Cost of Living Comparison Between Talagang and Islamabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Talagang and Islamabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $401 per month in Talagang vs $529 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $590 per month in Talagang vs $835 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $779 per month in Talagang vs $1,141 in Islamabad, rent included.

Talagang is about 24% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.74 PKR 483

$2.80 PKR 779

-37.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.50 PKR 2,922

$14.22 PKR 3,955

-26.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.17 PKR 1,160

$5.44 PKR 1,512

-23.35%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 PKR 998

$4.00 PKR 1,112

-10.25%

Cappuccino

$1.45 PKR 404

$2.00 PKR 557

-27.50%

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

$0.31 PKR 87.3

$0.43 PKR 119

-27.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.2

$0.22 PKR 61.1

4.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 PKR 202

$0.94 PKR 260

-23.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 PKR 153

$0.62 PKR 173

-11.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 PKR 319

$1.21 PKR 338

-4.96%

Eggs

$1.16 PKR 323

$1.20 PKR 335

-3.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.89 PKR 1,639

$6.07 PKR 1,689

-2.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.60 PKR 724

$3.39 PKR 942

-23.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.74 PKR 1,040

$4.38 PKR 1,218

-14.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 288

$1.03 PKR 287

0.97%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 PKR 179

$0.78 PKR 216

-17.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.63 PKR 174

$0.93 PKR 260

-32.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 136

$0.60 PKR 166

-18.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 95.2

$0.41 PKR 115

-17.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 132

$0.54 PKR 149

-12.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.3

$0.34 PKR 93.3

-8.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 PKR 92.9

$0.37 PKR 103

-10.81%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.27 PKR 354

$1.93 PKR 537

-34.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 PKR 244

$0.90 PKR 251

-2.22%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 PKR 543

$1.99 PKR 552

-2.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 PKR 550

$2.14 PKR 596

-7.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.31

$0.19 PKR 52.2

-5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.01 PKR 1,951

$6.90 PKR 1,921

1.59%

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)

$1.76 PKR 489

$2.81 PKR 782

-37.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 273

$0.91 PKR 253

7.69%

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

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

-2.91%

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

$22.4K PKR 6.2M

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

-14.26%

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

$103 PKR 28.6K

$112 PKR 31.1K

-8.12%

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

$3.96 PKR 1,101

$5.44 PKR 1,512

-27.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.82 PKR 3,845

$18.81 PKR 5,234

-26.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.47 PKR 3,469

$22.19 PKR 6,174

-43.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.94 PKR 1,653

$6.04 PKR 1,679

-1.66%

Cinema Ticket

$3.47 PKR 965

$4.21 PKR 1,171

-17.58%

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

$30.29 PKR 8,427

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

-49.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,119 PKR 311.2K

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

-60.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.01 PKR 4,175

$21.57 PKR 5,999

-30.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.99 PKR 6,117

$27.63 PKR 7,686

-20.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 PKR 19.3K

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

-21.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.27 PKR 8,142

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

-26.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$74.0 PKR 20.6K

$198 PKR 55.1K

-62.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.6 PKR 14.4K

$112 PKR 31.1K

-53.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$169 PKR 46.9K

$513 PKR 142.6K

-67.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 29.9K

$296 PKR 82.3K

-63.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$934 PKR 259.8K

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

-39.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$521 PKR 145.0K

$657 PKR 182.9K

-20.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 PKR 107.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

-5.94%

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

Last update for Talagang: June 1, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $74.0 in Talagang 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 $11.00 in Talagang versus $14.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $85.0 vs $98.0 – making Talagang 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

Talagang vs Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 32%, 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 $602 per month in Talagang 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 Talagang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% 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 Talagang and $14.00 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 $401 in Talagang and $529 in Islamabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Talagang – 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 Talagang. 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.