Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Jhelum Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Jhelum

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $529 per month in Islamabad vs $325 in Jhelum, rent included.

A couple spends around $835 per month in Islamabad vs $512 in Jhelum, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,141 per month in Islamabad vs $700 in Jhelum, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 63% more than Jhelum, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Islamabad and Jhelum are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 61% lower, Jhelum 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 PKR 779

$1.78 PKR 496

57.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.22 PKR 3,955

$10.47 PKR 2,911

35.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$3.58 PKR 996

51.96%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

$2.90 PKR 806

-40.69%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

$4.90 PKR 1,363

-18.37%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 557

$1.51 PKR 419

32.45%

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

$0.43 PKR 119

$0.33 PKR 91.9

30.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.1

$0.24 PKR 67.0

-8.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 260

$0.56 PKR 156

67.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 173

$0.59 PKR 165

5.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 338

$1.26 PKR 351

-3.97%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 335

$1.15 PKR 320

4.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,689

$5.06 PKR 1,408

19.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 PKR 942

$2.38 PKR 662

42.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.38 PKR 1,218

$3.07 PKR 854

42.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 PKR 216

$0.54 PKR 151

44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 260

$0.63 PKR 175

47.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.51 PKR 142

17.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.35 PKR 96.9

17.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 149

$0.55 PKR 154

-1.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 93.3

$0.19 PKR 51.5

78.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.22 PKR 61.2

68.18%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.93 PKR 537

$1.01 PKR 282

91.09%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

$0.73 PKR 204

23.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 552

$1.98 PKR 550

0.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 596

$0.84 PKR 235

154.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 52.2

$0.18 PKR 51.0

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.90 PKR 1,920

$6.92 PKR 1,924

-0.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 238

$1.07 PKR 299

-19.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.53 PKR 148

-16.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 PKR 782

$1.79 PKR 497

56.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.97 PKR 269

-6.19%

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

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

$22.2K PKR 6.2M

-3.20%

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

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

25.53%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

$52.9 PKR 14.7K

111.15%

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

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$2.87 PKR 799

89.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.81 PKR 5,234

$13.02 PKR 3,623

44.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.19 PKR 6,174

$12.58 PKR 3,500

76.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.04 PKR 1,679

$5.85 PKR 1,628

3.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,171

$3.44 PKR 957

22.38%

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

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

$17.79 PKR 4,950

238.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

$1,111 PKR 309.1K

152.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.57 PKR 5,999

$16.17 PKR 4,498

33.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.63 PKR 7,685

$22.32 PKR 6,210

23.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

$59.8 PKR 16.6K

47.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

$26.22 PKR 7,294

52.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 PKR 55.1K

$74.5 PKR 20.7K

165.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 PKR 31.1K

$52.4 PKR 14.6K

113.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 PKR 142.6K

$164 PKR 45.5K

213.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 PKR 82.3K

$108 PKR 29.9K

175.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

$851 PKR 236.6K

82.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$657 PKR 182.9K

$454 PKR 126.3K

44.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 PKR 107.8K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Jhelum: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $198 in Islamabad versus $74.5 in Jhelum. 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 $10.00 in Jhelum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $98.0 vs $76.0 – making Jhelum 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 Jhelum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 63%, 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 $794 per month in Islamabad and $487 in Jhelum. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 28% 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 $10.00 in Jhelum. 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 $529 in Islamabad and $325 in Jhelum, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Jhelum – 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 Jhelum. 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.