Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Mirpur Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Mirpur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $589 per month in Islamabad vs $365 in Mirpur, rent included.

A couple spends around $918 per month in Islamabad vs $554 in Mirpur, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,246 per month in Islamabad vs $743 in Mirpur, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 61% more than Mirpur, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Islamabad and Mirpur are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 57% lower, Mirpur 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 PKR 989

$1.78 PKR 492

100.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.74 PKR 6,305

$7.42 PKR 2,058

206.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 PKR 1,516

$5.43 PKR 1,506

0.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 PKR 985

$1.11 PKR 308

219.82%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 PKR 1,861

$1.78 PKR 494

276.97%

Cappuccino

$2.39 PKR 663

$1.10 PKR 304

117.27%

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

$0.32 PKR 90.0

$0.47 PKR 130

-31.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.8

$0.20 PKR 54.3

10.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 PKR 275

$0.84 PKR 233

17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 PKR 219

$0.59 PKR 163

33.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 354

$1.21 PKR 335

5.79%

Eggs

$1.28 PKR 356

$1.19 PKR 330

7.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 PKR 1,694

$3.52 PKR 976

73.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 PKR 848

$2.66 PKR 736

15.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.12 PKR 1,420

$3.95 PKR 1,094

29.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 PKR 371

$1.08 PKR 301

24.07%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 232

$0.62 PKR 172

35.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 282

$0.53 PKR 148

92.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$0.51 PKR 140

-3.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 81.1

$0.30 PKR 84.3

-3.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 90.4

$0.30 PKR 83.6

10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.29 PKR 80.8

$0.30 PKR 83.6

-3.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.37 PKR 104

2.70%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.90 PKR 528

$1.79 PKR 496

6.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PKR 383

$1.05 PKR 292

31.43%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 PKR 651

$2.83 PKR 785

-16.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 PKR 632

$2.02 PKR 560

12.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 44.29

$0.17 PKR 45.81

-5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PKR 5,885

$9.78 PKR 2,713

117.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 PKR 353

$1.10 PKR 306

15.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 PKR 191

$0.21 PKR 58.1

228.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 PKR 458

$2.97 PKR 822

-44.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 PKR 365

$0.98 PKR 273

34.69%

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

$53.9K PKR 15.0M

$8,886 PKR 2.5M

507.07%

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

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

$14.5K PKR 4.0M

73.45%

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

$102 PKR 28.3K

$68.2 PKR 18.9K

49.71%

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

$5.83 PKR 1,617

$5.72 PKR 1,585

1.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.34 PKR 4,531

$14.71 PKR 4,078

11.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.09 PKR 8,066

$15.03 PKR 4,167

93.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.93 PKR 2,477

$3.64 PKR 1,010

145.33%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 PKR 1,389

$3.55 PKR 983

41.13%

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

$75.0 PKR 20.8K

$26.62 PKR 7,382

181.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

$2,058 PKR 570.6K

147.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.55 PKR 6,528

$17.76 PKR 4,925

32.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.68 PKR 9,060

$18.12 PKR 5,025

80.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 PKR 23.2K

$36.39 PKR 10.1K

129.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.29 PKR 10.9K

$28.79 PKR 7,981

36.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 PKR 76.8K

$127 PKR 35.1K

118.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$144 PKR 40.0K

$78.5 PKR 21.8K

83.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 PKR 160.0K

$255 PKR 70.8K

126.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 PKR 73.8K

$151 PKR 41.9K

75.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,635 PKR 453.2K

$863 PKR 239.3K

89.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$829 PKR 230.0K

$499 PKR 138.4K

66.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$381 PKR 105.8K

$145 PKR 40.2K

163.15%

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mirpur: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $277 in Islamabad versus $127 in Mirpur. 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 163% 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 $23.00 in Islamabad versus $7.00 in Mirpur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $81.0 – making Mirpur 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 Mirpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 61%, 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 $548 in Mirpur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 27% 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 $7.00 in Mirpur. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $589 in Islamabad and $365 in Mirpur, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Mirpur – 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 Mirpur. 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.