Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Mandi Bahauddin Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Mandi Bahauddin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $532 per month in Islamabad vs $335 in Mandi Bahauddin, rent included.

A couple spends around $834 per month in Islamabad vs $519 in Mandi Bahauddin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,136 per month in Islamabad vs $704 in Mandi Bahauddin, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 59% more than Mandi Bahauddin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Islamabad and Mandi Bahauddin are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 60% lower, Mandi Bahauddin 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.89 PKR 803

$1.75 PKR 487

65.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.11 PKR 3,916

$8.92 PKR 2,475

58.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.43 PKR 1,508

$3.43 PKR 953

58.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 PKR 488

$2.87 PKR 797

-38.68%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 PKR 1,051

$4.79 PKR 1,330

-20.88%

Cappuccino

$1.98 PKR 550

$1.04 PKR 289

90.38%

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

$0.39 PKR 108

$0.33 PKR 91.9

18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.8

$0.22 PKR 60.7

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 PKR 284

$0.70 PKR 194

45.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 172

$0.40 PKR 112

55.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 339

$1.26 PKR 350

-3.17%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 338

$1.20 PKR 334

1.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.04 PKR 1,677

$6.00 PKR 1,664

0.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 PKR 936

$2.70 PKR 748

24.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.47 PKR 1,239

$3.18 PKR 882

40.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 PKR 278

$0.98 PKR 273

2.04%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 233

$0.59 PKR 164

42.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 259

$0.65 PKR 181

43.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 157

$0.53 PKR 147

7.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.37 PKR 104

10.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 160

$0.50 PKR 140

16.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 91.8

$0.63 PKR 175

-47.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 104

$0.42 PKR 117

-11.90%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.90 PKR 528

$0.97 PKR 269

95.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 PKR 236

$0.74 PKR 204

14.86%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 PKR 543

$2.02 PKR 562

-2.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.10 PKR 584

$1.88 PKR 521

11.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.35

$0.20 PKR 54.3

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.18 PKR 1,993

$7.17 PKR 1,990

0.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 PKR 233

$1.08 PKR 299

-22.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.53 PKR 147

-16.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 PKR 796

$1.81 PKR 502

58.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 PKR 257

$0.99 PKR 276

-6.06%

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

$21.1K PKR 5.9M

$22.4K PKR 6.2M

-5.97%

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

$26.3K PKR 7.3M

$21.0K PKR 5.8M

25.12%

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

$113 PKR 31.4K

$58.7 PKR 16.3K

92.39%

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

$5.39 PKR 1,495

$3.82 PKR 1,061

41.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.61 PKR 5,165

$12.95 PKR 3,594

43.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.80 PKR 6,329

$12.48 PKR 3,465

82.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.02 PKR 1,671

$6.08 PKR 1,687

-0.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 PKR 1,209

$3.47 PKR 964

25.36%

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

$60.5 PKR 16.8K

$28.69 PKR 7,962

110.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,790 PKR 774.2K

$1,142 PKR 316.9K

144.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.18 PKR 5,878

$16.05 PKR 4,455

31.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.13 PKR 7,806

$21.67 PKR 6,014

29.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 PKR 25.0K

$61.3 PKR 17.0K

46.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.15 PKR 11.1K

$26.36 PKR 7,316

52.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 PKR 54.8K

$74.9 PKR 20.8K

163.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 PKR 30.5K

$51.5 PKR 14.3K

113.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 PKR 142.4K

$166 PKR 46.0K

209.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 PKR 83.1K

$106 PKR 29.3K

183.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,569 PKR 435.5K

$915 PKR 253.8K

71.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 PKR 179.5K

$500 PKR 138.8K

29.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 PKR 107.5K

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 27, 2026

Last update for Mandi Bahauddin: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $197 in Islamabad versus $74.9 in Mandi Bahauddin. 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 $9.00 in Mandi Bahauddin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $99.0 vs $85.0 – making Mandi Bahauddin 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 Mandi Bahauddin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 59%, 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 $798 per month in Islamabad and $502 in Mandi Bahauddin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $9.00 in Mandi Bahauddin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $532 in Islamabad and $335 in Mandi Bahauddin, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Mandi Bahauddin – 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 Mandi Bahauddin. 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.