Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Jhang Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Jhang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $537 per month in Islamabad vs $370 in Jhang, rent included.

A couple spends around $845 per month in Islamabad vs $581 in Jhang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,154 per month in Islamabad vs $791 in Jhang, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 45% more than Jhang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.76 PKR 769

$1.73 PKR 480

59.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.32 PKR 3,980

$14.36 PKR 3,993

-0.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.23 PKR 1,454

$3.49 PKR 970

49.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 488

$2.77 PKR 769

-36.82%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 PKR 1,096

$3.64 PKR 1,011

8.24%

Cappuccino

$2.08 PKR 578

$2.39 PKR 663

-12.97%

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

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.36 PKR 99.0

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 67.1

$0.21 PKR 58.4

14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 PKR 277

$0.57 PKR 160

75.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 PKR 174

$0.58 PKR 161

8.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 PKR 351

$1.20 PKR 334

5.00%

Eggs

$1.26 PKR 351

$1.05 PKR 291

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.28 PKR 1,747

$6.13 PKR 1,705

2.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 PKR 942

$3.07 PKR 852

10.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.34 PKR 1,206

$4.40 PKR 1,222

-1.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

$1.03 PKR 286

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 233

$0.60 PKR 165

40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 PKR 249

$0.58 PKR 161

55.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 165

$0.47 PKR 131

27.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 108

$0.36 PKR 98.8

8.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 150

$0.52 PKR 144

3.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 86.2

$0.47 PKR 131

-34.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.34 PKR 94.1

20.59%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 555

$0.89 PKR 246

124.72%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 259

$0.51 PKR 143

82.35%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 PKR 545

$1.08 PKR 300

81.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.06 PKR 573

$0.80 PKR 221

157.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.81

$0.20 PKR 56.5

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.05 PKR 1,960

$7.21 PKR 2,004

-2.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 PKR 251

$0.74 PKR 206

21.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.53 PKR 148

-24.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 PKR 793

$1.79 PKR 498

59.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 273

$0.88 PKR 246

11.36%

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

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

$17.7K PKR 4.9M

17.48%

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

$26.0K PKR 7.2M

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

13.25%

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

$112 PKR 31.2K

$69.8 PKR 19.4K

60.96%

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

$5.37 PKR 1,492

$4.01 PKR 1,114

33.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.53 PKR 5,152

$10.57 PKR 2,940

75.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.84 PKR 6,351

$12.44 PKR 3,459

83.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.01 PKR 1,670

$6.06 PKR 1,684

-0.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.17 PKR 1,158

$3.61 PKR 1,003

15.51%

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

$59.2 PKR 16.5K

$16.19 PKR 4,500

265.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,812 PKR 781.8K

$1,243 PKR 345.5K

126.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.16 PKR 5,883

$14.94 PKR 4,153

41.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.15 PKR 7,827

$21.13 PKR 5,876

33.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 PKR 25.0K

$73.2 PKR 20.4K

22.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.45 PKR 11.0K

$30.59 PKR 8,506

28.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 PKR 54.7K

$73.9 PKR 20.5K

166.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 PKR 31.1K

$52.3 PKR 14.5K

114.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 PKR 143.1K

$168 PKR 46.7K

206.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 PKR 82.9K

$105 PKR 29.2K

183.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,513 PKR 420.5K

$874 PKR 242.9K

73.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$637 PKR 177.2K

$479 PKR 133.2K

33.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$382 PKR 106.2K

$142 PKR 39.3K

169.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

12.22%

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

Last update for Islamabad: June 15, 2026

Last update for Jhang: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $197 in Islamabad versus $73.9 in Jhang. 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 170% 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 Jhang. Groceries tell a different story – $100 in Islamabad vs $89.0 in Jhang – so Jhang 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 Jhang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 45%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $805 per month in Islamabad and $555 in Jhang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 13% 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 Jhang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $537 in Islamabad and $370 in Jhang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Jhang – 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 Jhang. 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.