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 $529 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $562 per month in Gujranwala vs $835 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $753 per month in Gujranwala vs $1,141 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 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.54 PKR 151

$2.80 PKR 779

-80.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.89 PKR 3,863

$14.22 PKR 3,955

-2.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 PKR 1,433

$5.44 PKR 1,512

-5.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.92 PKR 255

$1.72 PKR 478

-46.51%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 PKR 1,100

$4.00 PKR 1,112

-1.00%

Cappuccino

$1.31 PKR 365

$2.00 PKR 557

-34.50%

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

$0.22 PKR 61.3

$0.43 PKR 119

-48.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 PKR 47.80

$0.22 PKR 61.1

-22.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 PKR 202

$0.94 PKR 260

-22.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 PKR 170

$0.62 PKR 173

-1.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 PKR 308

$1.21 PKR 338

-8.26%

Eggs

$1.14 PKR 316

$1.20 PKR 335

-5.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.17 PKR 1,717

$6.07 PKR 1,690

1.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.50 PKR 695

$3.39 PKR 942

-26.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.02 PKR 1,120

$4.38 PKR 1,218

-8.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 290

$1.03 PKR 287

0.97%

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 PKR 184

$0.78 PKR 216

-15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 PKR 243

$0.93 PKR 260

-6.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 136

$0.60 PKR 166

-18.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 107

$0.41 PKR 115

-7.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 PKR 116

$0.54 PKR 149

-22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 92.8

$0.34 PKR 93.3

-2.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 PKR 95.8

$0.37 PKR 103

-8.11%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.85 PKR 515

$1.93 PKR 538

-4.15%

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)

$2.03 PKR 566

$1.99 PKR 553

2.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.06 PKR 574

$2.14 PKR 596

-3.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 54.8

$0.19 PKR 52.2

5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.04 PKR 1,958

$6.90 PKR 1,921

2.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 PKR 143

$0.86 PKR 238

-40.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.44 PKR 122

-9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 PKR 384

$2.81 PKR 782

-50.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 PKR 242

$0.91 PKR 253

-4.40%

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

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

-2.62%

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

$14.3K PKR 4.0M

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

-45.32%

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

$112 PKR 31.2K

$112 PKR 31.1K

0.32%

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

$3.57 PKR 994

$5.44 PKR 1,512

-34.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.77 PKR 4,664

$18.81 PKR 5,234

-10.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$4.70 PKR 1,307

$22.19 PKR 6,174

-78.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.80 PKR 778

$6.04 PKR 1,679

-53.64%

Cinema Ticket

$3.34 PKR 930

$4.21 PKR 1,171

-20.67%

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

$16.54 PKR 4,600

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

-72.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$837 PKR 233.0K

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

-70.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.31 PKR 3,423

$21.57 PKR 5,999

-42.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 PKR 6,850

$27.63 PKR 7,686

-10.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 PKR 25.1K

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

2.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$21.32 PKR 5,932

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

-46.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$54.9 PKR 15.3K

$198 PKR 55.1K

-72.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$19.18 PKR 5,336

$112 PKR 31.1K

-82.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$115 PKR 32.1K

$513 PKR 142.6K

-77.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$55.8 PKR 15.5K

$296 PKR 82.3K

-81.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$657 PKR 182.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$237 PKR 66.0K

$387 PKR 107.8K

-38.79%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $54.9 in Gujranwala 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.

Salaries run about 63% 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: $88.0 vs $98.0 – 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, $529 in Islamabad – roughly 42% 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 $794 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 $529 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 $529 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.