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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $543 per month in Islamabad vs $374 in Sahiwal, rent included.

A couple spends around $851 per month in Islamabad vs $564 in Sahiwal, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,159 per month in Islamabad vs $753 in Sahiwal, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 45% more than Sahiwal, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Islamabad and Sahiwal are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 59% lower, Sahiwal 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.87 PKR 801

$1.74 PKR 484

64.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.22 PKR 3,963

$10.63 PKR 2,962

33.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.23 PKR 1,459

$4.15 PKR 1,158

26.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 PKR 486

$2.55 PKR 710

-31.76%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,066

$3.64 PKR 1,016

4.95%

Cappuccino

$2.05 PKR 573

$1.75 PKR 487

17.14%

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

$0.39 PKR 109

$0.33 PKR 91.2

18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.2

$0.17 PKR 46.89

29.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 267

$0.64 PKR 179

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 PKR 171

$0.44 PKR 123

38.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PKR 355

$1.17 PKR 327

8.55%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 337

$1.17 PKR 326

3.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.17 PKR 1,720

$5.89 PKR 1,643

4.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 PKR 973

$2.92 PKR 814

19.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.39 PKR 1,225

$4.43 PKR 1,235

-0.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 288

$1.05 PKR 293

-1.90%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 PKR 230

$0.60 PKR 169

36.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 PKR 263

$0.33 PKR 93.2

184.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 155

$0.46 PKR 128

21.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.36 PKR 99.2

5.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 147

$0.48 PKR 133

10.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 92.5

$0.45 PKR 124

-26.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 104

$0.37 PKR 102

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.96 PKR 547

$0.70 PKR 196

180.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PKR 255

$0.51 PKR 141

80.39%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 PKR 552

$1.06 PKR 297

86.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.07 PKR 578

$1.99 PKR 554

4.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.57

$0.16 PKR 43.22

6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.98 PKR 1,945

$6.97 PKR 1,944

0.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 PKR 255

$0.73 PKR 203

26.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.50 PKR 139

-18.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 PKR 767

$1.80 PKR 502

52.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 274

$0.89 PKR 249

10.11%

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

$21.3K PKR 5.9M

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

18.66%

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

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

$23.0K PKR 6.4M

13.44%

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

$111 PKR 31.1K

$70.0 PKR 19.5K

59.32%

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

$5.52 PKR 1,538

$5.48 PKR 1,528

0.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.67 PKR 5,203

$17.48 PKR 4,872

6.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.27 PKR 6,207

$12.16 PKR 3,389

83.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.85 PKR 1,630

$5.85 PKR 1,631

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 PKR 1,153

$3.58 PKR 998

15.64%

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

$60.9 PKR 17.0K

$17.83 PKR 4,970

241.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,782 PKR 775.4K

$1,243 PKR 346.6K

123.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.34 PKR 5,948

$14.12 PKR 3,936

51.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.33 PKR 7,898

$12.28 PKR 3,424

130.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 PKR 25.1K

$74.0 PKR 20.6K

21.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.89 PKR 11.4K

$28.15 PKR 7,848

45.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$200 PKR 55.7K

$73.9 PKR 20.6K

170.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$111 PKR 31.1K

$51.5 PKR 14.3K

116.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 PKR 143.0K

$168 PKR 46.8K

205.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 PKR 80.4K

$106 PKR 29.4K

173.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,526 PKR 425.3K

$743 PKR 207.1K

105.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$740 PKR 206.3K

$560 PKR 156.2K

32.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$307 PKR 85.7K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Sahiwal: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $200 in Islamabad versus $73.9 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: $99.0 vs $86.0 – 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 45%, 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 $814 per month in Islamabad and $561 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 15% 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 $543 in Islamabad and $374 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.