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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $589 per month in Islamabad vs $483 in Talagang, rent included.

A couple spends around $918 per month in Islamabad vs $705 in Talagang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,246 per month in Islamabad vs $928 in Talagang, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 22% more than Talagang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Islamabad and Talagang are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 57% lower, Talagang 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 PKR 989

$2.55 PKR 706

40.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.74 PKR 6,305

$14.56 PKR 4,036

56.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 PKR 1,516

$5.73 PKR 1,590

-4.54%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 PKR 985

$2.14 PKR 593

65.89%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 PKR 1,861

$5.48 PKR 1,519

22.45%

Cappuccino

$2.39 PKR 663

$2.57 PKR 714

-7.00%

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

$0.32 PKR 90.0

$0.42 PKR 117

-23.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.8

$0.26 PKR 72.5

-15.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 PKR 275

$0.64 PKR 176

54.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 PKR 219

$0.52 PKR 144

51.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 354

$1.22 PKR 339

4.92%

Eggs

$1.28 PKR 356

$1.18 PKR 328

8.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 PKR 1,694

$6.33 PKR 1,754

-3.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 PKR 848

$2.56 PKR 709

19.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.12 PKR 1,420

$4.80 PKR 1,330

6.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 PKR 371

$0.92 PKR 256

45.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 232

$0.58 PKR 161

44.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 282

$0.41 PKR 115

148.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$0.56 PKR 154

-12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 81.1

$0.28 PKR 77.3

3.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 90.4

$0.33 PKR 91.1

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.29 PKR 80.8

$0.17 PKR 47.12

70.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.34 PKR 93.1

11.76%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.90 PKR 528

$1.09 PKR 303

74.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PKR 383

$0.65 PKR 179

112.31%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 PKR 651

$1.73 PKR 479

35.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 PKR 632

$2.21 PKR 612

3.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 44.29

$0.20 PKR 54.1

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PKR 5,885

$9.02 PKR 2,501

135.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 PKR 353

$0.87 PKR 240

45.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 PKR 191

$0.69 PKR 192

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 PKR 458

$1.83 PKR 508

-9.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 PKR 365

$1.27 PKR 353

3.94%

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

$53.9K PKR 15.0M

$18.3K PKR 5.1M

195.20%

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

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

$26.3K PKR 7.3M

-4.45%

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

$102 PKR 28.3K

$121 PKR 33.7K

-15.90%

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

$5.83 PKR 1,617

$5.27 PKR 1,462

10.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.34 PKR 4,531

$16.19 PKR 4,490

0.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.09 PKR 8,066

$14.38 PKR 3,986

102.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.93 PKR 2,477

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 PKR 1,389

$4.37 PKR 1,212

14.65%

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

$75.0 PKR 20.8K

$43.49 PKR 12.1K

72.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

$2,012 PKR 557.8K

152.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.55 PKR 6,528

$17.13 PKR 4,749

37.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.68 PKR 9,060

$25.53 PKR 7,079

28.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 PKR 23.2K

$73.2 PKR 20.3K

14.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.29 PKR 10.9K

$29.84 PKR 8,273

31.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 PKR 76.8K

$119 PKR 32.9K

133.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$144 PKR 40.0K

$79.1 PKR 21.9K

82.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 PKR 160.0K

$278 PKR 77.2K

107.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 PKR 73.8K

$160 PKR 44.5K

66.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,635 PKR 453.2K

$917 PKR 254.2K

78.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$829 PKR 230.0K

$515 PKR 142.7K

61.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$381 PKR 105.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

14.22

-8.02%

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

Last update for Islamabad: August 30, 2026

Last update for Talagang: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $277 in Islamabad versus $119 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 $23.00 in Islamabad versus $15.00 in Talagang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $86.0 – 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 22%, 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 $884 per month in Islamabad and $725 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 19% 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 $23.00 in Islamabad and $15.00 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 $589 in Islamabad and $483 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.