Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Sialkot Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Sialkot

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $529 per month in Islamabad vs $340 in Sialkot, rent included.

A couple spends around $835 per month in Islamabad vs $488 in Sialkot, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,141 per month in Islamabad vs $636 in Sialkot, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 55% more than Sialkot, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Islamabad and Sialkot are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 61% lower, Sialkot 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 PKR 779

$1.04 PKR 290

169.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.22 PKR 3,955

$6.91 PKR 1,922

105.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$2.67 PKR 743

103.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

$1.75 PKR 486

-1.71%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

$3.60 PKR 1,000

11.11%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 557

$1.50 PKR 416

33.33%

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

$0.43 PKR 119

$0.39 PKR 109

10.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.1

$0.19 PKR 51.9

15.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 260

$0.77 PKR 213

22.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 173

$0.56 PKR 156

10.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 338

$1.17 PKR 325

3.42%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 335

$1.20 PKR 334

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,689

$4.42 PKR 1,229

37.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 PKR 942

$2.60 PKR 723

30.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.38 PKR 1,218

$3.93 PKR 1,094

11.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

$1.05 PKR 291

-1.90%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 PKR 216

$0.69 PKR 193

13.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 260

$0.93 PKR 258

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.57 PKR 158

5.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.39 PKR 107

5.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 149

$0.56 PKR 157

-3.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 93.3

$0.34 PKR 93.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.35 PKR 98.1

5.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.93 PKR 537

$1.48 PKR 411

30.41%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

$0.87 PKR 242

3.45%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 552

$1.98 PKR 550

0.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 596

$2.09 PKR 582

2.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 52.2

$0.15 PKR 42.83

26.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.90 PKR 1,920

$10.57 PKR 2,940

-34.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 238

$0.68 PKR 190

26.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 122

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 PKR 782

$2.81 PKR 781

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.92 PKR 255

-1.09%

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

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

3.24%

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

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

$26.7K PKR 7.4M

-2.11%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

$111 PKR 30.9K

0.58%

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

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$3.27 PKR 911

66.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.81 PKR 5,234

$6.03 PKR 1,677

211.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.19 PKR 6,174

$6.97 PKR 1,939

218.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.04 PKR 1,679

$5.18 PKR 1,442

16.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,171

$4.15 PKR 1,156

1.45%

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

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

$20.91 PKR 5,818

188.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

$264 PKR 73.4K

962.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.57 PKR 5,999

$11.35 PKR 3,156

90.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.63 PKR 7,685

$13.30 PKR 3,701

107.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

$26.88 PKR 7,479

227.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

$21.02 PKR 5,848

89.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 PKR 55.1K

$48.17 PKR 13.4K

311.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 PKR 31.1K

$32.36 PKR 9,003

245.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 PKR 142.6K

$108 PKR 30.0K

375.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 PKR 82.3K

$64.8 PKR 18.0K

357.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$657 PKR 182.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 PKR 107.8K

$154 PKR 42.9K

151.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

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

Last update for Islamabad: May 30, 2026

Last update for Sialkot: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $198 in Islamabad versus $48.17 in Sialkot. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 151% higher in Islamabad, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Islamabad versus $7.00 in Sialkot. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $98.0 vs $85.0 – making Sialkot 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 Sialkot: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 55%, 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 $794 per month in Islamabad and $511 in Sialkot. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sialkot, 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 $7.00 in Sialkot. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $529 in Islamabad and $340 in Sialkot, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Sialkot – 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 Sialkot. 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.