Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Mianwali Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Mianwali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $589 per month in Islamabad vs $421 in Mianwali, rent included.

A couple spends around $918 per month in Islamabad vs $613 in Mianwali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,246 per month in Islamabad vs $805 in Mianwali, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 40% more than Mianwali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Islamabad and Mianwali are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 57% lower, Mianwali 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 PKR 989

$2.58 PKR 716

38.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.74 PKR 6,305

$8.03 PKR 2,228

183.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 PKR 1,516

$5.72 PKR 1,586

-4.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 PKR 985

$3.62 PKR 1,004

-1.93%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 PKR 1,861

$5.39 PKR 1,495

24.49%

Cappuccino

$2.39 PKR 663

$1.09 PKR 304

119.27%

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

$0.32 PKR 90.0

$0.26 PKR 72.2

23.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.8

$0.19 PKR 52.7

15.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 PKR 275

$0.66 PKR 183

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 PKR 219

$0.52 PKR 143

51.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 354

$1.12 PKR 312

14.29%

Eggs

$1.28 PKR 356

$1.22 PKR 339

4.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 PKR 1,694

$6.42 PKR 1,780

-4.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 PKR 848

$1.42 PKR 395

115.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.12 PKR 1,420

$3.67 PKR 1,017

39.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 PKR 371

$1.16 PKR 320

15.52%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 232

$0.67 PKR 186

25.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 282

$0.69 PKR 192

47.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$0.45 PKR 126

8.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 81.1

$0.30 PKR 84.1

-3.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 90.4

$0.32 PKR 90.1

3.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.29 PKR 80.8

$0.48 PKR 134

-39.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.36 PKR 100

5.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.90 PKR 528

$1.10 PKR 304

72.73%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PKR 383

$0.62 PKR 171

122.58%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 PKR 651

$1.65 PKR 457

42.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 PKR 632

$1.07 PKR 296

113.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 44.29

$0.18 PKR 48.52

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PKR 5,885

$9.28 PKR 2,572

128.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 PKR 353

$0.75 PKR 209

69.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 PKR 191

$0.35 PKR 96.6

97.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 PKR 458

$1.64 PKR 456

0.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 PKR 365

$1.09 PKR 301

21.10%

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

$53.9K PKR 15.0M

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

203.75%

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

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

$26.8K PKR 7.4M

-6.17%

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

$102 PKR 28.3K

$109 PKR 30.2K

-6.15%

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

$5.83 PKR 1,617

$3.29 PKR 913

77.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.34 PKR 4,531

$16.15 PKR 4,478

1.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.09 PKR 8,066

$7.87 PKR 2,182

269.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.93 PKR 2,477

$5.50 PKR 1,526

62.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 PKR 1,389

$4.22 PKR 1,170

18.72%

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

$75.0 PKR 20.8K

$44.93 PKR 12.5K

67.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

$2,043 PKR 566.4K

148.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.55 PKR 6,528

$13.26 PKR 3,675

77.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.68 PKR 9,060

$14.24 PKR 3,949

129.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 PKR 23.2K

$73.6 PKR 20.4K

13.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.29 PKR 10.9K

$8.77 PKR 2,432

348.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 PKR 76.8K

$125 PKR 34.6K

122.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$144 PKR 40.0K

$70.0 PKR 19.4K

106.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 PKR 160.0K

$234 PKR 65.0K

146.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 PKR 73.8K

$139 PKR 38.5K

91.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,635 PKR 453.2K

$844 PKR 234.0K

93.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$829 PKR 230.0K

$478 PKR 132.6K

73.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$381 PKR 105.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

14.22

-8.02%

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

Last update for Islamabad: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mianwali: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $277 in Islamabad versus $125 in Mianwali. 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 $23.00 in Islamabad versus $8.00 in Mianwali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $81.0 – making Mianwali 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 Mianwali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 40%, 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 $884 per month in Islamabad and $631 in Mianwali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 26% 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 $23.00 in Islamabad and $8.00 in Mianwali. 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 $589 in Islamabad and $421 in Mianwali, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Mianwali – 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 Mianwali. 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.