Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaranwala and Islamabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaranwala and Islamabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $502 per month in Jaranwala vs $589 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $736 per month in Jaranwala vs $918 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $970 per month in Jaranwala vs $1,246 in Islamabad, rent included.

Jaranwala is about 15% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Jaranwala and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Jaranwala 63% lower, Islamabad 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 PKR 557

$3.57 PKR 990

-43.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.95 PKR 4,424

$22.74 PKR 6,309

-29.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.86 PKR 1,626

$5.47 PKR 1,517

7.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 486

$3.55 PKR 986

-50.70%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 PKR 945

$6.71 PKR 1,862

-49.18%

Cappuccino

$1.95 PKR 541

$2.39 PKR 663

-18.41%

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

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.32 PKR 90.0

34.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 63.5

$0.22 PKR 60.8

4.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.99 PKR 275

-8.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 PKR 151

$0.79 PKR 220

-31.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 337

$1.28 PKR 354

-5.47%

Eggs

$1.12 PKR 310

$1.28 PKR 356

-12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.05 PKR 1,679

$6.11 PKR 1,695

-0.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 PKR 969

$3.06 PKR 849

14.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.10 PKR 1,415

$5.12 PKR 1,421

-0.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 PKR 321

$1.34 PKR 371

-13.43%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 PKR 238

$0.84 PKR 232

2.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 337

$1.02 PKR 282

18.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 159

$0.49 PKR 135

16.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 99.4

$0.29 PKR 81.2

24.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 PKR 124

$0.33 PKR 90.4

36.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 93.0

$0.29 PKR 80.8

17.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 PKR 109

$0.38 PKR 106

2.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.81 PKR 502

$1.90 PKR 528

-4.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 PKR 316

$1.38 PKR 383

-17.39%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 PKR 645

$2.35 PKR 652

-0.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.99 PKR 553

$2.28 PKR 632

-12.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.49

$0.16 PKR 44.31

6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.60 PKR 2,386

$21.23 PKR 5,889

-59.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 PKR 241

$1.27 PKR 353

-31.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 PKR 100

$0.69 PKR 191

-47.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 PKR 442

$1.65 PKR 459

-3.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 PKR 312

$1.32 PKR 365

-15.15%

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

$17.7K PKR 4.9M

$53.9K PKR 15.0M

-67.24%

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

$24.4K PKR 6.8M

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

-2.83%

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

$113 PKR 31.4K

$102 PKR 28.3K

10.90%

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

$5.78 PKR 1,604

$5.83 PKR 1,618

-0.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.82 PKR 5,221

$16.34 PKR 4,534

15.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.40 PKR 3,996

$29.09 PKR 8,071

-50.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.93 PKR 2,478

Cinema Ticket

$4.39 PKR 1,217

$5.01 PKR 1,390

-12.38%

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

$49.67 PKR 13.8K

$75.0 PKR 20.8K

-33.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$832 PKR 230.8K

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

-83.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.90 PKR 5,797

$23.55 PKR 6,532

-11.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.12 PKR 7,802

$32.68 PKR 9,066

-13.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 PKR 25.5K

$83.6 PKR 23.2K

9.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.90 PKR 10.2K

$39.29 PKR 10.9K

-6.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$141 PKR 39.2K

$277 PKR 76.8K

-48.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$71.8 PKR 19.9K

$144 PKR 40.0K

-50.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 PKR 77.7K

$577 PKR 160.1K

-51.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$130 PKR 36.1K

$266 PKR 73.9K

-51.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$913 PKR 253.3K

$1,635 PKR 453.5K

-44.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$507 PKR 140.8K

$829 PKR 230.1K

-38.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$381 PKR 105.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.81

13.08

74.39%

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

Last update for Jaranwala: August 29, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $141 in Jaranwala versus $277 in Islamabad. 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 $16.00 in Jaranwala versus $23.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $101 vs $103 – making Jaranwala 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

Jaranwala vs Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $753 per month in Jaranwala and $884 in Islamabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 1% 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 $16.00 in Jaranwala and $23.00 in Islamabad. 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 $502 in Jaranwala and $589 in Islamabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Jaranwala – 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 Jaranwala. 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.