Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Mehar Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Mehar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $535 per month in Islamabad vs $391 in Mehar, rent included.

A couple spends around $833 per month in Islamabad vs $589 in Mehar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,131 per month in Islamabad vs $786 in Mehar, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 37% more than Mehar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Islamabad and Mehar are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 60% lower, Mehar 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 PKR 781

$1.81 PKR 502

55.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.13 PKR 3,923

$10.63 PKR 2,952

32.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,510

$4.01 PKR 1,114

35.66%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 PKR 498

$1.74 PKR 483

3.45%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 PKR 1,094

$3.49 PKR 969

12.89%

Cappuccino

$2.04 PKR 567

$1.43 PKR 397

42.66%

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

$0.39 PKR 108

$0.31 PKR 87.1

25.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.7

$0.23 PKR 63.9

4.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 PKR 263

$0.75 PKR 209

26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 182

$0.60 PKR 168

10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PKR 354

$1.21 PKR 335

4.96%

Eggs

$1.26 PKR 350

$1.13 PKR 313

11.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.14 PKR 1,704

$5.90 PKR 1,639

4.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 PKR 984

$2.59 PKR 718

37.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.52 PKR 1,254

$3.63 PKR 1,009

24.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 PKR 291

$1.01 PKR 280

3.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 PKR 222

$0.64 PKR 179

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 PKR 252

$0.63 PKR 174

44.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 PKR 165

$0.52 PKR 145

13.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.42 PKR 116

$0.34 PKR 95.0

23.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 149

$0.51 PKR 141

3.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.7

$0.34 PKR 93.2

-8.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 112

$0.37 PKR 102

8.11%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.95 PKR 541

$1.33 PKR 369

46.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

$0.87 PKR 241

3.45%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 PKR 565

$2.04 PKR 567

-0.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.16 PKR 601

$1.92 PKR 534

12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.97

$0.19 PKR 53.0

-5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.20 PKR 1,998

$7.05 PKR 1,957

2.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 PKR 255

$0.92 PKR 254

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.40 PKR 111

7.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 PKR 772

$1.73 PKR 479

60.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 PKR 274

$0.90 PKR 249

10.00%

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

$21.2K PKR 5.9M

$21.1K PKR 5.9M

0.15%

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

$26.0K PKR 7.2M

$22.7K PKR 6.3M

14.59%

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

$114 PKR 31.6K

$103 PKR 28.5K

10.81%

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

$5.43 PKR 1,508

$3.94 PKR 1,095

37.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 PKR 5,216

$13.98 PKR 3,882

34.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.78 PKR 6,325

$12.18 PKR 3,380

87.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.05 PKR 1,680

$5.88 PKR 1,633

2.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 PKR 1,208

$3.44 PKR 956

26.45%

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

$59.5 PKR 16.5K

$29.49 PKR 8,186

101.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,754 PKR 764.6K

$1,128 PKR 313.2K

144.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.76 PKR 6,041

$15.46 PKR 4,292

40.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.27 PKR 7,850

$22.26 PKR 6,180

27.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 PKR 24.1K

$70.4 PKR 19.5K

23.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.56 PKR 11.3K

$29.10 PKR 8,080

39.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 PKR 55.7K

$75.2 PKR 20.9K

166.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 PKR 31.0K

$51.4 PKR 14.3K

117.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 PKR 141.0K

$165 PKR 45.9K

207.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 PKR 82.1K

$104 PKR 28.9K

183.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,557 PKR 432.3K

$787 PKR 218.5K

97.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$656 PKR 182.0K

$434 PKR 120.5K

50.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$378 PKR 105.0K

$109 PKR 30.3K

247.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

6.32%

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

Last update for Islamabad: July 20, 2026

Last update for Mehar: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $201 in Islamabad versus $75.2 in Mehar. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 247% higher in Islamabad, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Islamabad versus $11.00 in Mehar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $101 vs $86.0 – making Mehar 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 Mehar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 37%, 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 $802 per month in Islamabad and $586 in Mehar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 17% 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 $11.00 in Mehar. 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 $535 in Islamabad and $391 in Mehar, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Mehar – 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 Mehar. 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.