Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Jhelum

For one person, living is cheaper in Jhelum: $397 a month against $607 in Islamabad, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in Islamabad
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Islamabad Living Index
19

Cost of Living Index in Jhelum
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Jhelum Living Index

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Islamabad

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$607

/mo nomad

Jhelum

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$397

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Islamabad and in Jhelum

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Islamabad and in Jhelum actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $607 per month in Islamabad vs $397 in Jhelum, rent included.

Islamabad $607
Jhelum $397

A couple spends around $948 per month in Islamabad vs $606 in Jhelum, rent included.

Islamabad $948
Jhelum $606

A family of three spends $1,289 per month in Islamabad vs $815 in Jhelum, rent included.

Islamabad $1,289
Jhelum $815

Islamabad costs about 53% more than Jhelum, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Islamabad and Jhelum are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 55% lower, Jhelum 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 PKR 969

$1.84 PKR 508

90.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.76 PKR 6,298

$10.86 PKR 3,004

109.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.37 PKR 1,487

$5.52 PKR 1,527

-2.72%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 PKR 991

$2.49 PKR 688

43.78%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 PKR 1,887

$2.22 PKR 613

207.21%

Cappuccino

$2.56 PKR 708

$1.52 PKR 419

68.42%

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

$0.32 PKR 87.2

$0.48 PKR 134

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.0

$0.32 PKR 89.0

-34.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 271

$0.64 PKR 176

53.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 PKR 198

$0.60 PKR 167

18.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PKR 358

$1.27 PKR 350

2.36%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 334

$1.19 PKR 329

1.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.05 PKR 1,673

$2.66 PKR 736

127.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.05 PKR 844

$2.36 PKR 654

29.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.38 PKR 1,488

$2.70 PKR 746

99.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 PKR 369

$1.10 PKR 304

20.91%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 PKR 239

$0.34 PKR 95.4

152.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 PKR 295

$0.56 PKR 156

91.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$0.63 PKR 175

-17.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.27 PKR 73.7

$0.30 PKR 83.5

-10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 107

$0.38 PKR 104

2.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 PKR 76.7

$0.41 PKR 114

-31.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 118

$0.41 PKR 112

4.88%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.99 PKR 550

$1.86 PKR 516

6.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 PKR 343

$0.56 PKR 154

121.43%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 PKR 723

$2.34 PKR 648

11.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 PKR 654

$1.42 PKR 392

66.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 45.76

$0.17 PKR 46.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 PKR 5,970

$11.33 PKR 3,136

90.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 PKR 342

$1.07 PKR 295

15.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 PKR 206

$1.10 PKR 304

-32.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 PKR 446

$2.87 PKR 793

-43.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 PKR 364

$1.18 PKR 326

11.02%

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

$54.9K PKR 15.2M

$23.6K PKR 6.5M

132.56%

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

$23.7K PKR 6.5M

$23.1K PKR 6.4M

2.43%

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

$104 PKR 28.6K

$66.2 PKR 18.3K

56.52%

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

$6.11 PKR 1,690

$5.67 PKR 1,570

7.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.21 PKR 4,762

$14.72 PKR 4,073

16.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.65 PKR 9,310

$15.48 PKR 4,282

117.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.52 PKR 2,358

$8.65 PKR 2,394

-1.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 PKR 1,359

$7.32 PKR 2,026

-32.92%

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

$326 PKR 90.1K

$26.16 PKR 7,238

1144.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,917 PKR 1.4M

$2,005 PKR 554.8K

145.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.22 PKR 7,255

$18.73 PKR 5,183

39.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.05 PKR 9,697

$26.05 PKR 7,207

34.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 PKR 27.2K

$54.9 PKR 15.2K

79.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.45 PKR 11.2K

$30.06 PKR 8,318

34.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 PKR 72.1K

$144 PKR 39.8K

81.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 PKR 38.7K

$79.7 PKR 22.0K

75.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$557 PKR 154.1K

$259 PKR 71.6K

115.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 PKR 79.5K

$160 PKR 44.2K

80.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,691 PKR 467.7K

$730 PKR 201.8K

131.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$839 PKR 232.2K

$474 PKR 131.2K

76.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$385 PKR 106.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

11.83

10.57%

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

Last update for Islamabad: October 24, 2026

Last update for Jhelum: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Islamabad

$140 23%

Jhelum

$80 20.1% 43% $60

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Islamabad

$127 20.9%

Jhelum

$87 21.8% 31.8% $40

Groceries & Markets

Islamabad

$103 17%

Jhelum

$71 17.9% 30.8% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Islamabad

$90 14.8%

Jhelum

$58 14.7% 35.1% $32

Eating Out

Islamabad

$77 12.7%

Jhelum

$53 13.3% 31.6% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Islamabad

$43 7.2%

Jhelum

$30 7.6% 30.7% $13

Getting Around

Islamabad

$27 4.5%

Jhelum

$19 4.7% 31.7% $8.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $261 in Islamabad versus $144 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 $23 in Islamabad versus $11 in Jhelum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $71 – making Jhelum the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Islamabad

🇵🇰 Jhelum

🕒 Local time

05:03 5:03 AM

Same time as Islamabad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,009,832 Capital

190,425

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.24 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.24 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 53%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $911 per month in Islamabad and $596 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $144 there versus $261 in Islamabad.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Islamabad, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23 in Islamabad and $11 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 $607 in Islamabad and $397 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 cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Jhelum is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 35% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.