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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $529 per month in Islamabad vs $372 in Gujranwala, rent included.

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

A family of three spends $1,141 per month in Islamabad vs $753 in Gujranwala, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 42% more than Gujranwala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Islamabad and Gujranwala are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 61% lower, Gujranwala 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 PKR 779

$0.54 PKR 151

418.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.22 PKR 3,955

$13.89 PKR 3,863

2.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$5.15 PKR 1,433

5.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

$0.92 PKR 255

86.96%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

$3.96 PKR 1,100

1.01%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 557

$1.31 PKR 365

52.67%

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

$0.43 PKR 119

$0.22 PKR 61.3

95.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.1

$0.17 PKR 47.80

29.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 260

$0.73 PKR 202

28.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 173

$0.61 PKR 170

1.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 338

$1.11 PKR 308

9.01%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 335

$1.14 PKR 316

5.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,689

$6.17 PKR 1,717

-1.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 PKR 942

$2.50 PKR 695

35.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.38 PKR 1,218

$4.02 PKR 1,120

8.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

$1.04 PKR 290

-0.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 PKR 216

$0.66 PKR 184

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 260

$0.87 PKR 243

6.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.49 PKR 136

22.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.38 PKR 107

7.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 149

$0.42 PKR 116

28.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 93.3

$0.33 PKR 92.8

3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.34 PKR 95.8

8.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.93 PKR 537

$1.85 PKR 515

4.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

$0.88 PKR 244

2.27%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 552

$2.03 PKR 566

-1.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 596

$2.06 PKR 574

3.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 52.2

$0.20 PKR 54.8

-5.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.90 PKR 1,920

$7.04 PKR 1,958

-1.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 238

$0.51 PKR 143

68.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.40 PKR 111

10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 PKR 782

$1.38 PKR 384

103.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.87 PKR 242

4.60%

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

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

2.69%

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

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

$14.3K PKR 4.0M

82.87%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

$112 PKR 31.2K

-0.32%

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

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$3.57 PKR 994

52.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.81 PKR 5,234

$16.77 PKR 4,664

12.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.19 PKR 6,174

$4.70 PKR 1,306

372.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.04 PKR 1,679

$2.80 PKR 778

115.71%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,171

$3.34 PKR 930

26.05%

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

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

$16.54 PKR 4,600

264.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

$837 PKR 232.9K

234.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.57 PKR 5,999

$12.31 PKR 3,423

75.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.63 PKR 7,685

$24.62 PKR 6,849

12.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

$90.1 PKR 25.1K

-2.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

$21.32 PKR 5,932

87.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 PKR 55.1K

$54.9 PKR 15.3K

260.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 PKR 31.1K

$19.18 PKR 5,336

482.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 PKR 142.6K

$115 PKR 32.1K

344.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 PKR 82.3K

$55.8 PKR 15.5K

430.29%

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)

$387 PKR 107.8K

$237 PKR 66.0K

63.38%

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 Islamabad: May 30, 2026

Last update for Gujranwala: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $198 in Islamabad versus $54.9 in Gujranwala. 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 Islamabad versus $14.00 in Gujranwala. Groceries tell a different story – $98.0 in Islamabad vs $88.0 in Gujranwala – so Gujranwala wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Gujranwala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $529 in Islamabad, $372 in Gujranwala – roughly 42% apart. Islamabad costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $794 per month in Islamabad and $557 in Gujranwala. 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 Islamabad and $14.00 in Gujranwala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $529 in Islamabad and $372 in Gujranwala. 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 $529 in Islamabad and $372 in Gujranwala, 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.