Cost of Living Comparison Between Mehar and Islamabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Mehar and Islamabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $439 per month in Mehar vs $589 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $654 per month in Mehar vs $918 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $870 per month in Mehar vs $1,246 in Islamabad, rent included.

Mehar is about 26% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mehar and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Mehar 68% lower, Islamabad 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 PKR 561

$3.57 PKR 989

-43.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.95 PKR 3,034

$22.74 PKR 6,304

-51.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.01 PKR 1,666

$5.47 PKR 1,516

9.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 PKR 726

$3.55 PKR 985

-26.20%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.02 PKR 1,392

$6.71 PKR 1,861

-25.19%

Cappuccino

$1.56 PKR 433

$2.39 PKR 663

-34.73%

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

$0.33 PKR 90.7

$0.32 PKR 90.0

3.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 PKR 55.7

$0.22 PKR 60.8

-9.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 PKR 228

$0.99 PKR 275

-17.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 PKR 176

$0.79 PKR 219

-18.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 PKR 327

$1.28 PKR 354

-7.81%

Eggs

$1.25 PKR 345

$1.28 PKR 356

-2.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.99 PKR 1,662

$6.11 PKR 1,694

-1.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.65 PKR 735

$3.06 PKR 848

-13.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.86 PKR 1,346

$5.12 PKR 1,420

-5.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 PKR 331

$1.34 PKR 371

-11.19%

Banana (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.84 PKR 232

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 PKR 203

$1.02 PKR 282

-28.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 PKR 87.0

$0.29 PKR 81.1

6.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 96.6

$0.33 PKR 90.4

6.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 95.4

$0.29 PKR 80.8

17.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 PKR 92.1

$0.38 PKR 106

-13.16%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.98 PKR 550

$1.90 PKR 528

4.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 PKR 317

$1.38 PKR 383

-17.39%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 PKR 642

$2.35 PKR 651

-1.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 PKR 678

$2.28 PKR 632

7.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 54.2

$0.16 PKR 44.28

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.99 PKR 2,770

$21.23 PKR 5,885

-52.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 PKR 313

$1.27 PKR 353

-11.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 PKR 170

$0.69 PKR 191

-11.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 PKR 480

$1.65 PKR 458

4.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 PKR 322

$1.32 PKR 365

-12.12%

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

$23.0K PKR 6.4M

$53.9K PKR 15.0M

-57.33%

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

$28.7K PKR 8.0M

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

14.24%

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

$95.3 PKR 26.4K

$102 PKR 28.3K

-6.67%

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

$5.51 PKR 1,527

$5.83 PKR 1,617

-5.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.66 PKR 4,063

$16.34 PKR 4,531

-10.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.55 PKR 4,034

$29.09 PKR 8,065

-49.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.93 PKR 2,477

Cinema Ticket

$4.38 PKR 1,213

$5.01 PKR 1,389

-12.57%

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

$44.27 PKR 12.3K

$75.0 PKR 20.8K

-41.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$944 PKR 261.7K

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

-81.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.64 PKR 3,781

$23.55 PKR 6,528

-42.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.66 PKR 6,283

$32.68 PKR 9,060

-30.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.6 PKR 18.2K

$83.6 PKR 23.2K

-21.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.72 PKR 7,685

$39.29 PKR 10.9K

-29.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 PKR 34.9K

$277 PKR 76.8K

-54.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.7 PKR 21.6K

$144 PKR 40.0K

-46.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 PKR 70.6K

$577 PKR 160.0K

-55.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 PKR 41.2K

$266 PKR 73.8K

-44.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$953 PKR 264.2K

$1,635 PKR 453.2K

-41.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$510 PKR 141.3K

$829 PKR 229.9K

-38.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$106 PKR 29.5K

$381 PKR 105.7K

-72.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.88

13.08

-1.53%

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

Last update for Mehar: August 30, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $126 in Mehar 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.

Salaries run about 258% 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 $11.00 in Mehar versus $23.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $92.0 vs $103 – making Mehar 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

Mehar vs Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 34%, 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 $658 per month in Mehar 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 Mehar, 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 $11.00 in Mehar and $23.00 in Islamabad. 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 $439 in Mehar and $589 in Islamabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Mehar – 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 Mehar. 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.