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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $529 per month in Islamabad vs $449 in Mianwali, rent included.

A couple spends around $835 per month in Islamabad vs $657 in Mianwali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,141 per month in Islamabad vs $865 in Mianwali, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 18% more than Mianwali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Islamabad and Mianwali are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 61% lower, Mianwali 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 PKR 779

$2.09 PKR 583

33.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.22 PKR 3,955

$13.90 PKR 3,868

2.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$4.25 PKR 1,182

28.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

$2.81 PKR 782

-38.79%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

$3.73 PKR 1,037

7.24%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 557

$2.29 PKR 638

-12.66%

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

$0.43 PKR 119

$0.21 PKR 57.1

104.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.1

$0.21 PKR 58.4

4.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 260

$0.64 PKR 178

46.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 173

$0.62 PKR 171

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 338

$0.90 PKR 249

34.44%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 335

$1.21 PKR 335

-0.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,689

$6.03 PKR 1,677

0.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 PKR 942

$2.92 PKR 812

16.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.38 PKR 1,218

$4.58 PKR 1,274

-4.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

$1.01 PKR 281

1.98%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 PKR 216

$0.63 PKR 176

23.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 260

$0.57 PKR 158

63.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.22 PKR 61.2

172.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.36 PKR 98.8

13.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 149

$0.36 PKR 101

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 93.3

$0.44 PKR 122

-22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.38 PKR 107

-2.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.93 PKR 537

$0.93 PKR 259

107.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

$0.54 PKR 151

66.67%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 552

$1.07 PKR 298

85.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 596

$1.98 PKR 552

8.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 52.2

$0.20 PKR 55.1

-5.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.90 PKR 1,921

$7.16 PKR 1,991

-3.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 238

$0.69 PKR 191

24.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.49 PKR 137

-10.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 PKR 782

$1.72 PKR 479

63.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.90 PKR 249

1.11%

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

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

22.75%

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

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

$23.7K PKR 6.6M

10.38%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

$139 PKR 38.6K

-19.57%

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

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$3.58 PKR 995

51.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.81 PKR 5,234

$16.98 PKR 4,724

10.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.19 PKR 6,174

$12.33 PKR 3,429

79.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.04 PKR 1,679

$6.05 PKR 1,684

-0.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,171

$4.37 PKR 1,215

-3.66%

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

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

$34.38 PKR 9,564

75.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

$1,244 PKR 346.0K

125.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.57 PKR 5,999

$15.32 PKR 4,261

40.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.63 PKR 7,686

$22.60 PKR 6,286

22.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

$72.3 PKR 20.1K

21.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

$30.15 PKR 8,388

32.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 PKR 55.1K

$76.2 PKR 21.2K

159.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 PKR 31.1K

$52.3 PKR 14.6K

113.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 PKR 142.6K

$169 PKR 47.1K

202.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 PKR 82.3K

$107 PKR 29.9K

175.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

$860 PKR 239.2K

80.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$657 PKR 182.9K

$577 PKR 160.5K

13.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 PKR 107.8K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mianwali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $198 in Islamabad versus $76.2 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 – $98.0 in Islamabad vs $88.0 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 18%, 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 $794 per month in Islamabad and $674 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 12% 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 $529 in Islamabad and $449 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.