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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $456 per month in Mianwali vs $534 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $665 per month in Mianwali vs $847 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $874 per month in Mianwali vs $1,160 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 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 PKR 585

$2.85 PKR 791

-25.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.07 PKR 3,906

$14.26 PKR 3,960

-1.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.28 PKR 1,189

$5.44 PKR 1,511

-21.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.87 PKR 798

$1.72 PKR 477

66.86%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 PKR 1,041

$3.82 PKR 1,061

-1.83%

Cappuccino

$2.35 PKR 652

$1.97 PKR 547

19.29%

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

$0.20 PKR 54.6

$0.40 PKR 110

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.2

$0.24 PKR 67.0

-12.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.67 PKR 185

$0.96 PKR 268

-30.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.66 PKR 183

-13.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 PKR 249

$1.28 PKR 355

-29.69%

Eggs

$1.17 PKR 326

$1.20 PKR 334

-2.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 PKR 1,696

$6.07 PKR 1,687

0.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.92 PKR 811

$3.37 PKR 937

-13.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.42 PKR 1,227

$4.35 PKR 1,209

1.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 282

$1.04 PKR 289

-1.92%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.84 PKR 234

-28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 168

$0.91 PKR 253

-34.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.22 PKR 61.2

$0.56 PKR 156

-60.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 97.6

$0.41 PKR 115

-14.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.57 PKR 158

-36.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PKR 125

$0.31 PKR 85.4

45.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.41 PKR 113

-7.32%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.05 PKR 291

$2.00 PKR 555

-47.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 PKR 142

$0.93 PKR 258

-45.16%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 PKR 308

$2.04 PKR 567

-45.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 PKR 525

$2.14 PKR 595

-11.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 44.36

$0.17 PKR 46.51

-5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.15 PKR 1,986

$7.22 PKR 2,005

-0.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 PKR 203

$0.85 PKR 236

-14.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 PKR 148

$0.43 PKR 120

23.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 PKR 504

$2.79 PKR 775

-34.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 252

$0.98 PKR 271

-7.14%

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

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

-16.69%

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

$23.2K PKR 6.4M

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

-10.47%

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

$141 PKR 39.1K

$114 PKR 31.6K

23.76%

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

$3.63 PKR 1,009

$5.41 PKR 1,501

-32.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.00 PKR 4,721

$18.69 PKR 5,190

-9.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.23 PKR 3,396

$22.13 PKR 6,144

-44.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.86 PKR 1,626

$6.12 PKR 1,698

-4.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.22 PKR 1,171

$4.14 PKR 1,150

1.93%

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

$35.40 PKR 9,829

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

-41.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,233 PKR 342.5K

$2,753 PKR 764.4K

-55.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.97 PKR 4,156

$21.08 PKR 5,854

-28.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.37 PKR 6,490

$27.64 PKR 7,674

-15.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 PKR 20.2K

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

-17.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.12 PKR 8,364

$40.94 PKR 11.4K

-26.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$74.7 PKR 20.8K

$199 PKR 55.3K

-62.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.3 PKR 14.2K

$110 PKR 30.5K

-53.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 PKR 45.4K

$505 PKR 140.1K

-67.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 PKR 29.1K

$299 PKR 83.0K

-64.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$858 PKR 238.1K

$1,513 PKR 420.1K

-43.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$412 PKR 114.4K

$647 PKR 179.8K

-36.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$385 PKR 106.9K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $74.7 in Mianwali versus $199 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: $87.0 vs $100 – 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 17%, 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 $685 per month in Mianwali and $801 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 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 $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 $456 in Mianwali and $534 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.