Cost of Living Comparison Between Gujranwala and Islamabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Gujranwala and Islamabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $372 per month in Gujranwala vs $534 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $555 per month in Gujranwala vs $847 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $738 per month in Gujranwala vs $1,160 in Islamabad, rent included.

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

Both Gujranwala and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Gujranwala 72% lower, Islamabad 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.55 PKR 152

$2.85 PKR 791

-80.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.07 PKR 3,906

$14.26 PKR 3,960

-1.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.33 PKR 1,479

$5.44 PKR 1,511

-2.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.84 PKR 233

$1.72 PKR 477

-51.16%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 PKR 1,075

$3.82 PKR 1,061

1.31%

Cappuccino

$1.30 PKR 360

$1.97 PKR 547

-34.01%

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

$0.20 PKR 55.5

$0.40 PKR 110

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 PKR 50.5

$0.24 PKR 67.0

-25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 PKR 197

$0.96 PKR 268

-26.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 PKR 186

$0.66 PKR 183

1.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 PKR 316

$1.28 PKR 355

-10.94%

Eggs

$1.10 PKR 304

$1.20 PKR 334

-8.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.13 PKR 1,702

$6.07 PKR 1,687

0.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.47 PKR 685

$3.37 PKR 937

-26.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.00 PKR 1,111

$4.35 PKR 1,209

-8.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 PKR 278

$1.04 PKR 289

-3.85%

Banana (1kg)

$0.61 PKR 169

$0.84 PKR 234

-27.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 PKR 244

$0.91 PKR 253

-3.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.46 PKR 127

$0.56 PKR 156

-17.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 99.6

$0.41 PKR 115

-12.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 PKR 127

$0.57 PKR 158

-19.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.9

$0.31 PKR 85.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 PKR 97.2

$0.41 PKR 113

-14.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.79 PKR 497

$2.00 PKR 555

-10.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PKR 241

$0.93 PKR 258

-6.45%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 PKR 572

$2.04 PKR 567

0.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.99 PKR 552

$2.14 PKR 595

-7.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 50.9

$0.17 PKR 46.51

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.04 PKR 1,956

$7.22 PKR 2,006

-2.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 PKR 153

$0.85 PKR 236

-35.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 120

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 PKR 384

$2.79 PKR 775

-50.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 PKR 259

$0.98 PKR 271

-5.10%

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

$21.1K PKR 5.9M

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

0.84%

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

$14.1K PKR 3.9M

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

-45.58%

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

$111 PKR 30.8K

$114 PKR 31.6K

-2.45%

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

$3.60 PKR 999

$5.41 PKR 1,501

-33.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.44 PKR 4,566

$18.69 PKR 5,190

-12.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$4.64 PKR 1,290

$22.13 PKR 6,144

-79.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.79 PKR 776

$6.12 PKR 1,699

-54.41%

Cinema Ticket

$3.42 PKR 951

$4.14 PKR 1,150

-17.39%

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

$17.06 PKR 4,738

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

-71.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$859 PKR 238.5K

$2,753 PKR 764.5K

-68.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.61 PKR 3,502

$21.08 PKR 5,854

-40.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.34 PKR 6,759

$27.64 PKR 7,674

-11.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 PKR 24.6K

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

0.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$21.33 PKR 5,922

$40.94 PKR 11.4K

-47.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$55.2 PKR 15.3K

$199 PKR 55.3K

-72.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$19.62 PKR 5,447

$110 PKR 30.5K

-82.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$115 PKR 31.8K

$505 PKR 140.1K

-77.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$56.8 PKR 15.8K

$299 PKR 83.0K

-81.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,513 PKR 420.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 PKR 179.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$232 PKR 64.4K

$385 PKR 106.9K

-39.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

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

Last update for Gujranwala: July 11, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $55.2 in Gujranwala versus $199 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 66% 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 $14.00 in Gujranwala versus $14.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $87.0 vs $100 – making Gujranwala 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

Gujranwala vs Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $372 in Gujranwala, $534 in Islamabad – roughly 44% apart. Islamabad costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $557 per month in Gujranwala and $801 in Islamabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gujranwala, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Gujranwala and $14.00 in Islamabad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $372 in Gujranwala and $534 in Islamabad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $372 in Gujranwala and $534 in Islamabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Gujranwala – 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 Gujranwala. 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.