Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Talagang

For one person, living is cheaper in Talagang: $454 a month against $602 in Islamabad, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in Islamabad
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Islamabad Living Index
22

Cost of Living Index in Talagang
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Talagang Living Index

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Islamabad

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$602

/mo nomad

Talagang

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$454

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Islamabad and in Talagang

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Islamabad and in Talagang actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $602 per month in Islamabad vs $454 in Talagang, rent included.

Islamabad $602
Talagang $454

A couple spends around $937 per month in Islamabad vs $660 in Talagang, rent included.

Islamabad $937
Talagang $660

A family of three spends $1,272 per month in Islamabad vs $865 in Talagang, rent included.

Islamabad $1,272
Talagang $865

Islamabad costs about 32% more than Talagang, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Islamabad and Talagang are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 56% lower, Talagang 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.52 PKR 975

$2.37 PKR 657

48.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.86 PKR 6,326

$9.29 PKR 2,571

146.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.27 PKR 1,458

$5.54 PKR 1,533

-4.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 PKR 1,030

$2.19 PKR 607

69.86%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.70 PKR 1,855

$2.93 PKR 810

128.67%

Cappuccino

$2.63 PKR 727

$3.19 PKR 882

-17.55%

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

$0.33 PKR 90.5

$0.41 PKR 112

-19.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.1

$0.21 PKR 57.1

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 PKR 262

$0.63 PKR 173

50.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 PKR 216

$0.53 PKR 148

47.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PKR 358

$1.06 PKR 293

21.70%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 335

$1.07 PKR 295

13.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.32 PKR 1,748

$3.65 PKR 1,012

73.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.14 PKR 869

$3.12 PKR 864

0.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.51 PKR 1,525

$3.79 PKR 1,050

45.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 PKR 351

$0.92 PKR 254

38.04%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 PKR 227

$0.57 PKR 157

43.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 PKR 295

$0.42 PKR 116

154.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.60 PKR 167

-8.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.27 PKR 74.4

$0.33 PKR 92.0

-18.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.33 PKR 92.7

15.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.30 PKR 83.7

$0.17 PKR 46.03

76.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.25 PKR 68.6

60.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.99 PKR 550

$1.85 PKR 513

7.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 PKR 328

$0.70 PKR 193

70.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 PKR 718

$0.71 PKR 195

264.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.31 PKR 639

$1.79 PKR 496

29.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 54.2

$0.16 PKR 44.62

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.41 PKR 5,925

$9.65 PKR 2,670

121.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 PKR 346

$1.11 PKR 306

12.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 PKR 194

$0.74 PKR 206

-5.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 PKR 440

$1.48 PKR 408

7.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 PKR 377

$1.19 PKR 328

14.29%

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

$54.4K PKR 15.1M

$22.9K PKR 6.3M

137.62%

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

$23.5K PKR 6.5M

$25.8K PKR 7.1M

-8.88%

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

$100 PKR 27.8K

$120 PKR 33.1K

-16.05%

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

$6.12 PKR 1,694

$8.22 PKR 2,275

-25.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.33 PKR 4,795

$14.32 PKR 3,964

21.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.40 PKR 7,861

$14.87 PKR 4,116

90.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.87 PKR 2,456

$8.11 PKR 2,244

9.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 PKR 1,335

$1.96 PKR 542

145.92%

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

$73.6 PKR 20.4K

$46.31 PKR 12.8K

58.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,109 PKR 1.4M

$1,037 PKR 286.9K

392.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.32 PKR 7,284

$7.29 PKR 2,017

261.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.60 PKR 9,854

$16.56 PKR 4,582

114.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 PKR 27.2K

$50.0 PKR 13.8K

96.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.95 PKR 11.3K

$32.83 PKR 9,087

24.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 PKR 74.4K

$127 PKR 35.2K

111.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 PKR 38.9K

$78.0 PKR 21.6K

80.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 PKR 159.8K

$253 PKR 70.0K

128.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 PKR 77.2K

$150 PKR 41.5K

86.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,679 PKR 464.8K

$928 PKR 256.9K

80.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$847 PKR 234.4K

$480 PKR 132.9K

76.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$388 PKR 107.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

18.91%

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

Last update for Islamabad: October 19, 2026

Last update for Talagang: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Islamabad

$141 23.4%

Talagang

$78 17.2% 44.5% $62

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Islamabad

$124 20.6%

Talagang

$142 31.3% 14.8% $18

Groceries & Markets

Islamabad

$104 17.3%

Talagang

$76 16.7% 27.1% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Islamabad

$90 15%

Talagang

$48 10.6% 46.9% $42

Eating Out

Islamabad

$78 12.9%

Talagang

$76 16.8% 1.8% $1.4

Sport & Entertainment

Islamabad

$38 6.3%

Talagang

$19 4.1% 50.6% $19

Getting Around

Islamabad

$27 4.5%

Talagang

$15 3.3% 43.9% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $269 in Islamabad versus $127 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 $9.00 in Talagang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $104 vs $76.0 – making Talagang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Islamabad

🇵🇰 Talagang

🕒 Local time

17:33 5:33 PM

Same time as Islamabad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,009,832 Capital

63,855

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Islamabad Talagang 100 km

From you

Islamabad
Talagang

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $903 per month in Islamabad and $682 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 37% 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 $9.00 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 $602 in Islamabad and $454 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.