Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Burewala

For one person, living is cheaper in Burewala: $425 a month against $599 in Islamabad, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in Islamabad
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Islamabad Living Index
22

Cost of Living Index in Burewala
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Burewala Living Index

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Islamabad

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$599

/mo nomad

Burewala

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$425

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Islamabad and in Burewala

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 Burewala actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $599 in Islamabad versus $425 in Burewala.

Islamabad $599
Burewala $425

Estimated couple costs with rent: $930 in Islamabad versus $652 in Burewala.

Islamabad $930
Burewala $652

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,261 in Islamabad versus $879 in Burewala.

Islamabad $1,261
Burewala $879

Living in Islamabad is roughly 41% more expensive than in Burewala, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Islamabad 56% lower, Burewala 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 PKR 1,004

$2.13 PKR 590

70.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.40 PKR 6,478

$10.89 PKR 3,014

114.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 PKR 1,534

$5.41 PKR 1,496

2.40%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 PKR 987

$2.76 PKR 763

29.35%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 PKR 1,864

$5.63 PKR 1,557

19.54%

Cappuccino

$2.64 PKR 730

$1.57 PKR 436

68.15%

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

$0.32 PKR 89.6

$0.33 PKR 90.5

-3.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 63.7

$0.19 PKR 53.0

21.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 259

$0.80 PKR 221

17.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 PKR 200

$0.60 PKR 165

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PKR 361

$1.13 PKR 313

15.04%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 339

$1.15 PKR 318

6.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.05 PKR 1,674

$5.73 PKR 1,587

5.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 PKR 855

$2.48 PKR 687

24.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.35 PKR 1,482

$4.83 PKR 1,335

10.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 PKR 350

$1.15 PKR 319

9.57%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 PKR 241

$0.58 PKR 159

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 288

$0.73 PKR 201

42.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 146

$0.57 PKR 157

-7.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 81.2

$0.27 PKR 73.5

7.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 99.4

$0.35 PKR 97.6

2.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 PKR 76.4

$0.40 PKR 111

-30.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 PKR 108

$0.37 PKR 103

5.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.95 PKR 539

$1.78 PKR 492

9.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 PKR 331

$1.03 PKR 284

15.53%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 PKR 743

$2.34 PKR 646

14.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.24 PKR 619

$1.96 PKR 542

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.07

$0.17 PKR 46.77

-5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.34 PKR 5,905

$10.90 PKR 3,017

95.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 PKR 344

$1.02 PKR 283

21.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 PKR 204

$0.69 PKR 191

7.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 PKR 442

$1.74 PKR 481

-8.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 PKR 378

$1.03 PKR 285

33.01%

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

$54.5K PKR 15.1M

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

152.40%

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

$23.9K PKR 6.6M

$22.7K PKR 6.3M

4.87%

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

$103 PKR 28.6K

$87.1 PKR 24.1K

18.61%

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

$5.99 PKR 1,658

$5.60 PKR 1,551

6.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.15 PKR 4,746

$16.27 PKR 4,502

5.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.20 PKR 7,806

$15.51 PKR 4,292

81.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.47 PKR 2,344

$7.36 PKR 2,038

15.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.43 PKR 1,226

$4.14 PKR 1,146

7.00%

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

$75.7 PKR 20.9K

$39.87 PKR 11.0K

89.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,004 PKR 1.4M

$950 PKR 263.0K

426.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.72 PKR 7,118

$18.52 PKR 5,125

38.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.48 PKR 9,543

$22.42 PKR 6,206

53.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 PKR 26.4K

$69.4 PKR 19.2K

37.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.32 PKR 11.4K

$32.90 PKR 9,104

25.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 PKR 76.5K

$130 PKR 35.9K

112.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 PKR 38.3K

$67.6 PKR 18.7K

105.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 PKR 158.2K

$260 PKR 71.9K

119.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 PKR 74.9K

$156 PKR 43.1K

73.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,629 PKR 450.8K

$1,059 PKR 293.2K

53.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$836 PKR 231.5K

$511 PKR 141.4K

63.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$380 PKR 105.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

0.62%

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

Last update for Islamabad: October 10, 2026

Last update for Burewala: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Islamabad

$139 23.1%

Burewala

$68 15.9% 51.2% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Islamabad

$126 21.1%

Burewala

$109 25.7% 13.8% $17

Groceries & Markets

Islamabad

$102 17%

Burewala

$90 21.1% 12.2% $12

Clothing & Footwear

Islamabad

$89 14.8%

Burewala

$64 15.2% 27.3% $24

Eating Out

Islamabad

$80 13.3%

Burewala

$54 12.8% 31.8% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Islamabad

$37 6.2%

Burewala

$24 5.6% 35.8% $13

Getting Around

Islamabad

$27 4.5%

Burewala

$16 3.8% 40.3% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $276 in Islamabad and $130 in Burewala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Islamabad vs $11.00 in Burewala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $102 vs $90.0 per month, with Burewala cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Islamabad

🇵🇰 Burewala

🕒 Local time

05:32 5:32 AM

Same time as Islamabad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,009,832 Capital

231,797

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Islamabad
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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

Islamabad vs Burewala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Burewala wins on cost – living expenses run 41% lower than in Islamabad. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Burewala the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $899 in Islamabad and $637 in Burewala 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: $276 in Islamabad versus $130 in Burewala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Burewala runs roughly 96% less than in Islamabad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $75.7 in Islamabad versus $39.87 in Burewala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Burewala 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 Burewala are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Burewala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Islamabad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.