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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $534 per month in Islamabad vs $324 in Jhelum, rent included.

A couple spends around $847 per month in Islamabad vs $510 in Jhelum, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,160 per month in Islamabad vs $696 in Jhelum, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 65% more than Jhelum, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Islamabad and Jhelum are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 60% lower, Jhelum 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 PKR 791

$1.73 PKR 481

64.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.26 PKR 3,960

$10.43 PKR 2,895

36.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,511

$3.61 PKR 1,001

50.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 477

$2.88 PKR 800

-40.28%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,061

$4.69 PKR 1,303

-18.55%

Cappuccino

$1.97 PKR 547

$1.50 PKR 417

31.33%

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

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.31 PKR 86.0

29.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 67.0

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 268

$0.61 PKR 170

57.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.59 PKR 164

11.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 355

$1.29 PKR 359

-0.78%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 334

$1.19 PKR 331

0.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,687

$5.15 PKR 1,431

17.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 PKR 937

$2.44 PKR 679

38.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 PKR 1,209

$3.05 PKR 848

42.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 289

$0.98 PKR 272

6.12%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 234

$0.58 PKR 162

44.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.62 PKR 172

46.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.51 PKR 141

9.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.38 PKR 104

7.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.54 PKR 150

5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.4

$0.20 PKR 54.4

55.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.24 PKR 66.8

70.83%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 555

$0.95 PKR 263

110.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 258

$0.68 PKR 189

36.76%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 567

$2.05 PKR 570

-0.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 595

$0.85 PKR 235

151.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.51

$0.17 PKR 46.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.22 PKR 2,006

$7.16 PKR 1,988

0.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 236

$1.09 PKR 302

-22.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.49 PKR 135

-12.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PKR 775

$1.74 PKR 482

60.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 271

$0.97 PKR 270

1.03%

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

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

$21.7K PKR 6.0M

-3.59%

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

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

21.25%

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

$114 PKR 31.6K

$52.2 PKR 14.5K

117.86%

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

$5.41 PKR 1,501

$2.79 PKR 775

93.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 PKR 5,190

$12.93 PKR 3,591

44.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.13 PKR 6,144

$12.36 PKR 3,433

79.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 PKR 1,699

$5.90 PKR 1,637

3.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 PKR 1,150

$3.45 PKR 958

20.00%

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

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

$17.80 PKR 4,942

238.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,753 PKR 764.5K

$1,152 PKR 319.8K

139.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.08 PKR 5,854

$16.09 PKR 4,469

31.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.64 PKR 7,674

$22.13 PKR 6,145

24.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

$60.1 PKR 16.7K

46.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.94 PKR 11.4K

$25.89 PKR 7,189

58.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 PKR 55.3K

$75.5 PKR 21.0K

163.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 PKR 30.5K

$51.4 PKR 14.3K

114.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 PKR 140.1K

$165 PKR 45.8K

205.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 PKR 83.0K

$104 PKR 28.9K

186.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,513 PKR 420.1K

$899 PKR 249.7K

68.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 PKR 179.8K

$543 PKR 150.7K

19.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$385 PKR 106.9K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Jhelum: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $199 in Islamabad versus $75.5 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: $100 vs $78.0 – 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 65%, 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 $801 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 27% 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 $534 in Islamabad and $324 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.