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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $534 per month in Islamabad vs $372 in Gujranwala, rent included.

A couple spends around $847 per month in Islamabad vs $555 in Gujranwala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,160 per month in Islamabad vs $738 in Gujranwala, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 44% more than Gujranwala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Islamabad and Gujranwala are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 60% lower, Gujranwala 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 PKR 791

$0.55 PKR 152

418.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.26 PKR 3,960

$14.07 PKR 3,906

1.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,511

$5.33 PKR 1,479

2.06%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 477

$0.84 PKR 233

104.76%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,061

$3.87 PKR 1,075

-1.29%

Cappuccino

$1.97 PKR 547

$1.30 PKR 360

51.54%

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

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.20 PKR 55.5

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 67.0

$0.18 PKR 50.5

33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 268

$0.71 PKR 197

35.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.67 PKR 186

-1.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 355

$1.14 PKR 316

12.28%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 334

$1.10 PKR 304

9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,687

$6.13 PKR 1,702

-0.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 PKR 937

$2.47 PKR 685

36.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 PKR 1,209

$4.00 PKR 1,111

8.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 289

$1.00 PKR 278

4.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 234

$0.61 PKR 169

37.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.88 PKR 244

3.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.46 PKR 127

21.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.36 PKR 99.6

13.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.46 PKR 127

23.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.4

$0.31 PKR 85.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.35 PKR 97.2

17.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 555

$1.79 PKR 497

11.73%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 258

$0.87 PKR 241

6.90%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 567

$2.06 PKR 572

-0.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 595

$1.99 PKR 552

7.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.51

$0.18 PKR 50.9

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.22 PKR 2,005

$7.04 PKR 1,955

2.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 236

$0.55 PKR 153

54.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 120

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PKR 775

$1.38 PKR 384

102.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 271

$0.93 PKR 259

5.38%

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

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

$21.1K PKR 5.9M

-0.84%

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

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

$14.1K PKR 3.9M

83.75%

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

$114 PKR 31.6K

$111 PKR 30.8K

2.51%

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

$5.41 PKR 1,501

$3.60 PKR 999

50.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 PKR 5,190

$16.44 PKR 4,566

13.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.13 PKR 6,144

$4.64 PKR 1,289

376.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 PKR 1,698

$2.79 PKR 776

119.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 PKR 1,150

$3.42 PKR 951

21.05%

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

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

$17.06 PKR 4,738

252.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,753 PKR 764.4K

$859 PKR 238.5K

220.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.08 PKR 5,854

$12.61 PKR 3,502

67.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.64 PKR 7,674

$24.34 PKR 6,759

13.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

$88.5 PKR 24.6K

-0.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.94 PKR 11.4K

$21.33 PKR 5,922

91.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 PKR 55.3K

$55.2 PKR 15.3K

260.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 PKR 30.5K

$19.62 PKR 5,447

460.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 PKR 140.1K

$115 PKR 31.8K

340.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 PKR 83.0K

$56.8 PKR 15.8K

426.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,513 PKR 420.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 PKR 179.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$385 PKR 106.9K

$232 PKR 64.4K

65.93%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Gujranwala: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $199 in Islamabad versus $55.2 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 66% 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 – $100 in Islamabad vs $87.0 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: $534 in Islamabad, $372 in Gujranwala – roughly 44% apart. Islamabad costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $801 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 $534 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 $534 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.