Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Mandi Bahauddin

For one person, living is cheaper in Mandi Bahauddin: $417 a month against $608 in Islamabad, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Islamabad, Pakistan
Mandi Bahauddin, Pakistan
Islamabad
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$608
/mo nomad
Mandi Bahauddin
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$417
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Islamabad and in Mandi Bahauddin

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 Mandi Bahauddin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $608 per month in Islamabad vs $417 in Mandi Bahauddin, rent included.

  • Islamabad $608
  • Mandi Bahauddin $417

A couple spends around $950 per month in Islamabad vs $640 in Mandi Bahauddin, rent included.

  • Islamabad $950
  • Mandi Bahauddin $640

A family of three spends $1,292 per month in Islamabad vs $863 in Mandi Bahauddin, rent included.

  • Islamabad $1,292
  • Mandi Bahauddin $863

Islamabad costs about 46% more than Mandi Bahauddin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Islamabad and Mandi Bahauddin are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 55% lower, Mandi Bahauddin 69% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Islamabad
Mandi Bahauddin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.57 PKR 986
$1.83 PKR 505
95.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.14 PKR 6,673
$9.00 PKR 2,487
168.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.37 PKR 1,483
$4.29 PKR 1,185
25.17%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.73 PKR 1,030
$2.59 PKR 716
44.02%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.04 PKR 1,947
$2.19 PKR 606
221.46%
Cappuccino
$2.67 PKR 739
$1.10 PKR 303
142.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 PKR 95.6
$0.41 PKR 114
-14.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.24 PKR 66.6
$0.24 PKR 66.0
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Islamabad
Mandi Bahauddin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.99 PKR 273
$0.69 PKR 190
43.48%
White Bread (500g)
$0.74 PKR 203
$0.41 PKR 114
80.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.29 PKR 358
$1.25 PKR 346
3.20%
Eggs
$1.32 PKR 366
$1.21 PKR 334
9.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.97 PKR 1,651
$8.97 PKR 2,478
-33.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.03 PKR 837
$2.57 PKR 711
17.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.52 PKR 1,526
$3.97 PKR 1,097
39.04%
Apples (1kg)
$1.35 PKR 373
$1.11 PKR 306
21.62%
Banana (1kg)
$0.86 PKR 238
$0.66 PKR 183
30.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.04 PKR 286
$0.60 PKR 166
73.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.55 PKR 151
$0.58 PKR 161
-5.17%
Potato (1kg)
$0.30 PKR 83.3
$0.28 PKR 76.7
7.14%
Onion (1kg)
$0.40 PKR 110
$0.51 PKR 142
-21.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.28 PKR 77.0
$0.41 PKR 112
-31.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.43 PKR 118
$0.44 PKR 121
-2.27%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$2.00 PKR 551
$0.56 PKR 154
257.14%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 PKR 346
$0.55 PKR 153
127.27%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64 PKR 729
$0.70 PKR 194
277.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.36 PKR 652
$1.42 PKR 392
66.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Islamabad
Mandi Bahauddin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.17 PKR 46.16
$0.16 PKR 43.09
6.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$21.61 PKR 5,972
$9.96 PKR 2,753
116.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 PKR 355
$1.06 PKR 294
20.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.70 PKR 193
$1.06 PKR 292
-33.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.65 PKR 456
$2.92 PKR 806
-43.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 PKR 369
$1.16 PKR 320
14.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$54.3K PKR 15.0M
$23.6K PKR 6.5M
130.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.1K PKR 6.4M
$23.5K PKR 6.5M
-1.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Islamabad
Mandi Bahauddin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$103 PKR 28.4K
$68.2 PKR 18.8K
50.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.17 PKR 1,705
$5.65 PKR 1,561
9.20%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.36 PKR 4,798
$14.46 PKR 3,997
20.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Islamabad
Mandi Bahauddin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.65 PKR 9,301
$14.69 PKR 4,059
129.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.62 PKR 2,382
$8.31 PKR 2,296
3.73%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97 PKR 1,375
$7.24 PKR 2,000
-31.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Islamabad
Mandi Bahauddin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$326 PKR 90.1K
$26.20 PKR 7,242
1144.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.4K PKR 6.2M
$2,006 PKR 554.4K
1017.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Islamabad
Mandi Bahauddin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.82 PKR 7,137
$19.21 PKR 5,308
34.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.52 PKR 9,540
$26.31 PKR 7,271
31.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.6 PKR 26.4K
$54.2 PKR 15.0K
76.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$41.07 PKR 11.4K
$30.31 PKR 8,377
35.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Islamabad
Mandi Bahauddin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$248 PKR 68.5K
$133 PKR 36.8K
85.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$139 PKR 38.5K
$85.0 PKR 23.5K
63.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$549 PKR 151.6K
$267 PKR 73.8K
105.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$280 PKR 77.4K
$178 PKR 49.2K
57.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,655 PKR 457.5K
$828 PKR 228.8K
100.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$825 PKR 227.9K
$506 PKR 139.8K
63.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Islamabad
Mandi Bahauddin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$384 PKR 106.0K
-
-
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: November 1, 2026

Last update for Mandi Bahauddin: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Islamabad
$139
Mandi Bahauddin
$85 38.9% $54
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Islamabad
$126
Mandi Bahauddin
$88 30.1% $38
Groceries & Markets
Islamabad
$104
Mandi Bahauddin
$96 7.7% $8
Clothing & Footwear
Islamabad
$89
Mandi Bahauddin
$58 34% $30
Eating Out
Islamabad
$79
Mandi Bahauddin
$43 45.3% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Islamabad
$44
Mandi Bahauddin
$29 33.1% $14
Getting Around
Islamabad
$27
Mandi Bahauddin
$17 37.4% $10

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $248 in Islamabad versus $133 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 $24 in Islamabad versus $9 in Mandi Bahauddin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $104 vs $96 – making Mandi Bahauddin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇰 Islamabad
🇵🇰 Mandi Bahauddin
🕒 Local time
07:46 7:46 AM
07:46 7:46 AM
Same time as Islamabad
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,009,832 Capital
198,609
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 276 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Islamabad Mandi Bahauddin 130 km
From you
  • Islamabad
  • Mandi Bahauddin

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 Mandi Bahauddin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mandi Bahauddin cheaper than Islamabad?
Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 46%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $912 per month in Islamabad and $626 in Mandi Bahauddin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mandi Bahauddin, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $133 there versus $248 in Islamabad.
How do food prices compare in Islamabad and in Mandi Bahauddin?
Groceries cost about 8% more in Islamabad, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Islamabad or in Mandi Bahauddin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $24 in Islamabad and $9 in Mandi Bahauddin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $800 enough for either Islamabad or Mandi Bahauddin?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $608 in Islamabad and $417 in Mandi Bahauddin, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Islamabad or Mandi Bahauddin more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Islamabad or Mandi Bahauddin?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Mandi Bahauddin is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 31% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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