Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mehar and Islamabad

For one person, living is cheaper in Mehar: $447 a month against $602 in Islamabad, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

22

Cost of Living Index in Mehar
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Mehar Living Index
29

Cost of Living Index in Islamabad
Learn more

Islamabad Living Index

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Mehar

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$447

/mo nomad

Islamabad

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$602

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mehar and in Islamabad

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

A single person spends $447 per month in Mehar vs $602 in Islamabad, rent included.

Mehar $447
Islamabad $602

A couple spends around $667 per month in Mehar vs $937 in Islamabad, rent included.

Mehar $667
Islamabad $937

A family of three spends $887 per month in Mehar vs $1,272 in Islamabad, rent included.

Mehar $887
Islamabad $1,272

Mehar is about 26% cheaper than Islamabad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Mehar and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Mehar 67% lower, Islamabad 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.12 PKR 586

$3.52 PKR 975

-39.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.76 PKR 2,977

$22.86 PKR 6,326

-52.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.37 PKR 1,487

$5.27 PKR 1,458

1.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 PKR 682

$3.72 PKR 1,030

-33.87%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 PKR 1,482

$6.70 PKR 1,855

-20.00%

Cappuccino

$1.58 PKR 437

$2.63 PKR 727

-39.92%

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

$0.35 PKR 97.0

$0.33 PKR 90.5

6.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 PKR 48.28

$0.21 PKR 58.1

-19.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 PKR 231

$0.95 PKR 262

-11.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 172

$0.78 PKR 216

-20.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 PKR 311

$1.29 PKR 358

-13.18%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 332

$1.21 PKR 335

-0.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.71 PKR 1,580

$6.32 PKR 1,748

-9.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.57 PKR 712

$3.14 PKR 869

-18.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.03 PKR 1,391

$5.51 PKR 1,525

-8.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 PKR 320

$1.27 PKR 351

-8.66%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 151

$0.82 PKR 227

-32.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.79 PKR 218

$1.07 PKR 295

-26.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.55 PKR 152

1.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 PKR 83.5

$0.27 PKR 74.4

11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 106

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 PKR 115

$0.30 PKR 83.7

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 PKR 95.7

$0.40 PKR 110

-12.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.81 PKR 502

$1.99 PKR 550

-9.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 PKR 293

$1.19 PKR 328

-10.92%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 PKR 657

$2.59 PKR 718

-8.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.02 PKR 559

$2.31 PKR 639

-12.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 54.3

$0.20 PKR 54.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.77 PKR 2,703

$21.41 PKR 5,925

-54.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 PKR 304

$1.25 PKR 346

-12.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 PKR 196

$0.70 PKR 194

1.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 PKR 453

$1.59 PKR 440

3.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 PKR 342

$1.36 PKR 377

-8.82%

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

$22.1K PKR 6.1M

$54.4K PKR 15.1M

-59.41%

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

$24.3K PKR 6.7M

$23.5K PKR 6.5M

3.44%

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

$101 PKR 28.0K

$100 PKR 27.8K

0.92%

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

$5.71 PKR 1,581

$6.12 PKR 1,694

-6.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.30 PKR 3,958

$17.33 PKR 4,795

-17.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.17 PKR 4,199

$28.40 PKR 7,861

-46.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.92 PKR 2,191

$8.87 PKR 2,456

-10.71%

Cinema Ticket

$4.39 PKR 1,215

$4.82 PKR 1,335

-8.92%

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

$42.99 PKR 11.9K

$73.6 PKR 20.4K

-41.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,021 PKR 282.7K

$5,109 PKR 1.4M

-80.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.60 PKR 4,595

$26.32 PKR 7,284

-36.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.60 PKR 6,531

$35.60 PKR 9,854

-33.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 PKR 18.8K

$98.1 PKR 27.2K

-30.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.37 PKR 9,235

$40.95 PKR 11.3K

-18.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$128 PKR 35.5K

$269 PKR 74.4K

-52.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.4 PKR 21.4K

$141 PKR 38.9K

-44.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$249 PKR 69.0K

$577 PKR 159.8K

-56.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 PKR 41.8K

$279 PKR 77.2K

-45.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$949 PKR 262.6K

$1,679 PKR 464.8K

-43.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$483 PKR 133.8K

$847 PKR 234.4K

-42.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$109 PKR 30.0K

$388 PKR 107.4K

-72.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

-0.61%

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

Last update for Mehar: October 17, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mehar

$121 27.1%

Islamabad

$124 20.6% 2.1% $2.5

Groceries & Markets

Mehar

$91 20.5%

Islamabad

$104 17.3% 14.1% $13

Accommodation & Living

Mehar

$77 17.3%

Islamabad

$141 23.4% 81.5% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Mehar

$64 14.2%

Islamabad

$90 15% 42.1% $27

Eating Out

Mehar

$54 12.1%

Islamabad

$78 12.9% 43.5% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Mehar

$24 5.4%

Islamabad

$38 6.3% 58.9% $14

Getting Around

Mehar

$15 3.4%

Islamabad

$27 4.5% 77.3% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $128 in Mehar versus $269 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: $91.0 vs $104 – making Mehar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Mehar

🇵🇰 Islamabad

🕒 Local time

16:43 4:43 PM

Same time as Mehar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,009,832 Capital

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Mehar Islamabad 880 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Mehar
Islamabad

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

Mehar vs Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 35%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $671 per month in Mehar and $903 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 14% 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 $447 in Mehar and $602 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.