Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Bahawalnagar

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.

29

Cost of Living Index in Islamabad
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Islamabad Living Index
24

Cost of Living Index in Bahawalnagar
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Bahawalnagar Living Index

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Islamabad

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$608

/mo nomad

Bahawalnagar

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$509

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Islamabad and in Bahawalnagar

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Islamabad and in Bahawalnagar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

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

Islamabad $608
Bahawalnagar $509

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

Islamabad $950
Bahawalnagar $765

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

Islamabad $1,292
Bahawalnagar $1,022

Living in Islamabad is roughly 20% more expensive than in Bahawalnagar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 PKR 986

$2.54 PKR 703

40.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.14 PKR 6,672

$14.66 PKR 4,052

64.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.37 PKR 1,483

$5.84 PKR 1,613

-8.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.73 PKR 1,030

$3.72 PKR 1,027

0.27%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.04 PKR 1,947

$5.30 PKR 1,466

32.83%

Cappuccino

$2.67 PKR 739

$2.62 PKR 724

1.91%

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

$0.35 PKR 95.6

$0.40 PKR 111

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.6

$0.24 PKR 65.9

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 PKR 273

$0.92 PKR 254

7.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 PKR 203

$0.73 PKR 201

1.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PKR 358

$1.24 PKR 342

4.03%

Eggs

$1.32 PKR 366

$1.20 PKR 331

10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.97 PKR 1,651

$6.34 PKR 1,753

-5.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 PKR 837

$2.54 PKR 703

19.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.52 PKR 1,526

$4.76 PKR 1,316

15.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 PKR 373

$1.24 PKR 342

8.87%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 PKR 238

$0.69 PKR 192

24.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 286

$0.88 PKR 244

18.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 151

$0.63 PKR 175

-12.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 PKR 83.3

$0.29 PKR 79.4

3.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.38 PKR 106

5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 PKR 77.0

$0.45 PKR 124

-37.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 118

$0.38 PKR 104

13.16%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 551

$1.10 PKR 304

81.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 PKR 346

$0.60 PKR 166

108.33%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 PKR 729

$1.74 PKR 480

51.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 PKR 652

$2.19 PKR 606

7.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.15

$0.17 PKR 47.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.61 PKR 5,972

$10.07 PKR 2,783

114.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 PKR 355

$0.88 PKR 243

45.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 PKR 193

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 PKR 456

$1.80 PKR 496

-8.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 PKR 369

$1.34 PKR 371

-0.75%

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

$54.3K PKR 15.0M

$17.9K PKR 4.9M

203.45%

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

$23.1K PKR 6.4M

$24.1K PKR 6.7M

-4.18%

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

$103 PKR 28.4K

$126 PKR 34.9K

-18.48%

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

$6.17 PKR 1,705

$5.43 PKR 1,500

13.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.36 PKR 4,798

$16.59 PKR 4,586

4.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.65 PKR 9,300

$14.93 PKR 4,127

125.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.62 PKR 2,382

$8.32 PKR 2,299

3.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 PKR 1,375

$4.23 PKR 1,170

17.49%

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

$326 PKR 90.1K

$74.8 PKR 20.7K

335.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K PKR 6.2M

$2,060 PKR 569.2K

988.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.82 PKR 7,136

$18.08 PKR 4,996

42.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.52 PKR 9,539

$27.39 PKR 7,569

26.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 PKR 26.4K

$74.9 PKR 20.7K

27.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.07 PKR 11.4K

$32.66 PKR 9,027

25.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$248 PKR 68.5K

$137 PKR 37.8K

81.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 PKR 38.5K

$84.0 PKR 23.2K

65.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$549 PKR 151.6K

$270 PKR 74.6K

103.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 PKR 77.4K

$179 PKR 49.6K

56.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,655 PKR 457.5K

$816 PKR 225.6K

102.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$825 PKR 227.9K

$504 PKR 139.2K

63.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$384 PKR 106.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

14.05

-6.90%

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

Last update for Islamabad: November 1, 2026

Last update for Bahawalnagar: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Islamabad

$139 22.9%

Bahawalnagar

$84 16.5% 39.7% $55

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Islamabad

$126 20.8%

Bahawalnagar

$148 29.1% 17.2% $22

Groceries & Markets

Islamabad

$104 17.1%

Bahawalnagar

$97 19.1% 6.6% $6.8

Clothing & Footwear

Islamabad

$89 14.6%

Bahawalnagar

$69 13.5% 22.3% $20

Eating Out

Islamabad

$79 13%

Bahawalnagar

$72 14.1% 9.1% $7.2

Sport & Entertainment

Islamabad

$44 7.2%

Bahawalnagar

$23 4.6% 46.3% $20

Getting Around

Islamabad

$27 4.5%

Bahawalnagar

$15 3% 44.1% $12

Cost Breakdown

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

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

Good to know

🇵🇰 Islamabad

🇵🇰 Bahawalnagar

🕒 Local time

15:49 3:49 PM

Same time as Islamabad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,009,832 Capital

161,033

💱 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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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

Islamabad vs Bahawalnagar: 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 $912 in Islamabad and $763 in Bahawalnagar 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: $248 in Islamabad versus $137 in Bahawalnagar. 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 $326 in Islamabad versus $75 in Bahawalnagar. 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, Islamabad and Bahawalnagar 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.