Cost of Living Comparison Between Pakpattan and Islamabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Pakpattan and Islamabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $440 per month in Pakpattan vs $589 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $624 per month in Pakpattan vs $918 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $809 per month in Pakpattan vs $1,246 in Islamabad, rent included.

Pakpattan is about 25% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Pakpattan and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Pakpattan 68% lower, Islamabad 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.23 PKR 342

$3.57 PKR 990

-65.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.64 PKR 2,951

$22.74 PKR 6,309

-53.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.49 PKR 1,522

$5.47 PKR 1,517

0.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.77 PKR 769

$3.55 PKR 986

-21.97%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 PKR 1,423

$6.71 PKR 1,862

-23.55%

Cappuccino

$1.78 PKR 493

$2.39 PKR 663

-25.52%

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

$0.17 PKR 47.09

$0.32 PKR 90.0

-46.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.11 PKR 30.37

$0.22 PKR 60.8

-50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.63 PKR 176

$0.99 PKR 275

-36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 PKR 143

$0.79 PKR 220

-35.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 PKR 245

$1.28 PKR 354

-31.25%

Eggs

$1.09 PKR 304

$1.28 PKR 356

-14.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.25 PKR 2,010

$6.11 PKR 1,695

18.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.45 PKR 680

$3.06 PKR 849

-19.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.51 PKR 972

$5.12 PKR 1,421

-31.45%

Apples (1kg)

$0.89 PKR 246

$1.34 PKR 371

-33.58%

Banana (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$0.84 PKR 232

-41.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.28 PKR 77.3

$1.02 PKR 282

-72.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 150

$0.49 PKR 135

10.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.29 PKR 81.2

24.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 PKR 119

$0.33 PKR 90.4

30.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 PKR 137

$0.29 PKR 80.8

68.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 104

$0.38 PKR 106

-2.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.81 PKR 503

$1.90 PKR 528

-4.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 PKR 332

$1.38 PKR 383

-13.04%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 PKR 782

$2.35 PKR 652

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 PKR 616

$2.28 PKR 632

-2.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 47.78

$0.16 PKR 44.31

6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.09 PKR 2,800

$21.23 PKR 5,889

-52.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 PKR 391

$1.27 PKR 353

11.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 PKR 105

$0.69 PKR 191

-44.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 PKR 255

$1.65 PKR 459

-44.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 PKR 281

$1.32 PKR 365

-23.48%

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

$25.0K PKR 6.9M

$53.9K PKR 15.0M

-53.65%

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

$26.6K PKR 7.4M

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

6.00%

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

$147 PKR 40.7K

$102 PKR 28.3K

43.74%

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

$5.02 PKR 1,392

$5.83 PKR 1,618

-13.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.41 PKR 5,386

$16.34 PKR 4,534

18.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.09 PKR 4,187

$29.09 PKR 8,071

-48.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.93 PKR 2,478

Cinema Ticket

$4.43 PKR 1,228

$5.01 PKR 1,390

-11.58%

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

$12.60 PKR 3,495

$75.0 PKR 20.8K

-83.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,018 PKR 282.4K

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

-79.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.68 PKR 2,962

$23.55 PKR 6,532

-54.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.43 PKR 3,450

$32.68 PKR 9,066

-61.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.16 PKR 6,979

$83.6 PKR 23.2K

-69.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$14.25 PKR 3,953

$39.29 PKR 10.9K

-63.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$125 PKR 34.6K

$277 PKR 76.8K

-54.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.5 PKR 21.5K

$144 PKR 40.0K

-46.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 PKR 70.6K

$577 PKR 160.1K

-55.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 PKR 40.6K

$266 PKR 73.9K

-45.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$843 PKR 233.9K

$1,635 PKR 453.5K

-48.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$483 PKR 133.9K

$829 PKR 230.1K

-41.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$106 PKR 29.5K

$381 PKR 105.8K

-72.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

-0.61%

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

Last update for Pakpattan: August 31, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $125 in Pakpattan 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.

Salaries run about 259% 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 $11.00 in Pakpattan versus $23.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $83.0 vs $103 – making Pakpattan 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

Pakpattan vs Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 34%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $660 per month in Pakpattan 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 Pakpattan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% 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 Pakpattan and $23.00 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 $440 in Pakpattan and $589 in Islamabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Pakpattan – 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 Pakpattan. 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.