Cost of Living Comparison Between Layyah and Islamabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Layyah and Islamabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $415 per month in Layyah vs $589 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $641 per month in Layyah vs $918 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $866 per month in Layyah vs $1,246 in Islamabad, rent included.

Layyah is about 30% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Layyah and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Layyah 70% lower, Islamabad 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.82 PKR 505

$3.57 PKR 990

-49.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.95 PKR 3,039

$22.74 PKR 6,309

-51.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.42 PKR 1,502

$5.47 PKR 1,517

-0.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.58 PKR 717

$3.55 PKR 986

-27.32%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 PKR 606

$6.71 PKR 1,862

-67.36%

Cappuccino

$1.45 PKR 402

$2.39 PKR 663

-39.33%

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

$0.43 PKR 119

$0.32 PKR 90.0

34.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 PKR 89.1

$0.22 PKR 60.8

45.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 PKR 234

$0.99 PKR 275

-15.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 PKR 180

$0.79 PKR 220

-17.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 337

$1.28 PKR 354

-4.69%

Eggs

$1.24 PKR 345

$1.28 PKR 356

-3.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.63 PKR 2,395

$6.11 PKR 1,695

41.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.65 PKR 734

$3.06 PKR 849

-13.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.89 PKR 1,079

$5.12 PKR 1,421

-24.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 289

$1.34 PKR 371

-22.39%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 PKR 174

$0.84 PKR 232

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 159

$1.02 PKR 282

-44.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 139

$0.49 PKR 135

2.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 80.1

$0.29 PKR 81.2

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 147

$0.33 PKR 90.4

60.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 PKR 137

$0.29 PKR 80.8

68.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.38 PKR 106

5.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.57 PKR 157

$1.90 PKR 528

-70.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 PKR 155

$1.38 PKR 383

-59.42%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 PKR 193

$2.35 PKR 652

-70.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 PKR 655

$2.28 PKR 632

3.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 PKR 57.3

$0.16 PKR 44.31

31.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.52 PKR 2,918

$21.23 PKR 5,889

-50.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 PKR 306

$1.27 PKR 353

-13.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 PKR 303

$0.69 PKR 191

57.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 PKR 786

$1.65 PKR 459

71.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 PKR 320

$1.32 PKR 365

-12.88%

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

$23.2K PKR 6.4M

$53.9K PKR 15.0M

-57.08%

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

$23.0K PKR 6.4M

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

-8.39%

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

$66.7 PKR 18.5K

$102 PKR 28.3K

-34.64%

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

$5.43 PKR 1,507

$5.83 PKR 1,618

-6.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.91 PKR 3,303

$16.34 PKR 4,534

-27.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.43 PKR 4,280

$29.09 PKR 8,071

-46.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.93 PKR 2,478

Cinema Ticket

$7.30 PKR 2,025

$5.01 PKR 1,390

45.71%

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

$26.60 PKR 7,379

$75.0 PKR 20.8K

-64.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,050 PKR 568.6K

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

-59.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.78 PKR 5,211

$23.55 PKR 6,532

-20.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.13 PKR 7,249

$32.68 PKR 9,066

-20.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.6 PKR 14.9K

$83.6 PKR 23.2K

-35.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.20 PKR 8,100

$39.29 PKR 10.9K

-25.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 PKR 34.9K

$277 PKR 76.8K

-54.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.2 PKR 18.9K

$144 PKR 40.0K

-52.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 PKR 74.4K

$577 PKR 160.1K

-53.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$165 PKR 45.9K

$266 PKR 73.9K

-37.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$897 PKR 248.7K

$1,635 PKR 453.5K

-45.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$469 PKR 130.1K

$829 PKR 230.1K

-43.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$381 PKR 105.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.83

13.08

-9.56%

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

Last update for Layyah: August 29, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $126 in Layyah versus $277 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 $11.00 in Layyah versus $23.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $98.0 vs $103 – making Layyah 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

Layyah vs Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 42%, 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 $622 per month in Layyah and $884 in Islamabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Layyah, 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 $11.00 in Layyah and $23.00 in Islamabad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $415 in Layyah and $589 in Islamabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Layyah – 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 Layyah. 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.