Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Multan

For one person, living is cheaper in Multan: $560 a month against $607 in Islamabad, rent and utilities included – about $560 less a year. The total is higher in Islamabad despite lower rent and utilities.

29

Cost of Living Index in Islamabad
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Islamabad Living Index
27

Cost of Living Index in Multan
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Multan Living Index

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Islamabad

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$607

/mo nomad

Multan

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$560

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Islamabad and in Multan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Islamabad and in Multan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $607 per month in Islamabad vs $560 in Multan, rent included.

Islamabad $607
Multan $560

A couple spends around $948 per month in Islamabad vs $771 in Multan, rent included.

Islamabad $948
Multan $771

A family of three spends $1,289 per month in Islamabad vs $982 in Multan, rent included.

Islamabad $1,289
Multan $982

Islamabad costs about 8% more than Multan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Islamabad and Multan are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 55% lower, Multan 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 PKR 969

$2.47 PKR 683

41.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.76 PKR 6,298

$10.64 PKR 2,943

113.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.37 PKR 1,487

$5.50 PKR 1,520

-2.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 PKR 991

$2.75 PKR 761

30.18%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 PKR 1,887

$5.10 PKR 1,412

33.73%

Cappuccino

$2.56 PKR 708

$1.85 PKR 512

38.38%

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

$0.32 PKR 87.2

$0.30 PKR 83.2

6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.0

$0.19 PKR 53.5

10.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 271

$0.73 PKR 201

34.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 PKR 198

$0.52 PKR 143

36.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PKR 358

$1.08 PKR 298

20.37%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 334

$1.09 PKR 301

11.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.05 PKR 1,673

$6.59 PKR 1,822

-8.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.05 PKR 844

$2.52 PKR 698

21.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.38 PKR 1,488

$4.47 PKR 1,238

20.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 PKR 369

$0.91 PKR 252

46.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 PKR 239

$0.47 PKR 129

82.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 PKR 295

$0.67 PKR 186

59.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$0.57 PKR 159

-8.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.27 PKR 73.7

$0.39 PKR 108

-30.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 107

$0.42 PKR 117

-7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 PKR 76.7

$0.47 PKR 129

-40.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 118

$0.37 PKR 103

16.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.99 PKR 550

$1.80 PKR 499

10.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 PKR 343

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 PKR 723

$2.86 PKR 790

-8.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 PKR 654

$2.18 PKR 603

8.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 45.76

$0.17 PKR 46.73

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 PKR 5,970

$8.46 PKR 2,341

155.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 PKR 342

$1.43 PKR 395

-13.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 PKR 206

$0.38 PKR 104

94.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 PKR 446

$0.86 PKR 237

87.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 PKR 364

$1.18 PKR 328

11.02%

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

$54.9K PKR 15.2M

$25.2K PKR 7.0M

117.33%

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

$23.7K PKR 6.5M

$23.3K PKR 6.4M

1.77%

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

$104 PKR 28.6K

$146 PKR 40.3K

-28.86%

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

$6.11 PKR 1,690

$4.82 PKR 1,334

26.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.21 PKR 4,762

$18.97 PKR 5,248

-9.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.65 PKR 9,310

$23.97 PKR 6,633

40.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.52 PKR 2,358

$3.57 PKR 987

138.66%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 PKR 1,359

$4.27 PKR 1,182

14.99%

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

$326 PKR 90.1K

$41.98 PKR 11.6K

675.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,917 PKR 1.4M

$993 PKR 274.6K

395.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.22 PKR 7,255

$18.39 PKR 5,089

42.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.05 PKR 9,697

$18.81 PKR 5,204

86.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 PKR 27.2K

$94.0 PKR 26.0K

4.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.45 PKR 11.2K

$25.44 PKR 7,040

59.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 PKR 72.1K

$190 PKR 52.6K

37.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 PKR 38.7K

$127 PKR 35.0K

10.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$557 PKR 154.1K

$236 PKR 65.4K

135.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 PKR 79.5K

$173 PKR 47.8K

66.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,691 PKR 467.7K

$763 PKR 211.1K

121.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$839 PKR 232.2K

$522 PKR 144.4K

60.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$385 PKR 106.6K

$185 PKR 51.2K

108.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

0.62%

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

Last update for Islamabad: October 24, 2026

Last update for Multan: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Islamabad

$140 23%

Multan

$127 22.6% 9.4% $13

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Islamabad

$127 20.9%

Multan

$169 30.3% 33.5% $42

Groceries & Markets

Islamabad

$103 17%

Multan

$88 15.7% 14.4% $15

Clothing & Footwear

Islamabad

$90 14.8%

Multan

$71 12.6% 21.6% $19

Eating Out

Islamabad

$77 12.7%

Multan

$60 10.8% 21.5% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Islamabad

$43 7.2%

Multan

$33 5.8% 25.2% $11

Getting Around

Islamabad

$27 4.5%

Multan

$12 2.2% 54.2% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $261 in Islamabad versus $190 in Multan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Islamabad are about 2.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23 in Islamabad versus $11 in Multan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $88 – making Multan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Islamabad

🇵🇰 Multan

🕒 Local time

03:56 3:56 AM

Same time as Islamabad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,009,832 Capital

1,871,843

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.24 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.24 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Islamabad Multan 420 km

From you

Islamabad
Multan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Multan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 8%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $911 per month in Islamabad and $840 in Multan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Multan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $190 there versus $261 in Islamabad.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Islamabad, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23 in Islamabad and $11 in Multan. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $607 in Islamabad and $560 in Multan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Multan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Multan. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Islamabad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.