Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Okara and Islamabad

For one person, living is cheaper in Okara: $502 a month against $607 in Islamabad, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

24

Cost of Living Index in Okara
Learn more

Okara Living Index
29

Cost of Living Index in Islamabad
Learn more

Islamabad Living Index

Jump to prices

Okara

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$502

/mo nomad

Islamabad

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$607

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Okara 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 Okara and in Islamabad actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $502 per month in Okara vs $607 in Islamabad, rent included.

Okara $502
Islamabad $607

A couple spends around $766 per month in Okara vs $948 in Islamabad, rent included.

Okara $766
Islamabad $948

A family of three spends $1,031 per month in Okara vs $1,289 in Islamabad, rent included.

Okara $1,031
Islamabad $1,289

Okara is about 17% cheaper than Islamabad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Okara and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Okara 63% lower, Islamabad 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.46 PKR 681

$3.50 PKR 969

-29.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.68 PKR 4,062

$22.76 PKR 6,298

-35.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 PKR 1,553

$5.37 PKR 1,487

4.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.63 PKR 1,004

$3.58 PKR 991

1.40%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.32 PKR 1,471

$6.82 PKR 1,887

-21.99%

Cappuccino

$2.61 PKR 722

$2.56 PKR 708

1.95%

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

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.32 PKR 87.2

28.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 PKR 72.5

$0.21 PKR 58.0

23.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.64 PKR 177

$0.98 PKR 271

-34.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 PKR 201

$0.71 PKR 198

2.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 PKR 324

$1.30 PKR 358

-10.00%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 331

$1.21 PKR 334

-0.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.25 PKR 1,729

$6.05 PKR 1,673

3.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.45 PKR 679

$3.05 PKR 844

-19.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.97 PKR 1,374

$5.38 PKR 1,488

-7.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 PKR 327

$1.33 PKR 369

-11.28%

Banana (1kg)

$0.65 PKR 179

$0.86 PKR 239

-24.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 PKR 231

$1.07 PKR 295

-22.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 PKR 162

$0.52 PKR 144

13.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 79.5

$0.27 PKR 73.7

7.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 98.6

$0.39 PKR 107

-7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 PKR 133

$0.28 PKR 76.7

71.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 105

$0.43 PKR 118

-11.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.11 PKR 306

$1.99 PKR 550

-44.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 PKR 171

$1.24 PKR 343

-50.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 PKR 477

$2.61 PKR 723

-34.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 PKR 591

$2.36 PKR 654

-9.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.45

$0.17 PKR 45.76

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.77 PKR 2,704

$21.58 PKR 5,970

-54.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 PKR 254

$1.24 PKR 342

-25.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 PKR 193

$0.74 PKR 206

-5.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 PKR 487

$1.61 PKR 446

9.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 PKR 244

$1.31 PKR 364

-32.82%

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

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

$54.9K PKR 15.2M

-67.15%

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

$23.9K PKR 6.6M

$23.7K PKR 6.5M

0.93%

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

$127 PKR 35.2K

$104 PKR 28.6K

22.80%

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

$5.66 PKR 1,565

$6.11 PKR 1,690

-7.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.14 PKR 4,467

$17.21 PKR 4,762

-6.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.19 PKR 4,203

$33.65 PKR 9,310

-54.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.91 PKR 2,190

$8.52 PKR 2,358

-7.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 PKR 1,172

$4.91 PKR 1,359

-13.65%

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

$14.17 PKR 3,921

$326 PKR 90.1K

-95.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,054 PKR 568.3K

$4,917 PKR 1.4M

-58.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.53 PKR 4,850

$26.22 PKR 7,255

-33.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.71 PKR 7,667

$35.05 PKR 9,697

-20.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 PKR 20.0K

$98.2 PKR 27.2K

-26.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.39 PKR 9,239

$40.45 PKR 11.2K

-17.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.7K

$261 PKR 72.1K

-54.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$82.9 PKR 22.9K

$140 PKR 38.7K

-40.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$251 PKR 69.5K

$557 PKR 154.1K

-54.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 PKR 56.2K

$287 PKR 79.5K

-29.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$808 PKR 223.5K

$1,691 PKR 467.7K

-52.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$564 PKR 156.0K

$839 PKR 232.2K

-32.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$385 PKR 106.6K

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 Okara: October 27, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Okara

$149 29.7%

Islamabad

$127 20.9% 14.8% $22

Groceries & Markets

Okara

$93 18.6%

Islamabad

$103 17% 10.6% $9.9

Accommodation & Living

Okara

$83 16.5%

Islamabad

$140 23% 68.7% $57

Eating Out

Okara

$70 14%

Islamabad

$77 12.7% 9.2% $6.5

Clothing & Footwear

Okara

$68 13.5%

Islamabad

$90 14.8% 32.5% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Okara

$24 4.7%

Islamabad

$43 7.2% 83.7% $20

Getting Around

Okara

$15 3%

Islamabad

$27 4.5% 82.6% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $118 in Okara versus $261 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 $15 in Okara versus $23 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $93 vs $103 – making Okara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Okara

🇵🇰 Islamabad

🕒 Local time

04:14 4:14 AM

Same time as Okara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

357,935

1,009,832 Capital

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.24 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.24 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Okara Islamabad 320 km

From you

Okara
Islamabad

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

Okara vs Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 21%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $753 per month in Okara and $911 in Islamabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Okara, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $118 there versus $261 in Islamabad.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Islamabad, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15 in Okara and $23 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 $502 in Okara and $607 in Islamabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Okara – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Okara is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 17% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.