 1,222

3.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 288

$1.03 PKR 286

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 233

$0.64 PKR 178

31.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 PKR 251

$0.36 PKR 101

150.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 153

$0.45 PKR 125

22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.32 PKR 90.1

18.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.49 PKR 136

14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.30 PKR 84.6

$0.47 PKR 131

-36.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.33 PKR 93.0

24.24%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.99 PKR 553

$0.93 PKR 259

113.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 257

$0.54 PKR 151

72.22%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 PKR 560

$1.12 PKR 310

79.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 PKR 598

$1.93 PKR 537

11.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 52.8

$0.18 PKR 50.7

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.95 PKR 1,933

$7.05 PKR 1,959

-1.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 236

$0.74 PKR 207

14.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.49 PKR 136

-16.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 PKR 781

$1.73 PKR 482

62.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 PKR 264

$0.90 PKR 251

5.56%

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

$21.2K PKR 5.9M

$17.8K PKR 5.0M

19.08%

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

$26.0K PKR 7.2M

$23.3K PKR 6.5M

11.57%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

$71.4 PKR 19.8K

56.79%

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

$5.36 PKR 1,492

$5.47 PKR 1,520

-2.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.59 PKR 5,168

$17.54 PKR 4,877

5.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.15 PKR 6,158

$12.32 PKR 3,426

79.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.89 PKR 1,638

$5.81 PKR 1,616

1.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 PKR 1,206

$3.55 PKR 988

22.25%

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

$59.4 PKR 16.5K

$17.89 PKR 4,974

231.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,783 PKR 773.8K

$1,244 PKR 345.9K

123.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.12 PKR 5,873

$13.90 PKR 3,864

51.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.99 PKR 7,782

$12.25 PKR 3,407

128.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 PKR 24.4K

$73.5 PKR 20.4K

19.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.46 PKR 11.0K

$28.62 PKR 7,958

37.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 PKR 56.0K

$74.6 PKR 20.7K

170.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 PKR 31.0K

$51.3 PKR 14.3K

117.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 PKR 143.2K

$166 PKR 46.2K

210.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 PKR 82.9K

$107 PKR 29.7K

179.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,567 PKR 435.8K

$816 PKR 227.0K

91.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$646 PKR 179.6K

$511 PKR 142.1K

26.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$378 PKR 105.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

19.88

1.61%

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

Last update for Islamabad: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sahiwal: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $201 in Islamabad versus $74.6 in Sahiwal. 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 $11.00 in Sahiwal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $100 vs $87.0 – making Sahiwal 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 Sahiwal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 46%, 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 $799 per month in Islamabad and $546 in Sahiwal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sahiwal, 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 $14.00 in Islamabad and $11.00 in Sahiwal. 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 $533 in Islamabad and $364 in Sahiwal, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Sahiwal – 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 Sahiwal. 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.