Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Talagang Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Talagang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $529 per month in Islamabad vs $401 in Talagang, rent included.

A couple spends around $835 per month in Islamabad vs $590 in Talagang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,141 per month in Islamabad vs $779 in Talagang, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 32% more than Talagang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Islamabad and Talagang are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 61% lower, Talagang 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 PKR 779

$1.74 PKR 483

60.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.22 PKR 3,955

$10.50 PKR 2,922

35.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$4.17 PKR 1,160

30.46%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

$3.59 PKR 998

11.42%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 557

$1.45 PKR 404

37.93%

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

$0.43 PKR 119

$0.31 PKR 87.3

38.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.1

$0.23 PKR 64.2

-4.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 260

$0.72 PKR 202

30.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 173

$0.55 PKR 153

12.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 338

$1.15 PKR 319

5.22%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 335

$1.16 PKR 323

3.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,689

$5.89 PKR 1,639

3.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 PKR 942

$2.60 PKR 724

30.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.38 PKR 1,218

$3.74 PKR 1,040

17.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

$1.04 PKR 288

-0.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 PKR 216

$0.64 PKR 179

21.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 260

$0.63 PKR 174

47.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.49 PKR 136

22.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.34 PKR 95.2

20.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 149

$0.47 PKR 132

14.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 93.3

$0.31 PKR 85.3

9.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.33 PKR 92.9

12.12%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.93 PKR 537

$1.27 PKR 354

51.97%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

$0.88 PKR 244

2.27%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 552

$1.95 PKR 543

2.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 596

$1.98 PKR 550

8.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 52.2

$0.18 PKR 49.31

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.90 PKR 1,921

$7.01 PKR 1,951

-1.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 238

$0.86 PKR 240

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.44 PKR 121

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 PKR 782

$1.76 PKR 489

59.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.98 PKR 273

-7.14%

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

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

2.99%

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

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

$22.4K PKR 6.2M

16.63%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

$103 PKR 28.6K

8.83%

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

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$3.96 PKR 1,101

37.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.81 PKR 5,234

$13.82 PKR 3,845

36.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.19 PKR 6,174

$12.47 PKR 3,469

77.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.04 PKR 1,679

$5.94 PKR 1,653

1.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,171

$3.47 PKR 965

21.33%

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

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

$30.29 PKR 8,427

99.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

$1,119 PKR 311.2K

150.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.57 PKR 5,999

$15.01 PKR 4,175

43.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.63 PKR 7,686

$21.99 PKR 6,117

25.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

$69.2 PKR 19.3K

27.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

$29.27 PKR 8,142

36.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 PKR 55.1K

$74.0 PKR 20.6K

167.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 PKR 31.1K

$51.6 PKR 14.4K

116.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 PKR 142.6K

$169 PKR 46.9K

204.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 PKR 82.3K

$108 PKR 29.9K

175.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

$934 PKR 259.8K

66.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$657 PKR 182.9K

$521 PKR 145.0K

26.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 PKR 107.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

6.32%

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

Last update for Islamabad: May 30, 2026

Last update for Talagang: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $198 in Islamabad versus $74.0 in Talagang. 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 Talagang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $98.0 vs $85.0 – making Talagang 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 Talagang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $602 in Talagang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $529 in Islamabad and $401 in Talagang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Talagang – 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 Talagang. 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.