Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lahore and Islamabad

For one person, living is cheaper in Lahore: $516 a month against $599 in Islamabad, rent and utilities included – about $1,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

25

Cost of Living Index in Lahore
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Lahore Living Index
29

Cost of Living Index in Islamabad
Learn more

Islamabad Living Index

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Lahore

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$516

/mo nomad

Islamabad

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$599

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lahore and in Islamabad

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

A single person spends $516 per month in Lahore vs $599 in Islamabad, rent included.

Lahore $516
Islamabad $599

A couple spends around $785 per month in Lahore vs $930 in Islamabad, rent included.

Lahore $785
Islamabad $930

A family of three spends $1,054 per month in Lahore vs $1,261 in Islamabad, rent included.

Lahore $1,054
Islamabad $1,261

Lahore is about 14% cheaper than Islamabad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Lahore and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Lahore 62% lower, Islamabad 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.55 PKR 705

$3.63 PKR 1,004

-29.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.61 PKR 4,043

$23.40 PKR 6,478

-37.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.75 PKR 1,590

$5.54 PKR 1,534

3.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 PKR 970

$3.57 PKR 987

-1.96%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 PKR 1,465

$6.73 PKR 1,864

-21.40%

Cappuccino

$2.66 PKR 736

$2.64 PKR 730

0.76%

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

$0.41 PKR 114

$0.32 PKR 89.6

28.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 PKR 69.4

$0.23 PKR 63.7

8.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 269

$0.94 PKR 259

3.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 PKR 202

$0.72 PKR 200

1.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 332

$1.30 PKR 361

-7.69%

Eggs

$1.15 PKR 318

$1.22 PKR 339

-5.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.16 PKR 1,705

$6.05 PKR 1,674

1.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.63 PKR 727

$3.09 PKR 855

-14.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.98 PKR 1,378

$5.35 PKR 1,482

-6.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 PKR 328

$1.26 PKR 350

-6.35%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 PKR 177

$0.87 PKR 241

-26.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 232

$1.04 PKR 288

-19.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 PKR 177

$0.53 PKR 146

20.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.32 PKR 88.7

$0.29 PKR 81.2

10.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.36 PKR 99.4

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 PKR 132

$0.28 PKR 76.4

71.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 PKR 96.6

$0.39 PKR 108

-10.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.05 PKR 291

$1.95 PKR 539

-46.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 PKR 177

$1.19 PKR 331

-46.22%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 PKR 462

$2.68 PKR 743

-37.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 592

$2.24 PKR 619

-4.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 48.50

$0.16 PKR 43.07

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.38 PKR 1,490

$21.34 PKR 5,905

-74.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 PKR 257

$1.24 PKR 344

-25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 PKR 193

$0.74 PKR 204

-5.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 PKR 510

$1.60 PKR 442

15.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 PKR 374

$1.37 PKR 378

-1.46%

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

$18.2K PKR 5.0M

$54.5K PKR 15.1M

-66.58%

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

$25.2K PKR 7.0M

$23.9K PKR 6.6M

5.45%

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

$129 PKR 35.6K

$103 PKR 28.6K

24.66%

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

$5.47 PKR 1,514

$5.99 PKR 1,658

-8.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.58 PKR 4,590

$17.15 PKR 4,746

-3.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.55 PKR 6,240

$28.20 PKR 7,806

-20.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.92 PKR 3,022

$8.47 PKR 2,344

28.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.20 PKR 1,163

$4.43 PKR 1,226

-5.19%

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

$48.64 PKR 13.5K

$75.7 PKR 20.9K

-35.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,013 PKR 557.0K

$5,004 PKR 1.4M

-59.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.94 PKR 4,964

$25.72 PKR 7,118

-30.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.60 PKR 7,638

$34.48 PKR 9,543

-19.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 PKR 20.6K

$95.5 PKR 26.4K

-22.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.12 PKR 9,167

$41.32 PKR 11.4K

-19.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 PKR 46.2K

$276 PKR 76.5K

-39.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$86.0 PKR 23.8K

$139 PKR 38.3K

-37.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 PKR 98.0K

$572 PKR 158.2K

-38.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 PKR 55.5K

$270 PKR 74.9K

-25.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$800 PKR 221.3K

$1,629 PKR 450.8K

-50.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$606 PKR 167.6K

$836 PKR 231.5K

-27.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$201 PKR 55.6K

$380 PKR 105.2K

-47.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.05

13.08

7.42%

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

Last update for Lahore: October 11, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lahore

$151 29.2%

Islamabad

$126 21.1% 16.2% $24

Groceries & Markets

Lahore

$97 18.8%

Islamabad

$102 17% 5.2% $5

Accommodation & Living

Lahore

$86 16.7%

Islamabad

$139 23.1% 61% $53

Eating Out

Lahore

$72 14%

Islamabad

$80 13.3% 10.2% $7.3

Clothing & Footwear

Lahore

$69 13.3%

Islamabad

$89 14.8% 28.8% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Lahore

$31 6%

Islamabad

$37 6.2% 19.8% $6.1

Getting Around

Lahore

$11 2%

Islamabad

$27 4.5% 156% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $167 in Lahore versus $276 in Islamabad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 89% higher in Islamabad, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Lahore versus $23.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $97.0 vs $102 – making Lahore the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Lahore

🇵🇰 Islamabad

🕒 Local time

02:55 2:55 AM

Same time as Lahore

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,126,285

1,009,832 Capital

💱 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

On the map

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Lahore Islamabad 260 km

From you

Lahore
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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

Lahore vs Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 16%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $775 per month in Lahore and $899 in Islamabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 5% 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 $15.00 in Lahore and $23.00 in Islamabad. 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 $516 in Lahore and $599 in Islamabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Lahore – 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 Lahore. 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.