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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $534 per month in Islamabad vs $389 in Talagang, rent included.

A couple spends around $847 per month in Islamabad vs $586 in Talagang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,160 per month in Islamabad vs $783 in Talagang, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 37% more than Talagang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Islamabad and Talagang are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 60% lower, Talagang 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 PKR 791

$1.78 PKR 494

60.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.26 PKR 3,960

$10.51 PKR 2,917

35.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,511

$4.19 PKR 1,163

29.83%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 477

$1.74 PKR 483

-1.15%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,061

$3.48 PKR 967

9.77%

Cappuccino

$1.97 PKR 547

$1.49 PKR 415

32.21%

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

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.32 PKR 87.6

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 67.0

$0.21 PKR 58.3

14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 268

$0.72 PKR 201

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.60 PKR 165

10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 355

$1.16 PKR 321

10.34%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 334

$1.12 PKR 311

7.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,687

$5.91 PKR 1,640

2.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 PKR 937

$2.65 PKR 736

27.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 PKR 1,209

$3.59 PKR 997

21.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 289

$1.01 PKR 280

2.97%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 234

$0.65 PKR 181

29.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.66 PKR 184

37.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.49 PKR 135

14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.37 PKR 103

10.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.51 PKR 141

11.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.4

$0.33 PKR 92.9

-6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.34 PKR 94.2

20.59%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 555

$1.47 PKR 409

36.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 258

$0.85 PKR 237

9.41%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 567

$1.97 PKR 547

3.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 595

$1.98 PKR 550

8.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.51

$0.15 PKR 42.87

13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.22 PKR 2,005

$7.09 PKR 1,968

1.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 236

$0.90 PKR 249

-5.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 120

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PKR 775

$1.76 PKR 488

58.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 271

$0.96 PKR 268

2.08%

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

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

-3.15%

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

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

13.39%

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

$114 PKR 31.6K

$103 PKR 28.7K

9.99%

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

$5.41 PKR 1,501

$4.17 PKR 1,158

29.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 PKR 5,190

$13.81 PKR 3,835

35.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.13 PKR 6,144

$12.14 PKR 3,372

82.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 PKR 1,698

$6.05 PKR 1,680

1.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 PKR 1,150

$3.65 PKR 1,012

13.42%

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

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

$29.51 PKR 8,195

103.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,753 PKR 764.4K

$1,109 PKR 308.0K

148.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.08 PKR 5,854

$15.30 PKR 4,249

37.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.64 PKR 7,674

$22.34 PKR 6,204

23.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

$70.2 PKR 19.5K

25.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.94 PKR 11.4K

$29.50 PKR 8,191

38.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 PKR 55.3K

$76.6 PKR 21.3K

159.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 PKR 30.5K

$52.3 PKR 14.5K

110.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 PKR 140.1K

$168 PKR 46.5K

201.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 PKR 83.0K

$107 PKR 29.6K

179.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,513 PKR 420.1K

$942 PKR 261.6K

60.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 PKR 179.8K

$521 PKR 144.7K

24.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$385 PKR 106.9K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Talagang: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $199 in Islamabad versus $76.6 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: $100 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 37%, 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 $801 per month in Islamabad and $584 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 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 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 $534 in Islamabad and $389 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.