Cost of Living Comparison Between Karak and Islamabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Karak and Islamabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $407 per month in Karak vs $529 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $583 per month in Karak vs $835 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $759 per month in Karak vs $1,141 in Islamabad, rent included.

Karak is about 23% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.74 PKR 205

$2.80 PKR 779

-73.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.00 PKR 1,948

$14.22 PKR 3,955

-50.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.27 PKR 1,467

$5.44 PKR 1,512

-3.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.68 PKR 189

$1.72 PKR 478

-60.47%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

Cappuccino

$0.51 PKR 141

$2.00 PKR 557

-74.50%

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

$0.34 PKR 93.3

$0.43 PKR 119

-20.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.9

$0.22 PKR 61.1

9.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 PKR 277

$0.94 PKR 260

6.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 PKR 141

$0.62 PKR 173

-17.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 288

$1.21 PKR 338

-14.05%

Eggs

$1.09 PKR 303

$1.20 PKR 335

-9.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.81 PKR 503

$6.07 PKR 1,689

-70.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.82 PKR 784

$3.39 PKR 942

-16.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.29 PKR 1,194

$4.38 PKR 1,218

-2.05%

Apples (1kg)

$0.72 PKR 201

$1.03 PKR 287

-30.10%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 153

$0.78 PKR 216

-29.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 PKR 202

$0.93 PKR 260

-22.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 154

$0.60 PKR 166

-8.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 107

$0.41 PKR 115

-7.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.54 PKR 149

5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.17 PKR 46.89

$0.34 PKR 93.3

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.6

$0.37 PKR 103

-35.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.34 PKR 373

$1.93 PKR 537

-30.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.90 PKR 251

1.11%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 PKR 552

$1.99 PKR 552

-0.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 595

$2.14 PKR 596

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.76

$0.19 PKR 52.2

-5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.23 PKR 2,010

$6.90 PKR 1,921

4.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 240

$0.86 PKR 238

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 121

$0.44 PKR 122

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 PKR 791

$2.81 PKR 782

1.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 269

$0.91 PKR 253

6.59%

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

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

0.38%

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

$26.4K PKR 7.4M

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

1.09%

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

$113 PKR 31.6K

$112 PKR 31.1K

1.56%

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

$5.36 PKR 1,491

$5.44 PKR 1,512

-1.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.48 PKR 5,141

$18.81 PKR 5,234

-1.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.19 PKR 3,391

$22.19 PKR 6,174

-45.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.05 PKR 1,684

$6.04 PKR 1,679

0.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.22 PKR 1,174

$4.21 PKR 1,171

0.24%

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

$59.1 PKR 16.5K

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

-1.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,129 PKR 314.1K

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

-59.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.57 PKR 6,001

$21.57 PKR 5,999

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.73 PKR 7,714

$27.63 PKR 7,686

0.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 PKR 25.1K

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

2.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.80 PKR 11.4K

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

2.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$73.7 PKR 20.5K

$198 PKR 55.1K

-62.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.6 PKR 14.3K

$112 PKR 31.1K

-53.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 PKR 46.5K

$513 PKR 142.6K

-67.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$104 PKR 29.1K

$296 PKR 82.3K

-64.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,127 PKR 313.5K

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

-27.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$580 PKR 161.3K

$657 PKR 182.9K

-11.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 PKR 107.8K

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 Karak: May 30, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $73.7 in Karak versus $198 in Islamabad. 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 $7.00 in Karak versus $14.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $74.0 vs $98.0 – making Karak 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

Karak vs Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 30%, 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 $610 per month in Karak and $794 in Islamabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karak, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% 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 $7.00 in Karak and $14.00 in Islamabad. 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 $407 in Karak and $529 in Islamabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Karak – 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 Karak. 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.