Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Gujrat

For one person, living is cheaper in Gujrat: $396 a month against $602 in Islamabad, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 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
19

Cost of Living Index in Gujrat
Learn more

Gujrat Living Index

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Islamabad

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$602

/mo nomad

Gujrat

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$396

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Islamabad and in Gujrat

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $602 in Islamabad versus $396 in Gujrat.

Islamabad $602
Gujrat $396

Estimated couple costs with rent: $937 in Islamabad versus $597 in Gujrat.

Islamabad $937
Gujrat $597

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,272 in Islamabad versus $797 in Gujrat.

Islamabad $1,272
Gujrat $797

Living in Islamabad is roughly 52% more expensive than in Gujrat, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Islamabad 56% lower, Gujrat 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.52 PKR 975

$1.83 PKR 506

92.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.86 PKR 6,326

$10.82 PKR 2,995

111.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.27 PKR 1,458

$5.36 PKR 1,482

-1.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 PKR 1,030

$2.58 PKR 715

44.19%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.70 PKR 1,855

$2.11 PKR 584

217.54%

Cappuccino

$2.63 PKR 727

$0.71 PKR 196

270.42%

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

$0.33 PKR 90.5

$0.28 PKR 76.9

17.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.1

$0.16 PKR 44.17

31.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 PKR 262

$0.83 PKR 230

14.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 PKR 216

$0.51 PKR 142

52.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PKR 358

$1.20 PKR 331

7.50%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 335

$1.18 PKR 328

2.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.32 PKR 1,748

$5.34 PKR 1,478

18.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.14 PKR 869

$2.51 PKR 694

25.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.51 PKR 1,525

$4.01 PKR 1,109

37.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 PKR 351

$1.05 PKR 290

20.95%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 PKR 227

$0.61 PKR 169

34.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 PKR 295

$0.61 PKR 169

75.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.63 PKR 176

-12.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.27 PKR 74.4

$0.15 PKR 42.55

80.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.34 PKR 94.9

11.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.30 PKR 83.7

$0.16 PKR 43.32

87.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.43 PKR 119

-6.98%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.99 PKR 550

$0.57 PKR 157

249.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 PKR 328

$0.57 PKR 157

108.77%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 PKR 718

$0.69 PKR 192

275.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.31 PKR 639

$1.48 PKR 410

56.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 54.2

$0.17 PKR 46.94

17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.41 PKR 5,925

$9.90 PKR 2,739

116.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 PKR 346

$0.74 PKR 205

68.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 PKR 194

$1.06 PKR 293

-33.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 PKR 440

$2.74 PKR 759

-41.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 PKR 377

$0.90 PKR 250

51.11%

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

$54.4K PKR 15.1M

$23.2K PKR 6.4M

134.88%

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

$23.5K PKR 6.5M

$23.4K PKR 6.5M

0.65%

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

$100 PKR 27.8K

$66.7 PKR 18.5K

50.57%

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

$6.12 PKR 1,694

$5.69 PKR 1,576

7.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.33 PKR 4,795

$14.22 PKR 3,936

21.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.40 PKR 7,861

$13.28 PKR 3,676

113.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.87 PKR 2,456

$7.77 PKR 2,152

14.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 PKR 1,335

$7.27 PKR 2,012

-33.70%

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

$73.6 PKR 20.4K

$26.09 PKR 7,221

181.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,109 PKR 1.4M

$1,985 PKR 549.5K

157.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.32 PKR 7,284

$19.34 PKR 5,352

36.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.60 PKR 9,854

$26.32 PKR 7,285

35.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 PKR 27.2K

$54.8 PKR 15.2K

78.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.95 PKR 11.3K

$29.58 PKR 8,186

38.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 PKR 74.4K

$123 PKR 34.2K

117.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 PKR 38.9K

$80.4 PKR 22.2K

74.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 PKR 159.8K

$241 PKR 66.8K

139.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 PKR 77.2K

$139 PKR 38.6K

100.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,679 PKR 464.8K

$884 PKR 244.8K

89.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$847 PKR 234.4K

$473 PKR 130.8K

79.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$388 PKR 107.4K

$252 PKR 69.7K

54.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

18.91%

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

Last update for Islamabad: October 19, 2026

Last update for Gujrat: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Islamabad

$141 23.4%

Gujrat

$80 20.3% 42.8% $60

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Islamabad

$124 20.6%

Gujrat

$87 21.9% 30.1% $37

Groceries & Markets

Islamabad

$104 17.3%

Gujrat

$85 21.5% 18.5% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Islamabad

$90 15%

Gujrat

$59 14.8% 35.3% $32

Eating Out

Islamabad

$78 12.9%

Gujrat

$41 10.3% 47.3% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Islamabad

$38 6.3%

Gujrat

$28 7% 26.9% $10

Getting Around

Islamabad

$27 4.5%

Gujrat

$17 4.2% 38.4% $10

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $269 in Islamabad and $123 in Gujrat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Islamabad pays 54% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $23.00 in Islamabad vs $11.00 in Gujrat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $104 vs $85.0 per month, with Gujrat cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Islamabad

🇵🇰 Gujrat

🕒 Local time

00:14 12:14 AM

Same time as Islamabad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,009,832 Capital

390,533

💱 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 Gujrat 160 km

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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 Gujrat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Islamabad and Gujrat differ by about 52% in total monthly costs ($602 vs $396 including rent). Gujrat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 54% higher in Islamabad, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $269 in Islamabad versus $123 in Gujrat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Gujrat – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $23.00 in Islamabad. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $602 per month in Islamabad versus $396 in Gujrat – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Gujrat 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 Gujrat 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 Gujrat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Islamabad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.