Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Jaranwala Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Jaranwala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $534 per month in Islamabad vs $410 in Jaranwala, rent included.

A couple spends around $847 per month in Islamabad vs $632 in Jaranwala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,160 per month in Islamabad vs $854 in Jaranwala, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 30% more than Jaranwala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Islamabad and Jaranwala are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 60% lower, Jaranwala 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 PKR 791

$1.73 PKR 480

64.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.26 PKR 3,960

$13.90 PKR 3,860

2.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,511

$5.28 PKR 1,465

3.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 477

$1.61 PKR 447

6.83%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,061

$3.53 PKR 981

8.22%

Cappuccino

$1.97 PKR 547

$1.71 PKR 476

15.20%

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

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.34 PKR 95.2

17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 67.0

$0.21 PKR 58.3

14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 268

$0.86 PKR 238

11.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.57 PKR 157

15.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 355

$1.31 PKR 363

-2.29%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 334

$1.14 PKR 316

5.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,687

$6.21 PKR 1,726

-2.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 PKR 937

$3.26 PKR 904

3.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 PKR 1,209

$4.43 PKR 1,230

-1.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 289

$0.96 PKR 268

8.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 234

$0.68 PKR 190

23.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 PKR 253

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.51 PKR 141

9.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.33 PKR 92.4

24.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.52 PKR 144

9.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.4

$0.26 PKR 72.7

19.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.40 PKR 110

2.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 555

$1.44 PKR 401

38.89%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 258

$0.99 PKR 275

-6.06%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 567

$2.31 PKR 640

-11.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 595

$1.97 PKR 547

8.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.51

$0.19 PKR 53.0

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.22 PKR 2,005

$6.87 PKR 1,908

5.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 236

$0.86 PKR 239

-1.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.40 PKR 111

7.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PKR 775

$3.02 PKR 839

-7.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 271

$0.96 PKR 266

2.08%

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

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

17.07%

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

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

$22.6K PKR 6.3M

14.64%

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

$114 PKR 31.6K

$101 PKR 27.9K

13.08%

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

$5.41 PKR 1,501

$4.03 PKR 1,120

34.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 PKR 5,190

$16.28 PKR 4,521

14.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.13 PKR 6,144

$12.59 PKR 3,496

75.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 PKR 1,698

$5.90 PKR 1,637

3.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 PKR 1,150

$3.61 PKR 1,004

14.68%

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

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

$40.32 PKR 11.2K

49.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,753 PKR 764.4K

$964 PKR 267.8K

185.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.08 PKR 5,854

$11.51 PKR 3,197

83.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.64 PKR 7,674

$18.69 PKR 5,189

47.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

$89.7 PKR 24.9K

-2.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.94 PKR 11.4K

$29.10 PKR 8,081

40.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 PKR 55.3K

$75.9 PKR 21.1K

162.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 PKR 30.5K

$52.0 PKR 14.4K

111.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 PKR 140.1K

$164 PKR 45.6K

207.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 PKR 83.0K

$104 PKR 28.9K

187.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,513 PKR 420.1K

$920 PKR 255.5K

64.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 PKR 179.8K

$553 PKR 153.6K

17.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$385 PKR 106.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

20.17

0.15%

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

Last update for Islamabad: July 12, 2026

Last update for Jaranwala: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $199 in Islamabad versus $75.9 in Jaranwala. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Islamabad versus $14.00 in Jaranwala. Groceries tell a different story – $100 in Islamabad vs $95.0 in Jaranwala – so Jaranwala 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 Jaranwala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $801 per month in Islamabad and $615 in Jaranwala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jaranwala, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Islamabad, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Islamabad and $14.00 in Jaranwala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $534 in Islamabad and $410 in Jaranwala, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Jaranwala – 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 Jaranwala. 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.