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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $589 per month in Islamabad vs $502 in Jaranwala, rent included.

A couple spends around $918 per month in Islamabad vs $736 in Jaranwala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,246 per month in Islamabad vs $970 in Jaranwala, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 17% more than Jaranwala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Islamabad and Jaranwala are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 57% lower, Jaranwala 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 PKR 990

$2.01 PKR 557

77.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.74 PKR 6,309

$15.95 PKR 4,424

42.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 PKR 1,517

$5.86 PKR 1,626

-6.66%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 PKR 986

$1.75 PKR 486

102.86%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 PKR 1,862

$3.41 PKR 945

96.77%

Cappuccino

$2.39 PKR 663

$1.95 PKR 541

22.56%

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

$0.32 PKR 90.0

$0.43 PKR 120

-25.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.8

$0.23 PKR 63.5

-4.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 PKR 275

$0.91 PKR 253

8.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 PKR 220

$0.54 PKR 151

46.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 354

$1.21 PKR 337

5.79%

Eggs

$1.28 PKR 356

$1.12 PKR 310

14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 PKR 1,695

$6.05 PKR 1,679

0.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 PKR 849

$3.49 PKR 969

-12.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.12 PKR 1,421

$5.10 PKR 1,415

0.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 PKR 371

$1.16 PKR 321

15.52%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 232

$0.86 PKR 238

-2.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 282

$1.21 PKR 337

-15.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$0.57 PKR 159

-14.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 81.2

$0.36 PKR 99.4

-19.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 90.4

$0.45 PKR 124

-26.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.29 PKR 80.8

$0.34 PKR 93.0

-14.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.39 PKR 109

-2.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.90 PKR 528

$1.81 PKR 502

4.97%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PKR 383

$1.14 PKR 316

21.05%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 PKR 652

$2.33 PKR 645

0.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 PKR 632

$1.99 PKR 553

14.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 44.31

$0.17 PKR 46.49

-5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PKR 5,889

$8.60 PKR 2,386

146.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 PKR 353

$0.87 PKR 241

45.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 PKR 191

$0.36 PKR 100

91.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 PKR 459

$1.59 PKR 442

3.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 PKR 365

$1.12 PKR 312

17.86%

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

$53.9K PKR 15.0M

$17.7K PKR 4.9M

205.24%

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

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

$24.4K PKR 6.8M

2.91%

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

$102 PKR 28.3K

$113 PKR 31.4K

-9.83%

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

$5.83 PKR 1,618

$5.78 PKR 1,604

0.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.34 PKR 4,534

$18.82 PKR 5,221

-13.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.09 PKR 8,071

$14.40 PKR 3,996

102.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.93 PKR 2,478

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 PKR 1,390

$4.39 PKR 1,217

14.12%

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

$75.0 PKR 20.8K

$49.67 PKR 13.8K

51.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

$832 PKR 230.8K

511.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.55 PKR 6,532

$20.90 PKR 5,797

12.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.68 PKR 9,066

$28.12 PKR 7,802

16.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 PKR 23.2K

$91.9 PKR 25.5K

-9.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.29 PKR 10.9K

$36.90 PKR 10.2K

6.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 PKR 76.8K

$141 PKR 39.2K

95.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$144 PKR 40.0K

$71.8 PKR 19.9K

101.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 PKR 160.1K

$280 PKR 77.7K

105.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 PKR 73.9K

$130 PKR 36.1K

104.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,635 PKR 453.5K

$913 PKR 253.3K

79.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$829 PKR 230.1K

$507 PKR 140.8K

63.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$381 PKR 105.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

22.81

-42.66%

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

Last update for Islamabad: August 30, 2026

Last update for Jaranwala: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $277 in Islamabad versus $141 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 $23.00 in Islamabad versus $16.00 in Jaranwala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $101 – making Jaranwala the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 17%, 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 $884 per month in Islamabad and $753 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 1% 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 $23.00 in Islamabad and $16.00 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 $589 in Islamabad and $502 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.