Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bahawalnagar and Islamabad

For one person, living is cheaper in Bahawalnagar: $509 a month against $608 in Islamabad, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

24

Cost of Living Index in Bahawalnagar
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Bahawalnagar Living Index
29

Cost of Living Index in Islamabad
Learn more

Islamabad Living Index

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Bahawalnagar

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$509

/mo nomad

Islamabad

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$608

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $509 in Bahawalnagar versus $608 in Islamabad.

Bahawalnagar $509
Islamabad $608

Estimated couple costs with rent: $765 in Bahawalnagar versus $950 in Islamabad.

Bahawalnagar $765
Islamabad $950

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,022 in Bahawalnagar versus $1,292 in Islamabad.

Bahawalnagar $1,022
Islamabad $1,292

Living in Bahawalnagar costs roughly 16% less than in Islamabad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bahawalnagar 62% lower, Islamabad 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.54 PKR 703

$3.57 PKR 986

-28.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.66 PKR 4,056

$24.14 PKR 6,678

-39.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 PKR 1,615

$5.37 PKR 1,484

8.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 PKR 1,028

$3.73 PKR 1,031

-0.27%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 PKR 1,467

$7.04 PKR 1,948

-24.72%

Cappuccino

$2.62 PKR 725

$2.67 PKR 739

-1.87%

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

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.35 PKR 95.7

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.0

$0.24 PKR 66.6

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 PKR 255

$0.99 PKR 273

-7.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 PKR 202

$0.74 PKR 203

-1.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 PKR 342

$1.29 PKR 358

-3.88%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 332

$1.32 PKR 366

-9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.34 PKR 1,755

$5.97 PKR 1,653

6.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.54 PKR 703

$3.03 PKR 838

-16.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.76 PKR 1,317

$5.52 PKR 1,528

-13.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 PKR 342

$1.35 PKR 374

-8.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 192

$0.86 PKR 239

-19.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 PKR 244

$1.04 PKR 287

-15.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 PKR 175

$0.55 PKR 151

14.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 79.5

$0.30 PKR 83.3

-3.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.40 PKR 110

-5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PKR 124

$0.28 PKR 77.1

60.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 104

$0.43 PKR 118

-11.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.10 PKR 304

$2.00 PKR 552

-45.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 PKR 166

$1.25 PKR 347

-52.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 PKR 480

$2.64 PKR 729

-34.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.19 PKR 606

$2.36 PKR 652

-7.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 47.72

$0.17 PKR 46.19

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.07 PKR 2,785

$21.61 PKR 5,977

-53.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 PKR 243

$1.28 PKR 355

-31.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 PKR 193

$0.70 PKR 194

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 PKR 497

$1.65 PKR 456

9.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 PKR 371

$1.33 PKR 369

0.75%

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

$17.9K PKR 4.9M

$54.3K PKR 15.0M

-67.05%

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

$24.1K PKR 6.7M

$23.1K PKR 6.4M

4.37%

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

$126 PKR 34.9K

$103 PKR 28.4K

22.66%

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

$5.43 PKR 1,501

$6.17 PKR 1,707

-11.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.59 PKR 4,590

$17.36 PKR 4,802

-4.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.93 PKR 4,130

$33.65 PKR 9,308

-55.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.32 PKR 2,301

$8.62 PKR 2,384

-3.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.23 PKR 1,171

$4.97 PKR 1,376

-14.89%

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

$74.8 PKR 20.7K

$326 PKR 90.2K

-77.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,060 PKR 569.7K

$22.4K PKR 6.2M

-90.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.08 PKR 5,001

$25.82 PKR 7,142

-29.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.39 PKR 7,576

$34.52 PKR 9,548

-20.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 PKR 20.7K

$95.6 PKR 26.4K

-21.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.66 PKR 9,035

$41.07 PKR 11.4K

-20.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$137 PKR 37.8K

$248 PKR 68.5K

-44.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$84.0 PKR 23.2K

$139 PKR 38.5K

-39.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 PKR 74.6K

$549 PKR 151.7K

-50.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 PKR 49.6K

$280 PKR 77.5K

-35.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$816 PKR 225.8K

$1,655 PKR 457.9K

-50.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$504 PKR 139.3K

$825 PKR 228.1K

-38.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$384 PKR 106.1K

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 Bahawalnagar: November 2, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bahawalnagar

$148 29.1%

Islamabad

$126 20.8% 14.7% $22

Groceries & Markets

Bahawalnagar

$97 19.1%

Islamabad

$104 17.1% 7% $6.8

Accommodation & Living

Bahawalnagar

$84 16.5%

Islamabad

$139 22.9% 65.7% $55

Eating Out

Bahawalnagar

$72 14.1%

Islamabad

$79 13% 10% $7.2

Clothing & Footwear

Bahawalnagar

$69 13.5%

Islamabad

$89 14.6% 28.7% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Bahawalnagar

$23 4.6%

Islamabad

$44 7.2% 86.3% $20

Getting Around

Bahawalnagar

$15 3%

Islamabad

$27 4.5% 79% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $137 in Bahawalnagar and $248 in Islamabad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $15 in Bahawalnagar vs $24 in Islamabad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $97 vs $104 per month, with Bahawalnagar cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Bahawalnagar

🇵🇰 Islamabad

🕒 Local time

06:47 6:47 AM

Same time as Bahawalnagar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

161,033

1,009,832 Capital

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Bahawalnagar Islamabad 410 km

From you

Bahawalnagar
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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

Bahawalnagar vs Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bahawalnagar is about 16% cheaper overall, especially in leisure, clothing, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $763 in Bahawalnagar and $912 in Islamabad to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $137 in Bahawalnagar versus $248 in Islamabad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bahawalnagar runs roughly 53% less than in Islamabad. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $75 in Bahawalnagar versus $326 in Islamabad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Bahawalnagar gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bahawalnagar and Islamabad are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Bahawalnagar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Islamabad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.