Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Burewala Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Burewala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $529 in Islamabad versus $430 in Burewala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $835 in Islamabad versus $638 in Burewala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,141 in Islamabad versus $846 in Burewala.

Living in Islamabad is roughly 23% more expensive than Burewala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Islamabad 61% lower, Burewala 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 PKR 779

$2.94 PKR 817

-4.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.22 PKR 3,955

$8.91 PKR 2,480

59.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$4.18 PKR 1,162

30.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

$4.51 PKR 1,254

-61.86%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

$3.60 PKR 1,001

11.11%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 557

$1.79 PKR 498

11.73%

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

$0.43 PKR 119

$0.51 PKR 142

-15.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.1

$0.37 PKR 104

-40.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 260

$0.88 PKR 245

6.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 173

$0.79 PKR 218

-21.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 338

$2.19 PKR 610

-44.75%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 335

$0.91 PKR 253

31.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,689

$5.97 PKR 1,660

1.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 PKR 942

$3.42 PKR 951

-0.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.38 PKR 1,218

$6.86 PKR 1,910

-36.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

$1.35 PKR 376

-23.70%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 PKR 216

$0.72 PKR 201

8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 260

$0.67 PKR 187

38.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.23 PKR 63.9

160.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.23 PKR 64.3

78.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 149

$0.73 PKR 204

-26.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 93.3

$0.33 PKR 92.9

3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.35 PKR 96.7

5.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.93 PKR 537

$1.38 PKR 385

39.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 552

$2.05 PKR 571

-2.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 596

$2.12 PKR 588

0.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 52.2

$0.20 PKR 56.0

-5.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.90 PKR 1,921

$7.01 PKR 1,949

-1.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 238

$0.92 PKR 257

-6.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.40 PKR 112

10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 PKR 782

$1.75 PKR 487

60.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.93 PKR 257

-2.15%

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

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

$21.0K PKR 5.9M

2.21%

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

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

$23.2K PKR 6.5M

12.53%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

$101 PKR 28.0K

11.18%

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

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$3.97 PKR 1,103

37.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.81 PKR 5,234

$13.50 PKR 3,756

39.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.19 PKR 6,174

$12.58 PKR 3,500

76.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.04 PKR 1,679

$5.75 PKR 1,600

5.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,171

$3.59 PKR 999

17.27%

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

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

$30.34 PKR 8,440

98.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

$1,124 PKR 312.7K

149.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.57 PKR 5,999

$14.87 PKR 4,136

45.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.63 PKR 7,686

$22.06 PKR 6,136

25.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

$71.0 PKR 19.7K

24.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

$28.94 PKR 8,052

37.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 PKR 55.1K

$76.5 PKR 21.3K

158.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 PKR 31.1K

$51.7 PKR 14.4K

116.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 PKR 142.6K

$170 PKR 47.2K

201.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 PKR 82.3K

$106 PKR 29.5K

178.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

$1,119 PKR 311.2K

38.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$657 PKR 182.9K

$575 PKR 159.9K

14.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 PKR 107.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

6.32%

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

Last update for Islamabad: May 30, 2026

Last update for Burewala: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $198 in Islamabad and $76.5 in Burewala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Islamabad vs $9.00 in Burewala. Groceries flip the comparison at $98.0 vs $107, with Islamabad cheaper for home cooking.

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 23% 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 $794 in Islamabad and $646 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: $198 in Islamabad versus $76.5 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 2% less than in Islamabad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $60.3 in Islamabad versus $30.34 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 23% less than in Islamabad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.