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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $534 per month in Islamabad vs $456 in Mianwali, rent included.

A couple spends around $847 per month in Islamabad vs $665 in Mianwali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,160 per month in Islamabad vs $874 in Mianwali, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 17% more than Mianwali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Islamabad and Mianwali are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 60% lower, Mianwali 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 PKR 791

$2.11 PKR 585

35.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.26 PKR 3,960

$14.07 PKR 3,906

1.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,511

$4.28 PKR 1,189

27.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 477

$2.87 PKR 798

-40.07%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,061

$3.75 PKR 1,041

1.87%

Cappuccino

$1.97 PKR 547

$2.35 PKR 652

-16.17%

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

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.20 PKR 54.6

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 67.0

$0.21 PKR 58.2

14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 268

$0.67 PKR 185

43.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.57 PKR 158

15.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 355

$0.90 PKR 249

42.22%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 334

$1.17 PKR 326

2.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,687

$6.11 PKR 1,696

-0.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 PKR 937

$2.92 PKR 811

15.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 PKR 1,209

$4.42 PKR 1,227

-1.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 289

$1.02 PKR 282

1.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 234

$0.60 PKR 166

40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.60 PKR 168

51.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.22 PKR 61.2

154.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.35 PKR 97.6

17.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.36 PKR 101

58.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.4

$0.45 PKR 125

-31.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.38 PKR 106

7.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 555

$1.05 PKR 291

90.48%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 258

$0.51 PKR 142

82.35%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 567

$1.11 PKR 308

83.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 595

$1.89 PKR 525

13.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.51

$0.16 PKR 44.36

6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.22 PKR 2,005

$7.15 PKR 1,986

0.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 236

$0.73 PKR 203

16.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.53 PKR 148

-18.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PKR 775

$1.82 PKR 504

53.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 271

$0.91 PKR 252

7.69%

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

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

20.03%

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

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

$23.2K PKR 6.4M

11.70%

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

$114 PKR 31.6K

$141 PKR 39.1K

-19.20%

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

$5.41 PKR 1,501

$3.63 PKR 1,009

49.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 PKR 5,190

$17.00 PKR 4,721

9.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.13 PKR 6,144

$12.23 PKR 3,396

80.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 PKR 1,698

$5.86 PKR 1,626

4.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 PKR 1,150

$4.22 PKR 1,171

-1.90%

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

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

$35.40 PKR 9,829

70.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,753 PKR 764.4K

$1,233 PKR 342.5K

123.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.08 PKR 5,854

$14.97 PKR 4,156

40.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.64 PKR 7,674

$23.37 PKR 6,490

18.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

$72.8 PKR 20.2K

20.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.94 PKR 11.4K

$30.12 PKR 8,364

35.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 PKR 55.3K

$74.7 PKR 20.8K

166.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 PKR 30.5K

$51.3 PKR 14.2K

114.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 PKR 140.1K

$164 PKR 45.4K

208.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 PKR 83.0K

$105 PKR 29.1K

185.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,513 PKR 420.1K

$858 PKR 238.1K

76.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 PKR 179.8K

$412 PKR 114.4K

57.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$385 PKR 106.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

19.88

1.61%

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

Last update for Islamabad: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mianwali: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $199 in Islamabad versus $74.7 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 $14.00 in Islamabad versus $14.00 in Mianwali. Groceries tell a different story – $100 in Islamabad vs $87.0 in Mianwali – so Mianwali wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 17%, 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 $801 per month in Islamabad and $685 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 14% 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 $14.00 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 $534 in Islamabad and $456 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.