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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $449 per month in Mianwali vs $529 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $657 per month in Mianwali vs $835 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $865 per month in Mianwali vs $1,141 in Islamabad, rent included.

Mianwali is about 15% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mianwali and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Mianwali 66% lower, Islamabad 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 PKR 583

$2.80 PKR 779

-25.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.90 PKR 3,868

$14.22 PKR 3,955

-2.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.25 PKR 1,182

$5.44 PKR 1,512

-21.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 PKR 782

$1.72 PKR 478

63.37%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 PKR 1,037

$4.00 PKR 1,112

-6.75%

Cappuccino

$2.29 PKR 638

$2.00 PKR 557

14.50%

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

$0.21 PKR 57.1

$0.43 PKR 119

-51.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.4

$0.22 PKR 61.1

-4.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.64 PKR 178

$0.94 PKR 260

-31.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 171

$0.62 PKR 173

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 PKR 249

$1.21 PKR 338

-25.62%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 335

$1.20 PKR 335

0.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.03 PKR 1,677

$6.07 PKR 1,689

-0.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.92 PKR 812

$3.39 PKR 942

-13.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.58 PKR 1,274

$4.38 PKR 1,218

4.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 PKR 281

$1.03 PKR 287

-1.94%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 PKR 176

$0.78 PKR 216

-19.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.93 PKR 260

-38.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.22 PKR 61.2

$0.60 PKR 166

-63.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 98.8

$0.41 PKR 115

-12.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.54 PKR 149

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.34 PKR 93.3

29.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 107

$0.37 PKR 103

2.70%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.93 PKR 259

$1.93 PKR 537

-51.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 PKR 151

$0.90 PKR 251

-40.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 PKR 298

$1.99 PKR 552

-46.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 PKR 552

$2.14 PKR 596

-7.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 55.1

$0.19 PKR 52.2

5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.16 PKR 1,991

$6.90 PKR 1,921

3.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 PKR 191

$0.86 PKR 238

-19.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 PKR 137

$0.44 PKR 122

11.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 PKR 479

$2.81 PKR 782

-38.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 PKR 249

$0.91 PKR 253

-1.10%

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

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

-18.53%

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

$23.7K PKR 6.6M

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

-9.40%

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

$139 PKR 38.6K

$112 PKR 31.1K

24.33%

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

$3.58 PKR 995

$5.44 PKR 1,512

-34.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.98 PKR 4,724

$18.81 PKR 5,234

-9.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.33 PKR 3,429

$22.19 PKR 6,174

-44.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.05 PKR 1,684

$6.04 PKR 1,679

0.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.37 PKR 1,215

$4.21 PKR 1,171

3.80%

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

$34.38 PKR 9,564

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

-42.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,244 PKR 346.0K

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

-55.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.32 PKR 4,261

$21.57 PKR 5,999

-28.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.60 PKR 6,286

$27.63 PKR 7,686

-18.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 PKR 20.1K

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

-17.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.15 PKR 8,388

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

-24.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.2 PKR 21.2K

$198 PKR 55.1K

-61.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.3 PKR 14.6K

$112 PKR 31.1K

-53.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$169 PKR 47.1K

$513 PKR 142.6K

-66.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$107 PKR 29.9K

$296 PKR 82.3K

-63.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$860 PKR 239.2K

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

-44.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$577 PKR 160.5K

$657 PKR 182.9K

-12.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 PKR 107.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.88

20.2

-1.58%

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

Last update for Mianwali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $76.2 in Mianwali versus $198 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 $14.00 in Mianwali versus $14.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $88.0 vs $98.0 – 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 18%, 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 $674 per month in Mianwali and $794 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 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 $14.00 in Mianwali and $14.00 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 $449 in Mianwali and $529 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.