Cost of Living Comparison Between Mianwali and Islamabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Mianwali and Islamabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $421 per month in Mianwali vs $589 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $613 per month in Mianwali vs $918 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $805 per month in Mianwali vs $1,246 in Islamabad, rent included.

Mianwali is about 29% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mianwali and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Mianwali 69% lower, Islamabad 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.58 PKR 716

$3.57 PKR 989

-27.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.03 PKR 2,228

$22.74 PKR 6,305

-64.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.72 PKR 1,586

$5.47 PKR 1,516

4.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.62 PKR 1,004

$3.55 PKR 985

1.97%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.39 PKR 1,495

$6.71 PKR 1,861

-19.67%

Cappuccino

$1.09 PKR 304

$2.39 PKR 663

-54.39%

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

$0.26 PKR 72.2

$0.32 PKR 90.0

-18.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 PKR 52.7

$0.22 PKR 60.8

-13.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.99 PKR 275

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 PKR 143

$0.79 PKR 219

-34.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 PKR 312

$1.28 PKR 354

-12.50%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 339

$1.28 PKR 356

-4.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.42 PKR 1,780

$6.11 PKR 1,694

5.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.42 PKR 395

$3.06 PKR 848

-53.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.67 PKR 1,017

$5.12 PKR 1,420

-28.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 PKR 320

$1.34 PKR 371

-13.43%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 PKR 186

$0.84 PKR 232

-20.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 192

$1.02 PKR 282

-32.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.45 PKR 126

$0.49 PKR 135

-8.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 PKR 84.1

$0.29 PKR 81.1

3.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.32 PKR 90.1

$0.33 PKR 90.4

-3.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 PKR 134

$0.29 PKR 80.8

65.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 100

$0.38 PKR 106

-5.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.10 PKR 304

$1.90 PKR 528

-42.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 PKR 171

$1.38 PKR 383

-55.07%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 PKR 457

$2.35 PKR 651

-29.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.07 PKR 296

$2.28 PKR 632

-53.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 48.52

$0.16 PKR 44.29

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.28 PKR 2,572

$21.23 PKR 5,885

-56.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 PKR 209

$1.27 PKR 353

-40.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 PKR 96.6

$0.69 PKR 191

-49.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 PKR 456

$1.65 PKR 458

-0.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 PKR 301

$1.32 PKR 365

-17.42%

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

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

$53.9K PKR 15.0M

-67.08%

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

$26.8K PKR 7.4M

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

6.57%

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

$109 PKR 30.2K

$102 PKR 28.3K

6.55%

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

$3.29 PKR 913

$5.83 PKR 1,617

-43.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.15 PKR 4,478

$16.34 PKR 4,531

-1.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$7.87 PKR 2,182

$29.09 PKR 8,066

-72.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.50 PKR 1,526

$8.93 PKR 2,477

-38.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.22 PKR 1,170

$5.01 PKR 1,389

-15.77%

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

$44.93 PKR 12.5K

$75.0 PKR 20.8K

-40.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,043 PKR 566.4K

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

-59.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.26 PKR 3,675

$23.55 PKR 6,528

-43.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.24 PKR 3,949

$32.68 PKR 9,060

-56.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.6 PKR 20.4K

$83.6 PKR 23.2K

-11.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$8.77 PKR 2,432

$39.29 PKR 10.9K

-77.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$125 PKR 34.6K

$277 PKR 76.8K

-54.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.0 PKR 19.4K

$144 PKR 40.0K

-51.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 PKR 65.0K

$577 PKR 160.0K

-59.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 PKR 38.5K

$266 PKR 73.8K

-47.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$844 PKR 234.0K

$1,635 PKR 453.2K

-48.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$478 PKR 132.6K

$829 PKR 230.0K

-42.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$381 PKR 105.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.22

13.08

8.72%

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

Last update for Mianwali: September 1, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $125 in Mianwali 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 $8.00 in Mianwali versus $23.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $81.0 vs $103 – making Mianwali 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

Mianwali vs Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 40%, 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 $631 per month in Mianwali 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 Mianwali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% 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 $8.00 in Mianwali 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 $421 in Mianwali and $589 in Islamabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Mianwali – 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 Mianwali. 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.